In the interview, MIBR aspas shared his views on recent duelist nerfs, the team’s growth since Kickoff, and overall synergy.
For Erick “aspas” Santos, MIBR is approaching the upcoming stage with a renewed mindset. After three tough losses during Kickoff Grand Finals, the duelist is bringing fresh energy into the next phase. In an interview with esports.gg, he reflected on the team’s recent changes and highlighted the growing synergy with his teammates.
Recovering from surgery and Kickoff performance
At the beginning of December 2025, aspas revealed he had undergone heart surgery to remove a vascular tumor. Since it was a problem connected to his heart, the doctors could not perform a complete removal, as aspas explained on his X post. Three months later, we asked aspas how he felt. “I’m fine now. It was a great recovery. The surgery itself was also a success, as the doctor said, so I’m now 100%,” he clarified.
The Kickoff stage proved bittersweet for MIBR. The team began the season strongly, securing consecutive victories, but was unable to maintain that momentum and secure a place on the international stage. Three hard-fought losses in the Grand Finals prompted the team to engage in crucial discussions.
“We had a lot of private talks on the team, so one thing I can say for sure is that the MIBR you saw during Kickoff is not the same one that is playing Stage 1. It’s like a different team,” aspas said.
MIBR aspas on the recent meta changes
Duelists have changed a lot in the last couple of weeks, bringing many doubts about their viability in the competitive scenario. “One thing is certain, and we won’t be seeing Yoru again soon. However, Neon will probably be played on all maps since she was not nerfed,” aspas commented.
While Neon has been on his agent pool for a while now, MIBR aspas believes she needs to be nerfed soon. “You can use the rankeds as an example. In all the matches, you will have a Neon that only plays with a shotgun. It’s pretty annoying,” he laughed. “There’s a chance we will still see the double duelist, but without the Yoru. I believe Waylay is still an option.”
In his opinion, the latest nerf won’t take Waylay out of the options, but teams might play her differently. “Before, she was used for the whole kit. You’d leave your E on the ground, dash, use Saturate, and leave the kill to your team. Now, you can’t do it anymore,” aspas added. “Neon wasn’t nerfed, and she is still a very strong agent. At the same time, she brings a very fast game, so depending on the compositions, we might still see a fast-paced game.”
As for the new agent, MIBR aspas believes there is a chance he’ll be used since a team was using him on Ranked matches. However, he didn’t reveal which one, so we have to wait and see which teams will use Miks in the VCT Americas 2026: Stage 1.
Team synergy and evolution
In the middle of the 2025 season, Verno transitioned into the IGL role. For aspas, he has been doing an incredible job as one of the youngest in his position. “He evolved a lot as a leader within the server, especially since he became an in-game leader,” aspas explained. “He ended up having more of a voice, in some way. Verno is a very smart guy, and he’s doing a great job.”
As for Zachary “zekken” Patrone, communication has been the key to building strong synergy. “I think it’s always important to come up with a plan through discussion. There are moments when you can’t communicate, and that’s when having played a lot with someone really makes a difference, because you can complement each other,” he said. “It’s always important to maintain a good line of communication with your teammate before making a play.”
On the other side, the long friendship with Daniel “fRoD” Montaner also stepped up their connection on the stage. “We get along very well. We think the same way, so my conversations with fRoD are always easy,” MIBR aspas commented. “If we have something to say to each other, we will. He is a person I can consider a friend, and even if we’re not in the working environment, I can count on him.”
MIBR aspas on constant improvement and funny Sacy moments
For aspas, there’s a clear reason he still wakes up every morning eager to play VALORANT. “I want to win because I’m extremely competitive, and I always strive to be better than I was before,” he explained. “Wherever I am today, I want to come back tomorrow as an improved version of myself. I’m constantly looking for new ideas, fixing my mistakes, and studying anything that can help me grow.”
At Masters Santiago, two popular Brazilian streamers, Daniel “furq” Furquim and Heitor “TcK” Tomazela, shared a lighthearted moment on stage as they jokingly “cleaned” Gustavo “Sacy” Ross’ bald head. As former teammates on LOUD, we asked aspas whether he had ever done the same. “I’ve never cleaned Sacy’s head,” he laughed. “I don’t think I’ve done it even once.”
The “new MIBR” is coming back to the stage for the VCT Americas 2026 on April 10 to play against G2 Esports. You can watch all the matches on the official VCT Americas Twitch and YouTube channels.