Gumayusi’s level is simply unmatched
In the match against DRX during the opening day of the Regular Seasons 2025 for T1 recently, Gumayusi put on a flawless performance without being taken down even once. Although he did not receive the MVP (losing out to Keria by one vote), it can be said that Gumayusi’s performance after a long period on the bench was impeccable. Notably, the play with Miss Fortune in game 2 showcased the skills of a two-time World Championship winning AD carry.
Specifically, this occurred in the Dragon pit when T1 was being pressured. Gumayusi had to find the best angle to unleash his Bullet Time. Instead of firing into a crowd of enemies but getting blocked by Braum’s shield, he directed all his Bullet Time at Ahri, forcing uCal to use Spirit Rush to escape. Immediately after, Gumayusi canceled his ultimate and switched to regular attacks.
Notably, all of these actions and analyses occurred within just a few seconds during a situation where T1 was cornered by DRX in the Dragon pit. Gumayusi himself dealt the most damage in this fight (over 9k damage).
Watching Gumayusi reminds audiences of Smash
Of course, every comparison is somewhat unfair as Gumayusi is a player who has won the World Championship twice in a row and is only the second AD carry in League of Legends history to achieve this feat. However, many fans think of Smash because in the clip where he was critiqued by his seniors, Smash also used Miss Fortune and chose an extremely… poor position.
Even Faker and Mata expressed confusion over Smash’s positioning, which made him vulnerable to being pulled by Lehends’ Blitzcrank. The fact that Smash lost his ultimate and was taken down early contributed to T1 losing that skirmish.
Smash himself likely has certain potential, which is why T1’s coaching staff chose him to compete in the LCK Cup 2025. However, this player currently cannot replace Gumayusi if T1 truly wants to aim for victories and titles.