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“I lost the desire to play competitively’: UZI reveals SHOCKING reason for potential retirement
Legendary AD Carry Jian “Uzi” Zi-Hao is contemplating retirement (again). For the renowned 26-year-old player, he has achieved everything the professional League of Legends scene has to offer, aside from a Worlds title.
Uzi was most recently on the EDward Gaming roster, competing in the LPL for the Summer Split. However, he now cites the difficulty of keeping up, his own lack of motivation for the game, and his health concerns.
An attendee of 7 international tournaments, he is one of only two non-Korean individuals to make it to back-to-back Worlds finals. The other is Rasmus “Caps” Borregaard Winther.
He’s Lost the Competitive Desire
On stream yesterday, Uzi spoke to his viewers on his future and next step for 2024. During that he appeared almost defeated:
“LPL tryouts? There aren’t even spots for me to tryout in the LDL (2nd division of competition in China). I really can’t do it anymore. I no longer have the desire to play competitively (fight). That desire has been defeated by reality.”
His stream was in Mandarin so some of the effects of his words may be lost in translation. In essence, he spoke of the dual issues that now stand before him. A lack of spots, and a lack of motivation. Describing it as ‘fight’, his will or spirit appeared defeated from the reality of his situation.
‘I really cannot handle professional play anymore. We train for at least 12 hours a day, even 15 hours a day is considered normal. It’s really hard to take. Maybe other leagues have it easier, but the training schedule in LCK and LPL is really tough. If I don’t train to that level, I can’t catch up. But if I train to that level, my body/health can’t catch up.”
An impossible demand of the current level of the LPL and the LCK, is the absurd amount of time and energy put into training. However, the results surely show dividends. The LCK and the LPL are both collectively considered the pinnacle of competitive League of Legends in modern times.
However, for a player like Uzi, time is no longer his friend and he cites an inability to keep up with the times and the new breed of players.
The Break(s) that Broke his Career
“Just practice more if you suck? I can’t get back to where I need to be, regardless of how much I practice. I took too long of a break.’
Uzi refers in the above quote to his latest break in 2022. Having come out of retirement at the start of 2022 to play as one of two AD Carries for Bilibili Gaming, the star bot laner only ended up playing nine games for the roster before taking a break ahead of the LPL Spring Playoffs.
However, heading into the 2022 LPL Summer Split, BLG released a statement that the player and organization have gone their separate ways. A livestream at the time from Uzi also confirmed to that effect that he would not be competing for the Summer Split of LPL.
(According to HUPU Esports’ translation of his stream) “I will rest in summer for sure. There are many things that don’t have solutions. If I could be a bit stronger, then it wouldn’t be a problem now. There is no such thing as ‘ifs’ in life. Such a pity.”
Health issues that have plagued the legendary player can be traced all the way back to 2015. In a video back in 2019, Uzi spoke on a persistent issue he has had with his shoulder and right arm. He gestured to his right shoulder, stating: ‘The worst part is this area. Then, it’ll affect the entire arm. It feels like my arm is retired already.’
Alarmingly, he also spoke how on a visit to his doctor, he was informed that the condition of his arms was similar to that of a 40 or 50 year old, worn out after years of playing. Combined with lack of lower body strength (sitting for prolonged period) and diabetes, Uzi had announced his retirement in 2020.
However, less than 2 years later, he had returned to the LPL, now playing under BLG’s banner. As we know, this second run of his did not last long.
The Greatest Player to Never Win Worlds
The League of Legends world will sadly never know the true heights of Uzi. Plagued with chronic illnesses and pains for most of his career, not only has he had to take more than one break, the long pause, the pain from his injuries, have all taken a toll on the 26-year-old AD Carry player.
Despite a want to continue, the reality of his rapidly deteriorating health and declining energy and inclination to put in the required hours any more has left him bereft of a team in 2024.
Despite that, Uzi has successfully carved himself into League of Legends history, as one of the most mechanically skilled ADC players, and one of the greatest players to ever touch the game.
Among his accomplishments is 6 Worlds appearances, 5 of which he made it to the Quarterfinals or above. Moreover, his one and only MSI he attended, in 2018, he won with RNG.
Maybe he will return again one day again. But for now, his stream is successful. He is happily married, and a father. Perhaps it is enough.
Translation for most recent stream taken from a Reddit post.
Credit: MSI 2018 // LoL Esports
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