Team Liquid to play with Bryle as stand-in at ESL One Raleigh 2025

Bryle returns from a year-long hiatus to stand-in for Team Liquid in his home region's first LAN tournament in years.

Legendary two-time The International-winning organisation, Team Liquid, are among the foremost contenders in the ESL One Raleigh 2025, one of the biggest Dota 2 LAN tournaments of the year so far. However, only one day before the event kicks off Liquid coach William “BlitZ” Lee revealed that their renowned mid laner, Michał “Nisha” Jankowski, won’t be able to participate in the event due to visa issues.

In a last-minute switch-up, Team Liquid will instead field Jonathan Bryle “Bryle” Santos De Guia as Nisha's stand-in throughout the tournament. Blitz also reassured fans that Nisha will return in the remaining tournaments of the season.

Team Liquid’s Dota 2 roster for ESL One Raleigh will be as follows:

Bryle stands in for Liquid after a year of inactivity

It is unfortunate to see Liquid lose a key player right before an important event. Nisha is one of the most prolific midlaners in the world, and finding a player capable of filling in his shoes may be difficult, especially on such short notice.

Unexpectedly, Canadian mid laner Bryle has answered the call to substitute for Liquid in ESL One Raleigh. Bryle, best known for his time with TSM from 2022 to 2023, has been off the competitive radar for more than a year. He last played for Tundra Esports in a brief one-month period, during which the team achieved a 7th-8th placement in ESL One Kuala Lumpur 2023.

Since then, Bryle has quietly stepped away from the public eye, not joining any teams or competitions. Him standing in for Liquid breaks his year-long dormancy, and it remains to be seen if he can quickly adjust to the team’s game plan.

Another victim of the visa obstacle

The announcement of Nisha’s absence at ESL One Raleigh follows another visa issue affecting Team Falcons, who will be playing with Quinn “Quinn” Callahan as a stand-in for Stanislav “Malr1ne” Potorak. While some teams have confirmed the participation of their full lineups, both Falcons and Liquid are confirmed to compete without their full rosters, fielding stand-ins for the entire million-dollar event.

This roster change will feel particularly strange for Liquid and its fans. Nisha has consistently played for Liquid in tournaments without logistical issues, so his absence this time may significantly impact the team’s performance, and ESL One Raleigh is not the kind of event where you want to be shaken up.

ESL One Raleigh 2025 features a US$1 million prize pool, with the winner set to take home the grand prize of US$250,000. Additionally, hefty ESL Pro Tour (EPT) points will be awarded to top performers, boosting their chances of directly qualifying for this year's Dota 2 Riyadh Masters at the Esports World Cup 2025. Teams will not only look forward to the experience of playing in front of a live crowd but also the opportunity to reap significant rewards.

ESL One Raleigh 2025 will run from 7 to 13 April.