Team Liquid Signs TI 2025 Champion Malr1ne to Replace Nisha

Team Liquid has officially signed Stanislav "Malr1ne" Potorak as its new Dota 2 midlaner. The organization announced the move on Thursday, October 15, bringing in the TI 2025 champion from Team Falcons to replace Michał "Nisha" Jankowski, who has stepped away from competitive play.

The signing completes Liquid's roster rebuild ahead of the 2026/2027 season. Malr1ne had been a free agent since September, when Falcons announced its departure from competitive Dota 2, bringing an end to a roster that had won several of the game's biggest tournaments.

Liquid revealed the signing through a video featuring an appearance from Ammar "ATF" Al-Assaf, Malr1ne's former Falcons teammate, and a call from coach William "Blitz" Lee to the player during his honeymoon.

Malr1ne Joins Team Liquid After Winning TI 2025

At just 22 years old, Malr1ne arrives at Team Liquid with a The International title already under his belt. He helped Falcons win TI 2025 with a victory over Xtreme Gaming in the Grand Final, establishing himself as one of the team's standout players during his nearly three-year stint with the organization.

Malr1ne was part of the Falcons lineup alongside skiter, ATF, Cr1t-, and Sneyking, which remained together from late 2023 until 2026. During that period, Falcons won nine Tier 1 tournaments, including TI 2025.

His time with the organization came to an end following The International 2026. Falcons finished in 7th-8th place after losing to Nigma Galaxy and subsequently falling 2-1 to Team Liquid in the lower bracket.

In September, the Saudi organization announced it would exit competitive Dota 2, citing a strategic review of its esports operations. The decision left its players free to explore opportunities elsewhere.

Known for his versatile hero pool, Malr1ne made a name for himself with picks such as Timbersaw, Pangolier, Sand King, and Puck. At Liquid, he faces the challenge of replacing one of the most accomplished midlaners in the organization's recent history.

Malr1ne Replaces Nisha Following Competitive Break

Malr1ne's arrival follows Nisha's decision to take a break from competitive Dota 2 in September. The Polish midlaner had been with Team Liquid since late 2022 and played a central role in the organization's victory at The International 2024.

Liquid also enjoyed success in 2026, winning BLAST Slam VI and 1win Essence II. However, its TI campaign ended with a 5th-6th place finish after a playoff loss to Team Spirit.

The organization had already made another major roster change, bringing in Bolivian offlaner Adrián "Wisper" Céspedes Dobles to replace Marcus "Ace" Hoelgaard.

With Malr1ne now confirmed, Liquid has finalized its lineup for the new season. The move also adds an interesting connection to Falcons' elimination from TI 2026: Malr1ne was on the losing side of that series, while the player he is replacing, Nisha, was still competing for Liquid.

Team Liquid's Dota 2 Roster for the 2026/2027 Season

With Malr1ne taking over the midlane, Team Liquid's new roster is as follows:

• Carry: Michael "miCKe" Vu
• Mid: Stanislav "Malr1ne" Potorak
• Offlane: Adrián "Wisper" Céspedes Dobles
• Support: Samuel "Boxi" Svahn
• Support: Erik "tOfu" Engel
• Coach: William "Blitz" Lee

The new lineup is expected to make its debut at PARI Universe, an online tournament scheduled for October 22 to November 1. Other participating teams include Team Spirit, Team Yandex, and PARIVISION.

The tournament could also see Malr1ne face his former Falcons teammate ATF, who now plays for Team Yandex. It will be one of the first opportunities to see how Liquid performs with both Malr1ne and Wisper in the lineup.

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Featured Image Credit: Team Liquid

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