BESTIA recall timo, buda transitions to IGL and shaRpy takes over as coach

Argentinian esports organization BESTIA have announced a major restructuring of their Counter-Strike 2 roster as the team attempts to recover from a disappointing start to the 2026 season. The changes include a leadership shift within the lineup, the return of a previously benched player, and a new head coach.

The most notable move sees long-time in-game leader Nicolás “Noktse” Dávila moved to the bench, ending his stint as the squad’s tactical leader. Leadership responsibilities have instead been handed to Nicolás “buda” Kramer, who will now serve as the team’s in-game leader moving forward.

At the same time, Cristhian “timo” Perez returns to the active lineup after being recalled from his loan spell with Isurus. The Uruguayan rifler had only recently been benched by BESTIA to make room for the arrival of Ignacio “nacho” Rodriguez, before being temporarily sent to Isurus earlier in the year.

The organization also made a change to its coaching staff. Former assistant coach Afonso “shaRpy” Bastos has been promoted to head coach, replacing Rodrigo “pino” Manarino, who departs the position as part of the restructuring.

Changes follow difficult start to 2026

The roster overhaul comes after a string of underwhelming results for BESTIA in recent tournaments. The South American team finished:

• 5-8th at BetBoom Circuit X Cuiabá

• 3-4th at FiRe CONTER Season 1

• 13-16th at Roman Imperium Cup V

• 9-12th at DraculaN Season 5

These placements left the team outside the projected invite list for upcoming major events and struggling to maintain a strong position in the regional Valve Ranking System standings.

According to earlier reports, the organization began planning changes shortly after the poor run of results, with internal discussions focusing on both leadership and structural adjustments to improve the squad’s performance.

Race for Major qualification

BESTIA now face a critical stretch of competition as they attempt to improve their ranking before the next invite cutoff. The team has five LAN events scheduled before April 6, giving them limited time to secure enough results to remain in contention for invitations to major international tournaments.

The revamped lineup is expected to make its debut at Roman Imperium Cup VI, which runs from March 12–15. The event will serve as the first test for the new structure, including buda’s leadership and the reintegration of timo into the starting five.

BESTIA roster after changes

Players

• Tomás “tomaszin” Corna

• Cássio “cass1n” Santos

• Nicolás “buda” Kramer (IGL)

• Ignacio “nacho” Rodriguez

• Cristhian “timo” Perez

Coach

• Afonso “shaRpy” Bastos

Bench

• Nicolás “Noktse” Dávila

With the new leadership structure and roster adjustments in place, BESTIA will hope the changes can revitalize their campaign and help them climb back into contention within the South American CS2 scene.