HeavyGod After G2’s Elimination from IEM Chengdu 2025: “Health Comes First for Our Captain”

G2 Esports rifler Nikita “HeavyGod” Martynenko commented on his team’s early exit from IEM Chengdu 2025, emphasizing that the roster gave everything it could under difficult circumstances and wishing a speedy recovery to captain Nemanja “huNter-” Kovač, who missed the decisive match against Team Vitality due to health problems.

The European team dropped out of the tournament after a 0:2 loss to Vitality in the Group B lower-bracket final, playing with head coach Eetu “sAw” Saha as a stand-in.

In a post on X, HeavyGod called the defeat a valuable learning experience, noting that G2 “lost too many duels” but fought until the end. He congratulated Vitality on their win, wished them luck for the rest of the tournament, and reminded fans that “health comes first” for huNter-, who was unable to compete.

SunPayus: “A Difficult Tournament, But There Were Positives”

A few hours later, G2 AWPer Álvaro “SunPayus” García also addressed the elimination, describing IEM Chengdu as a difficult event but highlighting positive moments from the team’s run. He added that G2 are now fully focused on preparing for the upcoming Major and thanked their opponents with a simple “GG to everyone we faced.”

Why huNter- Missed the Vitality Match

Before the lower-bracket final, G2 announced that huNter- would not be able to compete due to an urgent medical issue. The organisation confirmed that sAw would replace him and reassured fans that the captain was doing fine but needed rest. In a light-hearted note, the announcement joked that “Vitality aren’t the same anymore, so we wanted an extra challenge.”

Later, huNter- explained on X that he had felt unwell the day before the match. During the team’s series against Virtus.pro, he vomited multiple times and was taken to a hospital, where he was diagnosed with a stomach and sinus/throat infection. Although it wasn’t serious, doctors advised him to rest and skip the Vitality match. He apologised to fans for his absence and said he fully trusted his teammates to give their best without him.

By that stage, G2 had already secured a top-8 finish at IEM Chengdu, with the Vitality series determining whether they could advance to the playoffs.

G2’s Run at IEM Chengdu 2025

IEM Chengdu 2025, held in Chengdu, China, from 3–9 November, features a $1,000,000 prize pool, divided between a $300,000 player share and a $700,000 organisational club share. Sixteen teams competed, with Team Vitality entering as the top-ranked team in Valve’s Regional Standings.

G2’s Group B results were as follows:

Opening match: 2:0 victory over 3DMAX

Upper-bracket semi-final: 0:2 loss to FURIA, dropping to the lower bracket

Lower-bracket semi-final: 2:1 win over Virtus.pro (19–17 Overpass, 13–9 Inferno, 13–1 Dust2)

Lower-bracket final: 0:2 defeat to Team Vitality (13–4 Train, 13–11 Mirage)

The result placed G2 7–8th at the tournament, earning $7,000 in prize money plus a $40,000 club share.

Following the win, Vitality advanced to the playoffs to face Astralis, while FURIA prepared for a quarter-final against The MongolZ on the other side of the bracket.

Other Players React to Early Eliminations

G2’s exit wasn’t the only surprise in Chengdu. Several top teams, including Team Spirit and Heroic, were also eliminated earlier than expected.

Team Spirit rifler Andrey “tN1R” Tatarinovich admitted in a Telegram post that he played poorly at the event, inviting critics to “say what they want” and promising they would “change their tune” once results improved. Meanwhile, Spirit captain Leonid “chopper” Vishnyakov wrote a brief message after their loss to The MongolZ: “Not today. Thank you to everyone who supports us.”

These messages, alongside HeavyGod’s and SunPayus’s comments, reflect the pressure and intensity of IEM Chengdu 2025 — a tournament that has tested even the strongest rosters.

HeavyGod’s Comments Reflect His Season-Long Mindset

HeavyGod’s Chengdu statement aligns with his consistent attitude throughout 2025 — valuing teamwork, growth, and mental resilience.

Earlier this year, after qualifying for BLAST Open Lisbon 2025 playoffs, he said that G2 “know we can be really strong” and that the team’s goal is to “go as far as possible and win events.”

At BLAST Open London 2025, where G2 won the title and HeavyGod earned his first big-event MVP medal, he described himself as “harsh” on his own performances, saying he’s always trying to push his level “higher and higher,” even if perfection is unattainable.

In another interview, he credited huNter- and sAw for G2’s development, praising the captain’s leadership and the coach’s tactical input: “I’m really grateful for both of them. They push us forward mentally and tactically.”

Seen in that context, HeavyGod’s Chengdu reaction — thanking Vitality, stressing effort, and prioritising his teammate’s health — perfectly continues the team-first mentality he’s shown all year.