Upset was widely regarded as one of the best ADCs in Europe in 2022, but he still wasn’t able to find a team that’d take him as a starter in 2023. That has now changed with the news that he’ll be replacing Neon on Vitality.
Vitality had a strong start in the LEC Winter 2023 Split. In the end, they managed to top the regular season standings with a 7-2 record, putting themselves in first place. Compared to Vitality’s last season, this was a huge step up.
However, playoffs wouldn’t be so kind to the team. After taking out Team Heretics with a 2-1 win, Vitality nosedived and didn’t manage to pick up a single win in their next two BO3s.
As a result, they’re reportedly making a roster swap to grab Elias ‘Upset’ Lipp for the bot lane. He’s been lauded as one of the best ADCs in Europe during his time on Fnatic, and Vitality is looking to grab Upset right off the bench.
Vitality reportedly sign Upset to replace Neon
Upset’s been with Fnatic for two years, and those two years have had their fair share of controversy. Between missing MSI in 2021 and Fnatic not scrimming before Worlds 2022 according to Upset, this ADC hasn’t been able to show his full strength internationally.
Vitality is looking to change that by signing this player and giving him the chance to revitalize their team after Winter 2023 ended in disaster.
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I'M BACK IN THE LEC! Let's go @TeamVitality🐝 pic.twitter.com/HbZytZF9Ry
— Elias Lipp (@LoL_Upset) March 2, 2023
Upset has since confirmed that he’ll be joining Vitality as their starting ADC. Considering how important bot lane is to the current League of Legends meta, he’s stepping right into the spotlight. He has a very strong track record within the LEC, making Vitality once again a team that’s ranked amongst the strongest in the region.
As for Matúš ‘Neon’ Jakubčík, it’s as of yet unclear where he’ll end up.
As a result of the LEC having a different schedule from every other league in the world, roster changes are a bit more complex than they were previously. In order to grab a player from a different team, you’d either have to take them from an existing roster or fish from the pool of free agency.
While this works out well for Vitality in their goal to sign Upset if these reports come to fruition, it leaves the future uncertain for Neon. Whether or not he’s able to get a spot on an existing roster and continue to compete remains to be seen.