After a strong start to the season, FURIA have found themselves in trouble during Stage 1 for the first time in their
VALORANT Champions Tour history and appear set to make a change heading into the next split. Indeed, Fabian "
Shyy" Usnayo is expected to join the Brazilian organization instead of Torogul "
alym" Baidyldaev, sources tell
Sheep Esports, intending to secure qualification for Champions Shanghai during Stage 2. First reported by TheSpikeBR and AkamaruVal on X.
Kickoff champions, FURIA surprised everyone at the start of the 2026 season, stringing together four consecutive victories, including a win over G2 Esports, to secure the No. 1 seed from
VCT Americas for Masters Santiago. In the Chilean capital, however, the momentum shifted.
Entering directly into the playoffs thanks to its first-place finish in the regional league, the Brazilian team failed to get going, dropping to the lower bracket after a 1-2 loss to Paper Rex before being eliminated in its very next match. Despite recovering from a difficult first map against BBL Esports to level the series at 1-1, FURIA fell short on Abyss, losing 11-13 and exiting the first LAN event of the season.
A flying start cut short
Back in VCT Americas, FURIA qualified for the playoffs without too many issues after finishing second in the Omega Group behind KRU Esports. Once in the playoffs, however, the team once again failed to find the right formula, likely due in part to the major meta changes between Stage 1 and Stage 2, as well as the Neon nerfs, a composition FURIA seemed to favor.
After winning the opening map against Leviatan in the upper bracket, the Brazilian organization completely lost momentum in the following two maps, managing only five and then one round, and was sent to the lower bracket by the Argentine side. Against NRG Esports, FURIA also struggled to make an impact and was ultimately eliminated from the race for
Masters London with a 2-0 defeat.
A familiar VCT face
It is in this context, and after also missing qualification for the Esports World Cup, that Shyy is expected to join the project. Initially active with Leviatan, with whom he made his first Champions appearance in 2022, the Chilean player later joined KRU Esports in 2024, reaching Champions for a second time before enduring a difficult 2025 season spent in the middle of the Americas standings. That situation led the Chilean organization to make roster changes and part ways with Shyy, who subsequently returned to Tier 2 competition.
Playing for Melser Kindergarten alongside several former Champions Tour players, he helped the team win Challengers Latin America South Stage 1. Comfortable on both Controller and Sentinel roles,
Shyy is now expected to return to a league he knows well for Stage 2, to help FURIA preserve the points it has earned so far this year and maintain a Top 4 position, securing qualification for both Champions Shanghai and the World Championship.
