Imperial Welcomes Skullz as Shr Is Bench-Moved

Imperial Welcomes Skullz as Shr Is Bench-Moved

Brazilian organization Imperial has announced a roster change in their Counter‑Strike 2 lineup: Felipe “skullz” Medeiros officially replaces José “Shr” Gil, who has been benched. This marks the end of Shr's brief one‑month stint with the squad. 

Skullz, aged 23, joins Imperial on loan from FURIA, where he had been sidelined since April following the arrival of Mareks “YEKINDAR” Gaļinskis. Prior to this move, skullz appeared as a temporary stand-in for FaZe during IEM Dallas, filling in while Håvard “rain” Nygaard was away for personal reasons. 

Meanwhile, Shr, who had arrived during the summer off‑season from SAW, played a total of 51 maps for Imperial. He averaged a 0.96 rating and contributed to three of the five regional competitions in South America. 

Timeline of the Transfer

Late June 2025: Imperial secured Shr by negotiating his transfer from SAW, aiming to finalize their revamped roster. He joined alongside chelo, replacing chayJESUS and decenty. 

Mid‑August 2025: Rumors began circulating that Imperial was close to finalizing a loan deal for skullz from FURIA. Sources indicated that Shr would participate in the Americas qualifier for CAC 2025 (August 16–17) before his benching. 

August 20, 2025: The transfer was officially confirmed—skullz moves to Imperial, and Shr is benched. 

Current Active Lineup

Imperial’s updated starting five now consists of:

• VINI (Vinicius Figueiredo)

• noway (Kaiky Santos)

• try (Santino Rigal)

• chelo (Marcelo Cespedes)

• skullz (Felipe Medeiros)

Coach: Rafael “zakk” Fernandes 

Shr and chayJESUS remain benched as of now. 

Context and Strategic Notes

Imperial’s decision to bring in skullz appears to be an effort to boost firepower and strategic flexibility. His previous experience as a stand‑in for top teams like FaZe, even on such short notice, suggests he brings both adaptability and composure under pressure—a timely asset as the team eyes strong performances ahead. 

For his part, Shr delivered solid performances during his short tenure. Still, the team opted to pivot quickly following their summer shake‑up—something not uncommon in the fast‑moving CS2 roster scene. 

Summary

Shr (José Gil) spent about one month with Imperial (since late June), playing 51 maps, and posting a 0.96 rating.

Skullz (Felipe Medeiros), who had been benched at FURIA since April, joins Imperial on loan.

This swap was finalized around August 20, 2025.

The current five-man active roster is now VINI, noway, try, chelo, and skullz, led by coach zakk.