C9 Zellsis: "Having close friendships on a team matters a lot. [...] Call it 'nepotism', but the chemistry helps"

We interviewed Zellsis, the new member of Cloud9, about becoming a tier-one IGL, guiding a young core and calibrating expectations for 2026

"People overcomplicate leadership, but it’s about communication, talking, and ironing out mistakes"

Just before the start of the VALORANT Red Bull Home Ground, Sheep Esports discussed with Jordan "Zellsis" Montemurro reuniting with his former Version1 teammates at Cloud9, taking on full-time In-Game-Leader duties, his approach to leadership during difficult periods, and how he would define progress at the Red Bull HomeGround.

You’ve just reunited with Erik "penny" Penny and coach Ian "Immi" Harding, a trio that found success on Version1. How does it feel to have the band back together on Cloud9?

Jordan "Zellsis" Montemurro: "It feels good. Having close friendships on a team matters a lot, and obviously, I’m close with Immi, I’m close with penny, and the three of us together have a strong dynamic. The friendships are real, so sure, call it “nepotism”, but the chemistry helps.

The last time we spoke at Champions, you described the “Zellsis style,” which sounded a lot like a secondary IGL role. Now you’re the full-time IGL at tier one. What pushed you to take that on, and how have you adapted?

Zellsis: I’ve always led in some capacity, maybe not full-time calling, but heavy on mid-rounding, leadership, and being the team captain. It made sense that I’d eventually become an IGL. With Cloud9, I just accelerated that timeline. The roster is very talented, and the org is giving me the space to grow into the role. Having Immi as a coach makes it easier: he knows my strengths and flaws as a caller and as a player, and it’s easy for us to have hard conversations. As for Sentinels, johnqt (Amine Ouarid) taught me a lot about staying calm and understanding VALORANT at a deep level, and kaplan (Adam Kaplan) as well. I’ve taken pieces from both of them.

C9 needed a vocal leader to rally the squad in tense moments. How would you describe your in-game leadership, and how do you steady the team when things get rough?

Zellsis: My vocal style isn’t anything flashy. People overcomplicate leadership, but it’s about communication, talking, ironing out mistakes, calling things out, and speaking with conviction so your teammates believe in what you’re saying. When we struggled, like going 0–3 at a recent Sentinels-hosted invitational, the first game got messy. Afterward, we talked: it’s fine to feel mad or sad, but you still have to play and think about the game. The more you focus on the game, the less you dwell on emotions. Since then, even when we’re down, we keep battling. These guys don’t need much; they’re talented and smart. They just need a bit of guidance. I try to be the “vibe merchant,” the glue, the team’s dad.

You’ve played under strong leaders before. What’s one lesson from past IGLs you apply now as Cloud9’s caller?

Zellsis: In recent teams, I did a lot of the leading, and others offered me emotional support. I’m an emotional person, no secret there. The last person who really drilled leadership into me was mCe (Matthew Elmore) on 2023 C9. He was on me constantly: you need to do this, lead here, improve there. That pressure sped up my growth. After that, it’s been a lot of emotional support from teammates.

Photo by Colin Young-Wolff/Riot Games

How have the young guns like Francis "OXY" Hoang and Victor "v1c" Truong responded to your leadership through those first matches, like at the Sentinels Classic?

Zellsis: They’re already talented and smart enough to think for themselves. It’s mostly reminders: slow down here, breathe, talk, play together. Fundamentals matter; when you forget them, the game gets harder and turns into gambling. I have a lot of respect for them. If they disagree, they say so; otherwise, when I say we need to breathe and slow down, they take it seriously. The respect runs both ways, and that’s refreshing. I think we’re on a good trajectory. This year will be good for C9.

What would success at Red Bull Home Ground look like? Is it title-or-bust, or more about testing the roster and gaining reps together?

Zellsis: I want to win, everyone does. But showing progression and being competitive would also be a big win. If we don’t lift the trophy, I’ll still be happy if we show real strides toward Kickoff and the VCT season.

Is there any team or player you’re eager to face at Home Ground with this new roster, maybe an old rival or one of the favorites? You played Sentinels recently and lost; do you want that rematch?

Zellsis: I’d like some revenge on Sentinels, sure. But I’m focused on my team right now. I’ll save the trash talk for later.

Now that you’re the IGL, is there anything you experienced as a player that you’re determined to handle differently in leadership?

Zellsis: Nothing dramatic has changed, except that I can shape the game more to my vision. At the same time, I want my players to have freedom. I’m not a heavy micro-manager; there will be moments I micro, but I don’t want to puppet-master. I want them to think and play for themselves. Finding that middle ground is key.

The offseason has been full of roster moves. How do you feel about the overall competition in the Americas going into 2026, and where do you see C9 fitting once the season starts?

Zellsis: The Americas look stacked. Several question-mark rosters could be great, or not. I see C9 as middle of the pack right now, making playoffs. With me and penny joining the existing core under Immi, I hope we push to new heights, reach internationals, and even win one. That’s always the goal, winning internationals, winning Champions."

Header Credit Photo: Cloud9