03.27.26 - 12:19 PM03.27.2026 - 12:19 PM·m minute(s) read·
By Ilyas Marchoude
Tian returns to Top Esports alongside JackeyLove’s comeback to botlane after a break
Top Esports have announced the return of their AD Carry JackeyLove and the arrival of Tian in the jungle for LPL Split 2.
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Tian replaces Naiyou, who has been banned for life for match-fixing
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Top Esports have announced the return of two players to their active roster for the rest of the LPL season. Jungler Gao “” Tianliang makes his return to TES to replace Yang “naiyou” Zi-Jian, who has received a lifetime ban for match-fixing. Yu “” Wen-Bo is also back in the AD Carry role and will share the botlane with Wang “” Run-Lai.
It is therefore two world champions returning to TES’s roster, with Tian, the 2019 winner with FunPlus Phoenix, and JackeyLove, 2018 champion with Invictus Gaming, reshaping almost the entire 2024 lineup alongside Bai “” Jiahao in the toplane and Lin “” Jian in mid. Only Tian “” Ye is no longer part of the roster, having been replaced by fengyue.
return after a break
At the end of last year, JackeyLove had already stated that he would take a break, at least for the Winter Split, to recover from health issues caused by his intense training schedule. He was therefore sidelined and replaced by Zi “” Jia-Qi. Tian, on the other hand, played for Weibo Gaming in 2025 and was without a team for LPL Split 1. Both 25-year-old players are now back in the spotlight.
They are not the only players to have taken a break this split, as Meiko also made the same decision, with the idea that resting is essential to perform at the highest level, especially at an advanced age. Their season will therefore begin in early April, five months after TES ended last year’s campaign in the Worlds semifinals against eventual world champions T1.
Is Winter a Warm-up Split?
During the LPL Split 1 regular season, TES finished fifth, second to last in the Ascend group. They struggled heavily against Team WE in the Knights Rivals before being eliminated in the playoffs by JD Gaming and Weibo.
Although no official communication has been made on the matter, the roster decisions for 2026 clearly suggest a long-term vision, with the Winter Split receiving less focus despite its increased value in championship points compared to last year. The return of these two major LPL players clearly shows that TES will be aiming to compete for qualification spots for international tournaments.
