Why Senzu stepped away from The MongolZ’s starting five

Mongolian rifler Azbayar “Senzu” Munkhbold’s removal from The MongolZ’s active CS2 lineup stems from burnout, according to Mongolian caster/content creator Khatanbold “KEi” Batbayar, who said on the FreezeTime podcast that he spoke with Senzu. KEi added there were no internal conflicts and that Senzu plans to clarify details himself once the club allows him to speak publicly. 

The MongolZ announced the benching on October 22, marking the team’s first roster change in over two years. 

Player reaction

Shortly after the announcement, Senzu posted an emotional message on X: “I don’t know what to say. It wasn’t a sudden decision; it feels like I’m leaving my home… my apologies to the ones who support us.” 

Teammate Ayush “mzinho” Batbold also shared a note on X: “From talking about making our own stickers to becoming Major finalists — we’ve achieved so much… Life goes on. I wish all the best to my dear friend.” 

Analyst Alex “Mauisnake” Ellenburg urged patience with coach Erdenedalai “maaRaa” Bayanbat’s decision-making but suggested “maybe this time he went too far, parting ways with the most talented player to ever come from Mongolia.” 

Additional context and related news

Community & media reaction: HLTV highlighted the shock of removing the team’s best performer and compiled community responses after the benching. 

Stand-in named for IEM Chengdu 2025 (Nov 3–9): On October 23, The MongolZ confirmed Unudelger “controlez” Baasanjargal as a stand-in for IEM Chengdu. Multiple outlets reported the club chose experience due to limited time to evaluate academy options.

Burnout details via KEi: KEi said Senzu tied his temporary inactivity to nonstop travel and practice in 2025 and intends to return after a pause; he remains under contract for now.

Summary

Reason given: Burnout, per KEi, not internal disputes. 

Senzu’s stance: Not sudden for him; he expressed gratitude and apologized to fans. 

Team’s next steps: “controlez” will stand in at IEM Chengdu 2025.