Introduction: The S16 season has officially kicked off, and it’s believed that the vast majority of players have been paying attention to the recent confrontations. The contests across all major regions are fiercely competitive. At present, the LPL and LCK regions still dominate, making it difficult for other regions to claim glory. Recently, the LCP region’s regular season also concluded. Currently, the two most popular junglers in this region are the former LPL World Finals runner-up SofM and Shad0w, who recently left the BLG team. Neither has performed particularly well, especially SofM, who was eliminated second to last.

Former LPL World Runner-up Eliminated Second to Last

Most players are quite familiar with the Vietnamese region, which has steadily improved its overall strength in recent years. Especially after merging with the LMS region, the internal competitions have become very engaging. With the end of the LCP regular season, the full schedule is now set. Unfortunately, SofM’s team, MVKE, lost their final match against GZ, finishing the regular season with a 2-5 record, ranking seventh and second to last, thus missing the playoffs. This outcome disappointed many fans because, in the hearts of many Vietnamese players, he is a godlike figure, comparable to Uzi in the LPL.

SofM’s professional career has been incredibly colorful. Early on, he played in the LPL region and reached the World Finals runner-up spot with the SN team, becoming a beacon of hope for Vietnamese players. Many fans even joked that SofM had already bought a seaside villa back then. As he aged, he left the LPL and returned to Vietnam, transitioning into a coaching role. Perhaps due to a drop in popularity last season, the 28-year-old SofM made a comeback as a player during the transfer period, joining MVKE. This move earned great respect from many LPL fans, as it was not something he had to do.

At the start of his comeback, SofM intended to pour all his passion into the game, planning to switch to support and nurture new AD carries. However, in actual matches, he continued to start as a jungler. Ultimately, their young roster did not perform very well. In the final regular season game, they were defeated 1-2 by GZ, finishing with a 2-5 record in seventh place, second to last, and missing the playoffs. Respect is due to such a veteran; returning to the professional stage already required considerable effort. In interviews, he openly admitted that the team lacked sufficient synergy and that their recent performance was mediocre, needing much more time to gel.

In this region, another well-known player is the former BLG jungler Shad0w, who joined CFO during the transfer period. His results were also average, with a 3-4 record placing fifth, below a 50% win rate. The top team in the LCP region is TSM, boasting a 6-1 record and a +10 point differential. Their head coach is also well-known, having helped FPX win the World Championship in the S9 season. This season is no joke; in both the Rift Rivals and World Championship, their performance matches that of the LPL.

Farewell Thoughts

Who would have thought that SofM’s results after his comeback would be like this? Once a top runner-up, he has now become a fringe player. Still, applause is deserved for his return, which was truly to boost the region’s popularity. In the Vietnamese region, he is almost as revered as Uzi is in the LPL, both being top-tier players. Hopefully, next season will bring a renewed SofM, as his jungle clearing speed is well-known.

What do all of you viewers think about this situation?