Leviatán reach verbal agreement with spikeziN for 2026 VCT season

Rodrigo "spikeziN" Lombardi has reportedly reached a verbal agreement to join Leviatán for the upcoming 2026 VCT Americas season, according to sources.

The young Brazilian Duelist made his international debut earlier this year with 2GAME Esports during VALORANT Champions Tour 2025 - Americas Stage 2, leaving a strong impression despite limited opportunities. His performances were enough to convince Leviatán to reportedly offer him a two-year deal, marking a major step forward in his career.

From 2GAME’s Struggles to the Big Stage

SpikeziN entered the Americas League at a critical time, as 2GAME attempted to salvage its season following a tough introduction to Tier-1 VALORANT. Unfortunately, the Ascension-winning side fell short, recording a 9th-12th place finish at VALORANT Champions Tour 2025 - Americas Kickoff and back-to-back 9th-10th place finishes in both VALORANT Champions Tour 2025 - Americas Stage 1 and Stage 2.

As a result, 2GAME lost their top-flight status and returned to Challengers. The organization’s struggles echoed the broader difficulties South American rosters faced in 2025, with only MIBR narrowly securing a VALORANT Champions Tour 2025 - Valorant Champions spot. Despite the setbacks, spikeziN stood out as a rare bright spot, showcasing mechanical talent and initiative that caught Leviatán’s attention.

Leviatán’s Strategic Pivot

For Leviatán, the year was equally disappointing. After finishing 3rd at the VCT 2024 - Champions 2024, the squad failed to qualify for any international LANs in 2025. Their North American-heavy experiment fell apart, leading to inconsistencies and lack of synergy. In response, the organization has opted to pivot toward a South American identity, focusing on Spanish- and Portuguese-speaking talent.

The restructuring began with the exits of Demon1 and Rossy, followed by the benching of Ian "tex" Botsch, Corbin Daniel "C0M" Lee, and Anthony "Okeanos" Nguyen announced on September 4. Currently, Leviatán’s active roster consists of:

• Francisco "kiNgg" Alberto Aravena
• Eduardo "sato" Sato
• Rodrigo "spikeziN" Lombardi

SpikeziN’s arrival signals a new direction for Leviatán as they go back to their roots after a turbulent year. With a promising young talent at the helm of their attack, the team is setting the foundation for a bounce-back campaign in the 2026 season.

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Featured Image Source: Colin Young-Wolff/Riot Games