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Zellsis Departs from Sentinels; Reportedly Joins Cloud9
Sentinels’ very own Vibe Merchant, Jordan “Zellsis” Montemurro, has decided to step away from the VALORANT squad.
According to reports from Sheep Esports, Zellsis is reportedly rejoining Cloud9 for the upcoming VCT 2026 season.
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Zellsis joining Sentinels has to be one of the most lucrative roster moves in VALORANT history. In 2024, Sentinels were coming off two years of slump, with their only bright spot being the 2022 LCQ when Zellsis and Shroud had joined. Zellsis himself played under the C9 banner in 2023, dominating the regular season only to choke in the playoffs and miss out on every international tournament.
In the following off-season, Sentinels brought back Zellsis as a sub for the roster. Initially, he subbed in for pANcada and TenZ, who were unavailable for showmatches. The energy Zellsis brought to the team seemingly helped them perform better. This prompted Kaplan to play Zellsis instead of pAncada at the off-season AfreecaTV tournament, which they went on to win. The victory further solidified Zellsis’ position.
While risky on the surface, Sentinels’ bet on Zellsis paid off. The team went on a run to win the Americas Kickoff and Masters Madrid 2024. Though they stumbled during the regular season, they still finished 4th at VALORANT Champions 2024.
Outside of competitive success, Zellsis’ persistent promotion of the Sentinels bundle amassed a massive following. It did wonders for Sentinels’ brand, making it the highest-selling bundle from the Americas.
Dwindling 2025
2025, however, was not as competitively satisfying for Sentinels or Zellsis. During the off-season, both Sacy and TenZ — crucial pieces of Sentinels’ run — retired.
Sentinels brought in bang and N4RRATE to fill the void. The team remained top contenders in the Americas, but international success continued to elude them. For a team of Sentinels’ caliber, that was unacceptable, meaning changes were afoot.
Sentinels seem to be rebuilding from scratch and are trialing new players. They have already bid farewell to bang and now Zellsis. Zekken is also reportedly joining MIBR for the 2026 season.
Homecoming
For Zellsis, Cloud9 was his first big break in Counter-Strike. While it was just a trial, he played a Major under their banner. As previously mentioned, he was also part of Cloud9’s 2023 VALORANT team featuring Yay, leaf, and Vanity.
After Yay and Vanity were dropped, Zellsis became the second voice alongside rookie IGL runi. They dominated the regular season but once again fell short in playoffs. 2024 and 2025 were no different for Cloud9. Despite numerous roster changes, they haven’t qualified for an international tournament since 2021. They have become a team that performs well in the regular season but succumbs to playoff pressure.
For 2026, Cloud9 is planning to bring the vibe merchant back into their fold. They have already parted ways with mitch and neT and plan to bring in penny alongside Zellsis to round out the roster. Zellsis is also reportedly taking on the IGL role, and it’ll be interesting to see how he transitions into that position. Hopefully, his energy rubs off on Cloud9 and next year they finally play to their full potential.
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Featured Image Credit: Hara Amoros/Riot Games
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