TL;DR
- Cloud9 signs Michael ‘poiz’ Possis as sixth man following impressive Valorant leaderboard rankings
- poiz dominated NA leaderboards with three accounts in top 15, outperforming former star TenZ
- The newcomer brings competitive experience from SOR team with victories against established organizations
- Cloud9’s roster overhaul includes multiple signings after disappointing VCT Stage 1 performance
- Strategic bench placement allows flexibility while maintaining aggressive team development approach
Cloud9 has strategically acquired Michael “poiz” Possis, one of North America’s most dominant players on the official Valorant competitive ladder, adding him to their Cloud9 Blue competitive roster. The organization secured his talents as a flexible sixth player option, initially placing him on the bench while integrating him into their system.
We strategically positioned ourselves for this significant announcement and now deliver the news.
Extend a warm welcome to @poizFPS joining #C9BLUE as our strategic sixth roster member! #LETSGOC9 pic.twitter.com/7u9lRlFG55
— Cloud9 (@Cloud9) February 5, 2021
The American competitor emerged as a prominent figure in late 2020 when Riot Games published its elite ranked players across regional servers. Cloud9’s newest acquisition demonstrated exceptional consistency with three separate accounts securing positions within the top 15 rankings, while his alternate identity “DOINKMACHINE97” achieved the coveted number one spot at various intervals. Remarkably, he surpassed the performance of Tyson “TenZ” Ngo, Cloud9’s previous star player and globally recognized talent, who held the second-place position during that period.
poiz represents one of the newer faces in professional Valorant competition. His organized team experience remains limited to Straight Outta Ranked (SOR), where he competed in merely two official tournaments. Despite limited professional exposure, poiz and his highly-ranked SOR teammates secured map victories against established organizations including NRG Esports, Andbox, and XSET during their competitive appearances.
He doesn’t stand alone as the only SOR roster member attracting attention from premier organizations. Two of his former teammates have since joined the Immortals competitive lineup, indicating the collective talent within that organization.
Before transitioning to Valorant, poiz established himself as an elite Overwatch competitor, reaching the top 30 players on the North American server rankings.The North American organization has executed substantial roster modifications in preparation for the Valorant Champions Tour. Following TenZ’s shift toward content creation, Cloud9 required strategic replacements before Riot Games’ officially sanctioned competitive circuit. This acquisition follows closely after releasing former strategic leader Josh “shinobi” Abastado and evaluating newly-signed Nathan “leaf” Orf. The team additionally incorporated Korean professional Son “xeta” Seon-ho to complete their primary starting lineup composition.
Currently, Cloud9 introduces its third new player within a three-month timeframe after concluding the initial Valorant Champions Tour stage without advancing to the primary competition. This indicates an assertive organizational approach to maximize competitive firepower rather than maintaining current roster configurations. Cloud9 potentially plans poiz’s competitive introduction during the subsequent VCT stage, providing strategic flexibility for their evolving team dynamics. Understanding effective class selection strategies from other tactical shooters can provide valuable insights for new player integration processes.
Action Checklist
- Analyze competitive leaderboard data for emerging talent identification
- Develop strategic bench roles for new acquisitions to facilitate gradual integration
- Monitor tournament performances against established organizations for potential assessment
- Implement phased roster changes aligned with competitive circuit timelines
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