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Dota 2 Roster Shuffle 2025: All Major Roster Moves post-TI (Week 1)
As expected, shortly after The International 2025 concluded, the Dota 2 roster shuffle began across the professional circuit. Every year, this post-TI period represents a moment of transition where organizations seek to reconfigure their lineups, signing free agents or promoting new talent in hopes of creating the perfect mix before the new season begins.
For some teams, it is a chance at redemption. For others, it is a necessary rebuild after failing to meet expectations. This first roundup highlights the most notable roster moves since TI until September 22nd, 2025.
It’s worth noting that Heroic has already taken the spotlight with its own roster changes, which we covered in a dedicated article. In this piece, we will focus on Tundra Esports, NaVi Junior, Yakult Brothers, AVULUS, MOUZ, and Virtus.pro — organizations that have announced important updates as they prepare for the next season.
Dota 2 Roster Shuffle:
Tundra Esports
Tundra was among the first to act this week, announcing on September 18th that Remco "Crystallis" Arets and Martin "Saksa" Sazdov would be moved to the inactive roster. The news did not come as a total surprise, as both players had inconsistent results and Crystallis was harshly criticized during The International.
Shortly afterward, it was revealed that Crystallis would join MOUZ on loan, filling their carry position. This left Saksa temporarily without a team, effectively entering the free-agent pool. Tundra now faces the challenge of finding both a new carry and a soft support to fill these gaps. The decisions they make here will shape the identity of their roster going forward.
NaVi Junior: Revealing New Talents
Few names carry as much weight in Dota 2 history as Natus Vincere. After years of ups and downs, 2025 was a rejuvenating year for the organization, and the relaunch of NaVi Junior is their latest project to return to the top.
The new squad is built around entirely fresh talent, players who are mostly unknown to the wider Dota scene. This is part of NaVi’s broader initiative to invest in and support the development of young, promising players from the CIS region.
While expectations are naturally tempered, the long-term potential of this team is exciting. Their upcoming performances in qualifiers will provide the first real glimpse into whether NaVi’s gamble will pay off.
This project also taps into a growing trend in the professional scene: the creation of junior or academy rosters designed to nurture new talent without the immediate pressure of Tier 1 results. If successful, NaVi Junior could be an important piece in sustaining CIS Dota for years to come.
Yakult Brothers: Quick Replacements
Yakult Brothers had one of the strangest runs to The International, securing their spot after Gaimin Gladiators vacated theirs. However, their performance at TI left much to be desired, and changes were inevitable.
The team decided to part ways with Xiang "Beyond" Zhenghong and Chan "Oli" Chon Kien. Their replacements were announced almost immediately: Nicholas "zeal" Lim and Wilson "poloson" Koh stepped in to take their places.
While this move doesn’t drastically shift the team’s identity, it signals that Yakult Brothers are intent on adapting quickly. Whether zeal and poloson can raise the team’s ceiling will only become clear as the season unfolds, but the swift action suggests urgency from the organization.
MOUZ: Veteran Names Return
MOUZ also wasted no time reentering the Dota 2 scene with a refreshed roster. Known for their storied history in esports, MOUZ leaned on experienced names to anchor their lineup during this shuffle period.
Their first test came at the DreamLeague Season 27 Open Qualifiers, where they immediately fell short in the finals against Kidaro’s stack. While this early setback might raise doubts, it’s important to remember that roster chemistry takes time to build.
With Crystallis joining them on loan from Tundra, MOUZ has a relatively dependable carry with all the right reasons to perform at their disposal. The big question will be whether the rest of the team can forge an identity strong enough to withstand the pressures of Tier 1 competition.
AVULUS: Expanding Horizons
AVULUS, one of the surprise organizations of 2025, had a much stronger year than anticipated, making appearances in multiple Tier 1 tournaments. Building on that momentum, they announced a new roster featuring Jonáš "SabeRLight-" Volek on loan from Team Liquid.
The addition of SabeRLight- brings much needed veterancy and stability to the team, while Artem "lorenof" Melnyk returns to reestablish his presence in the professional circuit. On paper, this roster has the potential to break into the lower Tier 1 rankings. If AVULUS can maintain consistency and secure tournament spots through qualifiers, they could be one of the season's best dark horses.
Virtus.pro: Doubling Down
Virtus.pro made perhaps the boldest moves of the shuffle season so far, unveiling not one but two rosters. VP.CIS, is composed of parts of their former main squad, with Alik "V-Tune" Vorobey leading the charge alongside players drawn from VP’s inactive roster, 4Pirates, and VP.Prodigy. This roster will likely compete in Eastern Europe.
The main roster, intended to represent Western Europe, features big names with international recognition. At its core is Tal "Fly" Aizik, taking on the role of captain, while longtime coach Kanishka "BuLba" Sosale joins the staff. BuLba’s coaching career has often been polarizing, and this project could serve as a defining chapter in his career.
Virtus.pro has also indicated that internal transfers between the two squads are possible, creating flexibility and depth. This approach is unusual but could give them an edge in navigating a long and unpredictable competitive calendar.
Closing Thoughts
We are still on the first week after The International 2025 but smaller teams are already moving fast. This is mostly due to the fact that they need to be ready for the DreamLeague Season 27 and BLAST Slam IV Open and Closed Qualifiers, which are already in motion or about to start in all regions.
MOUZ may have stumbled early, but their roster still has plenty of potential. Tundra, on the other hand, must now carefully consider their replacements to avoid losing ground in a stacked European scene. Meanwhile, NaVi Junior represents a hopeful experiment for CIS talent development, and Virtus.pro’s dual-roster strategy could reshape how we think about organizational depth in Dota 2.
We will return next week with another roster shuffle article...
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Featured Image Source: Eric de Oliveira
