Following the shock withdrawal of Gaimin Gladiators from The International 2025, their replacement is confirmed as Yakutou Brothers.
With The International 2025 just around the corner, the replacement team for Gaimin Gladiators has been found in the form of the Yakutou Brothers. After the event shaken by the unexpected news of a withdrawal just a few days back, normality is being restored. Last week, Gaimin Gladiators, one of seven directly invited teams, announced their withdrawal from the tournament. After much speculation, their replacement has now been confirmed as a third Chinese Dota 2 roster enters The International 2025.
Why the Yakutou Brothers enter The International 2025
The announcement came via the official TI X account, which followed up on GG’s withdrawal by unveiling the full roster of their successors. While there remains a lot of talk around the departure of GG, a new team is now ready to take up arms. Many had initially speculated that teams like OG would be the recipients of the new invitation.
Although the name Yakutou Brothers may be unfamiliar to some, it is in fact the same squad formerly known as "Yakult Brothers." Despite the rebrand, this lineup has been together since shortly after TI2024. Even with a wealth of TI knowledge, this will be their first appearance at The International as a unit.
Although the spot that was up for grabs could have possibly gone to any team, it seems likely that Valve's decision did not include any regional qualifiers. As a directly invited team, GG's slot at TI was decided purely on participation and skill. From this, teams such as OG, with their struggling roster and other issues, were left out of the running. While no official statement from Valve was given, this is the most likely scenario.
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A new challenger enters the ring
Yakutou Brothers have faced their share of struggles since forming, but TI2025 offers them the perfect stage to prove themselves. Now with 3 CN teams, there are the slight murmurings of the region’s return to form. But, as Hamburg, Germany, sets the scene in just two weeks, there is little time to finalize its preparations.
The full Yakutou Brothers roster for TI2025 is:
- Zhou "Emo" Yi
- Jin "flyfly" Zhiyi
- Xiang "Beyond" Zhenghong
- Chan "Oli" Chon Kien
- Ye "BoBoKa" Zhibiao
Whether they can rise to the challenge and deliver a deep run, or perhaps even pull off some major upsets, remains to be seen.
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