Now that the team he founded is out of The International 2025 and the EWC, Puppey is changing teammates and region. Is this finally the opportunity he needed to make a comeback?
Clement “Puppey” Ivanov is not only the winner of the first The International and a legendary player—he’s also the owner of Team Secret. That’s what makes his announcement as the new hard support player for Team Edge in South America so unexpected.
After failing to qualify for The International 2025, the Peruvian roster dropped two players: Yheremi "payk" Arroyo and Junior "Yadomi" Rimari. As rumors spread about local replacements, one name felt obvious. David "Parker" Nicho Flores, currently part of Team Secret’s inactive roster, had already played the South American Closed Qualifiers with “Team Sin Compromiso” (“Uncompromising Team”), reaching fourth place after losing to OG.LATAM.
With Puppey and Parker, Edge is aiming to dominate PGL Wallachia S5. The team also failed to qualify for the Esports World Cup, which puts pressure on them to perform well in the remaining tournaments this season.
Is Puppey officially out of Team Secret after joining Edge?
Team Secret hasn’t made a statement about Puppey. Their X page is silent, and the player is famously inactive on social media. Edge’s post doesn’t confirm signings either—they simply describe both players as “reinforcements.”
It’s likely the team is in a tryout phase ahead of The International 2025 roster shuffle. That means Puppey’s future won’t be clear until after Wallachia ends. Another challenge: some of Edge’s players speak limited English, which could be a real barrier to building synergy if the roster sticks.
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What are Edge’s chances at PGL Wallachia S5?
Payk is one of the most talented South American carries, and Yadomi’s experience was valuable. Edge nearly defeated HEROIC—undisputed kings of the region—during the TI 2025 qualifiers, even before adding Puppey and Parker. The team was clearly improving, but results never followed.
Parker, meanwhile, remains one of the region’s most controversial players. He was kicked from HEROIC following accusations of “bad behavior,” but later joined Team Secret alongside Puppey. This sparked a wave of support from the Peruvian community, many of whom believed Puppey was the calm, authoritative captain Parker needed.
Team Secret’s performances did improve with Puppey and Parker in the same lane. Still, they played four qualifiers without a single successful run. The team failed to qualify for any major tournaments in 2025, and Secret’s Dota 2 division hasn’t had a return on investment for months.
Parker did win PGL Wallachia S2 with HEROIC, but that was nearly a year ago. Since then, he’s struggled to find a stable home. His time with Secret wasn’t enough to prove his current level, and the stacks he played with afterward also fell flat.
With all this in mind, it’s hard to say Edge has strong odds at PGL Wallachia S5. That said, this might be exactly the mix both players need to make a true comeback.
Want to see how Team Edge performs with Puppey and Parker? Keep an eye on our Dota 2 section for all the updates.
