Ruler shared his thoughts on the two players who will be opponents in the upcoming match: Gumayusi and Smash
Facing a strong opponent like Hanwha Life Esports in the season opener is not an easy task for any competitor. However, Gen.G has managed to do this twice in a row in two different tournaments in 2025, both with a score of 2-0. For Ruler, while he may not shine as brightly as Chovy, he has also shown his capabilities against his junior Viper on the other side. Recently, Ruler made comments regarding his next two opponents: Gumayusi and Smash.
Accordingly, Ruler also stated: “In fact, Riot has made some changes and the roaming playstyle has been removed. Therefore, I feel Gumayusi will become more concerning compared to Smash. Gumayusi is strong in both laning and skirmishes from small to large, while Smash only performs well in continuous team fights.”
T1 Needs to Consider and Choose Wisely Between Gumayusi and Smash
Ruler’s opinion also reflects the views of most experts and fans regarding the two T1 players and the impact of removing the roaming playstyle on the reigning World Champions. Clearly, with the “win lane – win game” strategy that once created an undefeated T1 in 2022 and was a strong rival to Gen.G, Gumayusi would be the more suitable choice.
Moreover, Gumayusi’s team fighting and positioning skills are also very good, especially with his favorite champions (Varus, Aphelios, or Caitlyn). Additionally, recently Gumayusi has been training a lot with Ezreal, and perhaps T1 needs to give this player more opportunities to showcase his abilities.
As for Smash, laning is his “weak point,” even with Keria always “supporting” right beside him. If T1 returns to the “win lane – win game” style and uses Smash, it is highly likely that this will become a weakness that opponents can continuously exploit to destroy the Bottom Lane of the World Champions.