NRG Officially Sign Michael “Grim” Wince to Their CS2 Roster Ahead of ESL Pro League Season 23

NRG Officially Sign Michael “Grim” Wince to Their CS2 Roster Ahead of ESL Pro League Season 23

North American esports organization NRG have officially signed Michael “Grim” Wince to their Counter-Strike 2 roster, less than 24 hours before their ESL Pro League Season 23 Stage 1 match against HEROIC.

The move ends a four-plus-year spell for the 25-year-old American rifler on the European competitive scene, predominantly with Passion UA, where he played alongside teammates including Ioannis “JT” Theodosiou and Tiaan “T.c” Coertzen.

Grim was recently moved to the bench by Passion UA in a roster overhaul designed to make room for Mongolian rifler Azbayar “Senzu” Munkhbold — a change confirmed by the Ukrainian organization shortly before this transfer.

Passion UA coach Tiaan “T.c” Coertzen explained that NRG’s interest sped up the decision, noting that the offer made sense for Grim to return to North America, closer to family and potentially with more stable practice conditions.

Before his benching, Grim had been one of Passion UA’s key contributors, boasting a solid 1.14 HLTV rating during his tenure there.

At NRG, Grim joins a roster that already includes experienced North American players such as Nicholas “nitr0” Cannella and Joshua “oSee” Ohm — a grouping that, combined with Grim’s firepower, is expected to boost the team’s competitive ceiling.

NRG have not officially stated which active player Grim will replace, though the American Jeorge “Jeorge” Endicott has been reported playing with domestic side Voca in recent qualifiers, suggesting Grim may take his spot once finalized.

Grim’s debut with NRG is set to come immediately at ESL Pro League Season 23 Stage 1, with the team aiming to advance through the competitive online Swiss stage toward Stage 2.

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Player Context

Michael “Grim” Wince has built his reputation as a consistent rifler over several years in top-level Counter-Strike competition. Before joining Passion UA, he competed with other notable organizations like Team Liquid and Complexity, and he has featured in multiple international events including the StarLadder Budapest Major 2025.