C9 Demon1: "Whatever I pick up, whatever I do, I want to be the best at it"

After his match as a substitute, Demon1 reflects on his first victory with Cloud9 and explains his state of mind going into the match against Leviatán

Demon1 is standing in for C9 to replace OXY temportly. Credit: Cloud9/VALORANT

"Moving-wise, I permanently live here. I have an apartment, my whole life is here, so I wouldn’t leave. For now, it’s America only"

Max "Demon1" Mazanov is back on the VALORANT tier-one scene, this time playing for Cloud9, and he wasted no time reminding everyone what he does best. After C9's victory in their match against Leviatan, the former world champion explained why Chamber was the ideal choice with only three days of practice, how he is approaching his temporary return with a win-at-all-costs mindset, and more topics.

How are you feeling after your first match with C9? We saw you on Chamber today, one of your most played. Was that helpful going into this match?

Max "Demon1" Mazanov: "I feel good. Happy we got the win. And yes, obviously helpful. Chamber is kind of like a Sentinel, but Sentinel isn’t the most important right now. You have a trip, you have Headhunter, and you have some guns to work with. I know the ins and outs of Chamber; it’s not complicated. We only had three days of practice, so don’t put me in a role where I need to learn 30 different setups. It was more like, "Do your thing, get kills, we trust you." I trust them, and that’s how we’re going with it.

Coming back on stage, even temporarily, how did you experience this opportunity, and what was your mindset going into the match?

Demon1: My goal is always the same: win no matter what. Whatever it takes to win the round, I’ll do it.

You’ll face Envy tomorrow, the Ascension champions. What do you think about them entering Kickoff, and do you have anything to say before the match?

Demon1: They’re an Ascension team. They won over KRÜ and moved on to play us. We’ll treat it like every match—just another team to beat. We’ll see what happens. I’m confident in my team. We’ve been feeling good together; we’re five friends getting along. So I feel confident for tomorrow.

You said you only had three days of practice. Did you have enough time to adjust to how C9 functions?

Demon1: Me and OXY (Francis Hoang) know how each other plays; we’re similar. They let him do his thing, and they let me do my thing. Swapping me to Chamber kept it simple, with no learning 30 different setups. Just do my thing, and that’s what we did.

People know you for insane aim and clutching unwinnable rounds. How do you stay at the top level even while being without a team? What fuels your hunger?

Demon1: My mindset is: whatever I pick up, whatever I do, I want to be the best at it. That hasn’t changed. Right now, it’s VALORANT, so I’ll do whatever it takes. I play every day, I grind. I’m always motivated.

Demon1 warming up before the game against Leviatan. Credit: C9 VALORANT

Looking back at Champions with DRG, how was that experience, especially with the language barrier, and what did it teach you?

Demon1: I just showed up and played. I didn’t really know what was happening. They said, "Go here, do that," and then I was kind of on my own. I didn’t really know what they were doing, but I was just myself there.

Beyond this match, what’s next for you? Is this a one-off, or are you trying to open the door to a real return?

Demon1: Moving-wise, I permanently live here. I have an apartment; my whole life is here, so I wouldn’t leave. For now, it’s America only. And moving forward, nothing changes. This is just a little boost; show up, play in VCT, and wait until a team actually wants to pick me up.

What’s your take on this Cloud9 roster, and what surprised you most once you saw the group from the inside?

Demon1: They’re a super good group of guys. Everyone’s chill. No one’s yelling, no one’s raging, and no one tilts. We’re always laughing, having fun, doing everything together, trusting each other, and not second-guessing. The biggest thing that impressed me was their synergy. Their synergy is really good, almost something I’ve never seen before.

How strong do you think Americas is this year? If you had to name your current top three teams, who are they?

Demon1: America has three good teams: MIBR, G2, and NRG. I think they’re a level above every team right now. I don’t think anyone else comes close to those three.

With a new wave of rookies coming up, is there anyone you think will pop off this year?

Demon1: I don’t really care about rookies or who pops off. The only thing I care about is being here and dominating everyone. That hasn’t happened yet because I’m not on a team, so I’m just waiting for that.

Do you have a message for Tier 1 teams in Americas who watched you today?

Demon1: I’m here. I’m waiting for anything."