Nix Backs Yandex and Liquid After Reshuffles

Published September 25, 2026

Alexander “Nix” Levin has identified Team Yandex and Team Liquid as the two post-The International 2026 projects with the clearest chance to control the new Dota 2 season. His view is a projection rather than a result: Yandex have already shown their revised lineup in competition, while Liquid had not announced a new midlaner when he discussed the shuffle. The distinction matters because Nix was comparing potential, not declaring either roster unbeatable.

Nix described Yandex as the more immediate case. The organisation moved Dmitry “DM” Dorokhin to the inactive roster and signed Ammar “ATF” Al-Assaf for the offlane. The rest of the active core gives the team established partnerships around carry watson, the middle lane and a support pair led by Saksa and Malady. Yandex had also finished third at TI 2026 before making the offlane change, so the reshuffle adjusted a successful team rather than starting from zero.

Liquid are at a different stage of the same discussion. The club confirmed Wisper for the offlane after Ace’s departure, but Nix stressed that the middle lane had not yet been announced. He nevertheless called the changes strong and placed Liquid alongside Yandex in his short list. That endorsement should not be read as confirmation of an unrevealed player: the open position was part of his reasoning, not information that he resolved.

Why Yandex look ready sooner

Yandex offer more evidence in the present tense. Their post-TI change affects one role, and ATF joins a structure that already produced a podium finish at the year’s biggest tournament. Nix’s confidence therefore rests partly on continuity: the team can add a high-impact offlaner without replacing every relationship around him. The move still has to work in matches, but fewer unknown positions make the new version easier to evaluate.

Liquid’s ceiling is harder to measure until the five-player roster is public. Wisper is a confirmed change, and the organisation retained experienced pieces, yet a missing midlaner affects lanes, drafting and the distribution of resources. Nix’s praise is notable precisely because he remained positive while acknowledging that uncertainty. He was endorsing the direction of the rebuild rather than claiming to know its final form.

The comparison also shows two ways to handle the first weeks after TI. Yandex made a targeted replacement after a third-place finish. Liquid changed the offlane and still had a major role to settle publicly. Both approaches can lead to a stronger lineup, but they carry different amounts of short-term risk. A single substitution can preserve established calls; a wider rebuild can create more room for change while demanding more practice.

Nothing in Nix’s comments guarantees dominance. The useful part is the shortlist and the reasoning behind it. Yandex combine recent results with a focused roster move, while Liquid have assembled pieces that Nix believes can become equally dangerous once the outstanding role is confirmed. The table below keeps the confirmed facts separate from the streamer’s forecast.

Confirmed moves versus projection

For Yandex, the confirmed change is ATF replacing the inactive DM in the offlane. For Liquid, the confirmed arrival is Wisper, while the midlane situation was still unannounced at the time of the discussion. Nix then supplied the evaluative layer: he considers both teams capable of setting the pace after the reshuffle.

Keeping those layers apart avoids presenting an opinion as roster news. The next reliable test will come from completed lineups and official series, not from the strength of the prediction alone. Until then, Yandex are the more complete case and Liquid the more intriguing unfinished one.

• Team Yandex: ATF is the confirmed offlane addition, with DM moved inactive.
• Team Liquid: Wisper is confirmed, but Nix spoke before a new midlaner was announced.

Team	What is confirmed	What remains an assessment
Team Yandex	Targeted offlane change after a third-place TI finish	Nix expects the revised lineup to dominate
Team Liquid	Wisper joined the offlane	Nix rates the rebuild highly despite the open midlane question

Nix’s argument is strongest when treated as a watch list. Yandex enter the next stage with a defined five and recent results behind them; Liquid carry more roster uncertainty but still earned his confidence. Competition will decide whether either forecast becomes a trend.