Controlez Parts Ways with The MongolZ After Stand-In Stint

Controlez Parts Ways with The MongolZ After Stand-In Stint

Thales Costa

27 Dec, 2025, 14:34

|

Last updated: 27 Dec, 2025, 14:36

The MongolZ have confirmed that veteran rifler Unudelger "controlez" Baasanjargal will no longer be part of the team's active roster. The 28-year-old's departure marks the end of a crucial stand-in period that began in late October when the Mongolian powerhouse needed a replacement for star player Azbayar "Senzu" Munkhbold.

Seven Days to Replace a Star

Controlez stepped up when The MongolZ faced one of their most challenging moments. With Senzu stepping back due to burnout, the team had just seven days before roster lock to find a suitable replacement. The organization initially explored options to bring in players like jL or magixx, but ultimately settled on controlez after AWPer 910 recommended the experienced Mongolian veteran.

The timing could not have been more critical. The MongolZ were preparing for major tournaments including IEM Chengdu 2025, BLAST Rivals Fall, and the StarLadder Budapest Major 2025. Controlez brought valuable experience to the roster, having previously played for the organization back in 2017 when he began his Counter-Strike career.

Historic Upsets and Missing Firepower

Despite filling enormous shoes left by Senzu, controlez delivered respectable performances during his stint with the team. At IEM Chengdu, he helped The MongolZ achieve notable victories, including a historic upset over Team Spirit that ended a 451-day losing streak against the former Major winners. The veteran showcased his composure in high-pressure situations, living up to expectations for a player of his experience.

However, his overall performance in 2025 left a noticeable gap compared to Senzu's explosive firepower. While controlez provided stability and veteran presence, The MongolZ clearly missed the star power that had propelled them to victories at the Esports World Cup 2025 and a runner-up finish at the BLAST.tv Austin Major 2025.

Senzu's Shadow Looms Over Roster Decision

With controlez's departure, speculation immediately turns to whether Senzu will return to the active lineup. The 19-year-old rifler remains one of Asia's premier talents, having set a CS2 Major regulation kill record with 36 frags against G2 Esports at the Austin Major. His absence has been felt throughout the competitive scene.

For controlez, the stand-in period allowed him to compete at the highest level once again and prove his worth on the international stage. The veteran showed he still has what it takes to compete among the world's elite, even if the circumstances were less than ideal.

The MongolZ will now look to solidify their roster as they continue their campaign to remain among Counter-Strike 2's top teams. Whether Senzu returns or the organization explores other options remains to be seen, but one thing is certain: controlez played his part when the team needed him most.


Don't forget to check out Strafe Esports for all the latest Counter-Strike 2 news and our X account for the latest content and coverage of your favorite eSports. Also, subscribe to our channel on YouTube for exclusive interviews, press conferences, and more.

Feature image credit: BLAST

READ MORE:

DreamLeague Season 27 Meta Recap: Centaur Bounces Back

Team Spirit Resets, Brings Back magixx and zont1x

How to Dominate Top Lane with League of Legends’ Renekton

Riot Games Bans VALORANT Pro Seungmin "ban" Oh for a Year Over Match-Fixing Talks

Latest news

100 Thieves Eliminate Team Falcons in Their First Match of BLAST Bounty Summer

100 Thieves Eliminate Team Falcons in Their First Match of BLAST Bounty Summer

100 Thieves pulled off one hell of an upset, knocking the reigning Major champions Falcons out of the BLAST Bounty Summer 2026 qualifier on Wednesday, closing out the round with a 2-1 series win nobody saw coming.
22 Jul
Thales Costa

Team Liquid Announces JT to Replace siuhy

Team Liquid has acquired South African talent Johnny "JT" Theodosiou to replace siuhy as their new in‑game leader. Here's more on the signing.
22 Jul
Adarsh J. Kumar

Esports World Cup 2026 Unveils Saudia Partnership and Custom-Branded Aircraft

The Esports Federation has named Saudia, the national air carrier of Saudi Arabia, as the official airline of the Esports World Cup 2026 (EWC). Here's more.
21 Jul
Adarsh J. Kumar

Prophecy Fulfilled: CS2 Major Sticker Profits Just Fell x10

HLTV’s report on Cologne 2026 confirms what earlier Strafe analyses of CS2’s new sticker shop and revenue ladder suggested: Major sticker profits for some teams have dropped from around $600,000 to about $60,000, turning a former safety net into a fragile income line and pushing more clubs to question their place in Counter-Strike.
20 Jul
André Guaraldo

Tier 1 CS2 Returns: BLAST Bounty Closed Qualifier Match-Ups Revealed

Counter-Strike's summer break is officially over, as BLAST has revealed the opening bracket for the BLAST Bounty Summer 2026 Closed Qualifier, and the pairings are stacked with big names right out of the gate.
18 Jul
Thales Costa

Team Vitality CEO Neo: "For Us to be a Global Leader Means Being a Contender at EWC"

Team Vitality remains one of the most influential and well-known esports organizations to date. The Paris-based org fields over 20 esports teams in various esports, though their immensely impressive results in Counter-Strike take center stage.  Being one of the organizations present at Esports World Cup 2026 in Paris, we managed to speak with Fabien "Neo" Devide, Co-Founder and CEO of the Hive, just after an interview with Mike McCabe, COO of the Esports World Cup Foundation, at the opening press conference at EWC. Neo provided a ton of insight into the organization's participation at this year's edition of EWC in Paris. He expressed his desire for the org to perform to the highest standards, but also highlighted that rivalry is key to grow the ecosystem. Additionally, Neo gave strong opinions on the growth of mobile esports following last year's Vitality's takeover and merger with Indonesian side Bigetron, stressing the need for innovation and following ideas in the east, as much as the west.
15 Jul
Naim "EnKay" Rosinski

Mike McCabe COO of EWC Foundation: "The Home Is Always Going to Be Riyadh"

The Esports World Cup 2026 (EWC) had its grand launch on July 8, commemorating the official start of the event with an opening press conference at the Hotel de Ville in the heart of Paris. With many speakers kicking off the event, like the CEO of the Esports World Cup Foundation, Ralf Reichert, Emmanuel Grégoire, the mayor of Paris, and others, taking center stage.  Following an opening ceremony with multiple speakers, media were given the opportunity to chat with representatives of the Esports World Cup Foundation, game publishers, or even reps of prolific esports organizations such as Team Vitality. We managed to speak with Mike McCabe, the COO of the Esports World Cup Foundation.
14 Jul
Naim "EnKay" Rosinski

Comments (0)

Log in to comment on this match