Tatu Replaces piriajr on paiN as Academy Rebuild Continues

paiN have officially moved Guilherme “piriajr” Barbosa to the bench and promoted Lucas “Tatu” Santana from paiN Academy to the main CS2 roster for the remainder of the 2026 season.

The move, announced on September 14, confirms an earlier report from Dust2 Brasil and represents paiN’s second academy promotion in less than two weeks. Rickson “Rkzinho” Ribeiro Dias previously replaced Vinicius “vsm” Moreira after vsm was benched on September 4.

For paiN, the Tatu-for-piriajr switch is therefore bigger than a simple one-for-one roster change. Two academy players are now part of the starting five as the Brazilian organization attempts to reset after a difficult stretch of results.

 

Quick Summary

 

 

What Happened: Tatu Replaces piriajr on paiN

Tatu has been promoted from paiN Academy to replace piriajr in paiN's active CS2 lineup.

 

paiN confirmed on September 14 that piriajr has been removed from the active lineup and Tatu promoted from the organization's academy system.

According to HLTV, Tatu will remain with the main lineup for the rest of the season. The official announcement confirmed reporting from Dust2 Brasil, which had revealed piriajr's impending removal a day earlier.

The move gives paiN the following starting lineup:

 

That means 40% of paiN's current starting five now comes directly from its academy setup, with Rkzinho and Tatu receiving opportunities during the same September restructuring.

 

Who Is Tatu?

Lucas “Tatu” Santana spent more than two years in paiN's academy system before earning a place on the organization's main CS2 roster.

 

Lucas “Tatu” Santana is a 22-year-old Brazilian player who has spent more than two years in the paiN Academy project. His promotion is particularly significant because it provides the organization with an internal replacement rather than requiring an external transfer.

HLTV listed Tatu at a 1.06 Rating 3.0 across 63 maps over the previous three months at the time of the announcement.

Dust2 Brasil provides a broader picture of his 2026 campaign. Across 19 tournaments during the year, Tatu recorded a 1.07 rating and 75.5 average damage per round. His two most recent competitions included ratings of 1.41 at CCT Series 5 and 1.15 at ESL Challenger League Season 52.

Those numbers should not be treated as a guarantee that he will reproduce the same output against higher-level international opposition. The promotion represents a substantial competitive step from academy and regional Counter-Strike into paiN's main lineup.

Tatu's Recent Profile

 

Why Did paiN Make Another Change?

The Tatu promotion comes during a difficult period for paiN.

HLTV highlighted last-place finishes at BLAST Open Porto and Stake Ranked Episode 3, along with an early exit from the Esports World Cup, as part of the context behind the team's decision to make changes.

The problems also appeared to extend beyond individual performance.

Following BLAST Open Porto, captain biguzera publicly questioned the team's internal cohesion, saying:

“I feel as a team we don't trust each other anymore.”

That assessment adds important context to paiN's subsequent restructuring.

The organization first benched vsm on September 4 and promoted 16-year-old Rkzinho. Ten days later, piriajr followed vsm to the bench, with another academy player taking his place.

Rather than making one isolated adjustment, paiN are effectively rebuilding a substantial part of their starting lineup during the season.

 

piriajr's Time With paiN

piriajr's departure from the active lineup comes only eight months after he first joined paiN.

He arrived on loan from Bounty Hunters in January 2026 alongside vsm. paiN had initially pursued ewjerkz, but switched targets after those negotiations failed.

piriajr had attracted attention after strong performances in Brazil's domestic scene. HLTV reported a 1.21 average over the preceding 12 months when his initial move to paiN was announced.

The organization subsequently exercised its purchase option in April, turning the loan into a permanent transfer. At that point, piriajr had produced a 1.05 rating during his early paiN tenure.

By September, however, his recent numbers had declined. At the time he was benched, HLTV listed piriajr at a 0.98 Rating 3.0 across 41 maps over the previous three months.

His status is now benched, rather than announced as released or transferred.

 

paiN Roster Timeline

 

Why Tatu Replacing piriajr Matters

The most important part of this move is the direction paiN have chosen.

Instead of immediately returning to the transfer market after disappointing results, the organization has promoted two players from paiN Academy within ten days.

That creates a noticeably different roster structure around the experienced core of biguzera, saffee and snow.

Rkzinho is only 16, while Tatu is 22 and has spent years developing within paiN's system. HLTV noted that Rkzinho entered its September Prospects ranking at No. 49, while describing Tatu as a long-serving member of the academy project.

This gives paiN an opportunity to test whether internal development can provide the reset the main roster needs.

It also creates risk. Academy success does not automatically translate to international Tier 1 Counter-Strike, and paiN will need to integrate two relatively inexperienced additions simultaneously.

 

Tactical Impact

The exact distribution of positions and responsibilities after Tatu's promotion has not been fully detailed publicly, so assigning specific map positions or tactical duties would be speculative.

What can be said with confidence is that changing two players in such a short period forces paiN to revisit several parts of their system.

Communication patterns, trading relationships, CT setups, utility protocols and mid-round decision-making may all require adjustment.

Tatu already being part of the paiN organization could reduce some of the adaptation burden compared with signing an entirely unfamiliar player. Whether that familiarity translates into a smoother transition at main-roster level remains to be seen.

 

Tournament Impact: Tatu Heads Toward First LAN

Tatu will not have long to settle in.

Dust2 Brasil reports that his first LAN will be Circuit X #3 in Curitiba, beginning September 16.

The tournament features 13 teams and a $20,000 total prize pool, with $11,200 going to the champion.

That makes Circuit X #3 an immediate test of paiN's new lineup rather than a lengthy experimental period behind closed doors.

For Tatu specifically, the tournament represents another major step: his first LAN appearance.

 

Highlights from paiN's IEM Cologne Major 2026 campaign offer a look at the team's competitive level before its September roster overhaul.

 

 

Ranking and VRS Impact

No verified post-transfer Valve Regional Standings calculation for the new Tatu lineup was provided in the announcement.

VRS impact: TBD.

Because Valve ranking implications can depend on roster eligibility, tournament results and the applicable ranking snapshot, CS2News should update this section only when a relevant official Valve ranking or confirmed tournament seeding is available.

HLTV listed paiN at No. 23 in its world ranking on the team presentation attached to the announcement.

 

What Changes Now?

paiN's September rebuild leaves biguzera, saffee and snow as the three players continuing from the lineup that entered the month, with Rkzinho and Tatu completing the new five.

The immediate priority will be integration.

Tatu needs to transition from academy competition into a team with international ambitions, while paiN must determine whether the new lineup can restore consistency without sacrificing the development potential of its younger players.

The organization also has two established players — vsm and piriajr — on the bench.

No future destination for piriajr was confirmed in the sources reviewed for this article.

 

What to Watch Next

The first checkpoint is Circuit X #3 from September 16. Tatu's debut will provide an early look at how paiN distribute roles and positions after their second September change.

Beyond individual statistics, several indicators will be more revealing: how effectively Tatu and Rkzinho trade with the established core, whether paiN's communication appears more cohesive, and whether the changes improve results after the team's difficult opening to the season.

piriajr's future is another storyline to follow. He remains under paiN rather than being announced as a free agent, so a transfer, loan, continued bench spell or eventual return remain unresolved possibilities unless the organization provides another update.

 

FAQ

Who replaced piriajr on paiN?

Lucas “Tatu” Santana replaced piriajr in paiN's active CS2 lineup. Tatu was promoted from paiN Academy and is expected to remain with the senior roster for the rest of the 2026 season.

Why did paiN bench piriajr?

paiN did not provide a detailed public explanation assigning the decision specifically to piriajr's individual performance. The change came amid a broader period of poor team results and shortly after vsm was also benched.

Who is Tatu?

Tatu is 22-year-old Brazilian player Lucas Santana. He spent more than two years with paiN Academy before being promoted to the organization's main lineup.

What is paiN's new CS2 roster?

paiN's new starting five consists of biguzera, saffee, snow, Rkzinho and Tatu, with rikz remaining as coach.