After the end of the Masters Toronto tournament, the Chinese team XLG Esports, which until recently was considered an outsider of the scene, is starting to rapidly change its course. The team, which confidently declared its ambitions within the Valorant Champions Tour (VCT), officially announced a change in the roster today. Zhang “Midi” Jiajun, who played as a temporary player, leaves the team. In his place comes a new fighter – James “NoMan” Mann, whose name is still little known to the general audience, but his internal statistics and approach to the game promise serious potential. This decision was an unexpected, but logical step for XLG: the team is clearly determined not just to participate, but to fight for top positions in the international arena.
This transfer change is evidence of a long-term strategy: the organization is betting on “raw gold”, a player who can be trained for their own system. The move to fresh recruits also suggests that XLG is ready for a reboot not only on a tactical level, but also on a mental level – with new connections, communication styles, and perhaps even a rethink of the game’s roles. Such decisions often become turning points in a team’s history. And if NoMan can adapt to XLG’s pace and style of play, we may well see the former underdog turn into a formidable force in the next stages of the VCT.
Table of Contents
Farewell to Midi: Last Words
Recently, the official XLG Weibo account announced the heartfelt departure of Zhang “Midi” Jia Jun. It has been revealed that this decision was made by the player himself, resulting in a mutual agreement to terminate his contract.
In honoring the player’s personal wishes and after friendly discussions between both parties, XLG player Zhang “Midi” Jia Jun is set to officially leave the team. Throughout his time with us, he embraced challenges courageously and took on responsibilities during tough moments. We feel incredibly fortunate to have shared this journey with you as we aspired to reach the pinnacle of success together. Your relentless work ethic, commitment, and effort have truly left a meaningful mark on our timeline. You consistently faced every situation with a positive attitude and a smile, inspiring those around you.
Midi Career at VALORANT Masters 2025 in XLG
On June 2, 2025, just a few days before the start of VALORANT Masters in Toronto, Zhang “Midi” Jiajun suddenly found himself in the spotlight – he was urgently invited to the team to fill the empty spot of the fifth player. It was less a signing and more a real attempt to put out a fire: there was almost no time to prepare, zero chemistry, and one of the biggest tournaments of the year was already looming on the horizon. He got to the bootcamp at the last second, not really knowing his teammates, their habits, or how exactly the team wanted to play with such a lineup. And all this – under the pressure of the stage, the stands, and tens of thousands of spectators watching every move of the mouse.
The tournament itself was extremely difficult for Midi. In his first match against G2 Esports, he looked constrained, at times lost, as if everything was unfolding too quickly. His statistics in both games remained at the bottom of the table, and it was noticeable during the matches: he was trying to find his place, but simply did not have time to adapt. In the team chat, according to the coach, he apologized for his mistakes almost in a whisper – not because he did not want to fight, but because he felt that he was letting down those for whom every round was important. After a quick exit to the lower bracket and an equally quick defeat, the team took 7-8 place, and Midi himself, in fact, finished his performance at the tournament, without even having time to really get going.
The community reacted violently. Some sympathized – they said, it is impossible to demand a miracle from a person who barely had time to unpack a mouse. Others reproached: why take an unprepared player to such an important tournament? Someone noted that his aggressive style with AWP did not fit into the team’s systemic game, and someone complained that he was simply not given enough time to adapt. Indeed, too many things came together: force majeure, enormous pressure, someone else’s system and almost no time to adjust. All this came together in a situation where Midi found himself in someone else’s rhythm, in someone else’s game – and in the end was unable to show what he was valued for before.
This story became a reminder for everyone: even a talented player can get lost if the team and circumstances do not give him space to open up. Midi did not fail – he was not in his role, not at his pace, not in his moment. And perhaps, over time, this episode will become just a tolerable chapter in his career, but for now it is a painful but instructive lesson for both him and the entire team.
NoMan will play instead of Midi in the lineup
As soon as the club said goodbye to Midi, their social networks literally lit up with the news: “Friends, meet our new predator – James “NoMan” Mann!” The newcomer’s name may not yet be heard alongside the big stars of Valorant, but the 21-year-old has already managed to get a lot of bumps. Since 2022, he has wandered around tournaments in Tier-2 rosters: he did not win any cups there, but he honed his character to a steel shine. James stayed at ESC Gaming for less than two weeks – like on a short business trip – and now he is packing his bags for XLG.
The arrival of NoMan closed the last gap in the roster. Now the team can fully polish their tactics before VCT China Stage 2, which starts in just seven days. Fans are already making predictions: will James become the missing piece of the puzzle? Picture this: the camera zooms in, he adjusts his headset, gives a quick smile – and the arena goes silent. We’ll soon find out if the new blood will turn into the long-awaited momentum that can take XLG to a whole new level.
