After a record-setting 2018, Royal Never Give Up’s star ADC will be taking a month-long break from League of Legends. Jian “Uzi” Zi-Hao will return to RNG after the Chinese New Year, says the team on Twitter.
Uzi will return to the team after the Chinese New Year holiday, which he will temporarily be absent for the first two LPL games. Thanks to fans who have been supportive for RNG and Uzi, We look forward to seeing him back in shape and join the rest of the team on the road.
— Royal Never Give Up (@RNG) January 15, 2019
Additionally, RNG’s replacement ADC will be Zhang “Wink” Rui, who was last playing for Royal Club until December last year. Uzi had a very eventful year in 2018 and would lead his team to become one of the best ADC’s in the world. As a result, RNG would also become one of the best teams in the world as well. They would enter the World Championships in Korea as one of the favorites of the tournament. This year, RNG looks to retain their status as one of the best in the game, but Uzi is a huge part of that.
A Year to Remember..?
2018 would see Uzi set some new records across the League of Legends scene. He led the charge for China to start taking over the world, wrestling away the hold South Korea had on the competitive League scene. In the LPL, RNG would dominate their region, winning both the Spring and Summer Splits with ease. There was simply too much firepower across the team’s roster, from Uzi to Liu “Mlxg” Shi-Yu in the jungle.
On the international stage, China flourished behind the juggernaut that was Royal Never Give Up. RNG would end up taking the Mid-Season Invitational title by defeating Kingzone DragonX. Afterward, they made short work of the Demacia Cup, where they only lost two games throughout the whole tournament. China would even win Rift Rivals thanks to the efforts of RNG, EDward Gaming, Invictus Gaming, and Rogue Warriors.
However, the ultimate prize eluded them once again. RNG entered the World Championships with a full head of steam. They rolled through the group stage with a 4-2 record, losing only to Cloud9 and Team Vitality. Unfortunately, no one told Uzi and company that last year was the year of upsets. In an improbable series of events, RNG lost to Europe’s third seed, G2 Esports, in the quarterfinals. It was a heartbreaking loss that came after one of the most back and forth series of the playoffs.
Moving Forward
After their disappointing exit from the World Championships, RNG saw some changes to their roster. For example, Yan “Letme” Jun-Ze is also taking a break from competitive League of Legends activities as well. Top laner Liu “Zz1tai” Zhi-Hao would also retire at the season’s end, making his announcement right before the new year. As of now, their roster has Shek “AmazingJ” Wai Ho as their top laner, with Wink taking over ADC duties for now.
The roster still looks relatively the same, with the same talented solo laners terrorizing the league. We should see RNG at the top of the ladders once again, especially once Uzi returns from his break. He should be playing with an extra chip on his shoulder, considering how he won everything except the trophy he’s hunted for his entire career.
What are your thoughts on Uzi taking a month-long break? Let us know what you think in the comments below! If you want more League of Legends coverage, check us out here!
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