Things change very quickly at the top of the pro Rocket League scene. In the span of just nine months, Jordan “EyeIgnite” Stellon went from a third-place finish at the RLCS Season 6 World Championship and a victory at The ELEAGUE Cup with We Dem Girlz to signing with Team SoloMid… and then finding himself without a team at all.
EyeIgnite rose up from the Rival Series to become a key part of the former Team Envy squad’s turnaround, but after missing the RLCS World Championship in its first season under the TSM banner, the team opted to make a change. As he tells Rocketeers, that left EyeIgnite without an opportunity with any RLCS or Rival Series teams going into RLCS Season 8.
Luckily, EyeIgnite found prime partners in Alex “Extra” Paoli and fellow RLCS veteran Maik “Tigreee” Hoffman, who teamed up to form Fadeaway and made it into the EU Rival Series. Last week, the team signed with AS Monaco Esports.
Sitting at 3-1 going into this weekend’s Rival Series matches against ARG and Method, we spoke with EyeIgnite about signing with a storied football team, his offseason struggles after departing TSM, and his hunger to reclaim a place in the RLCS.
Rocketeers: How does it feel to sign with AS Monaco Esports and represent that organization?
EyeIgnite: It’s unreal. I’ve heard nothing but good things about the organization from players, agents, and various managers in the scene. It’s just crazy to think we’re representing an actual football team and I couldn’t be more happy with the decision to sign with them.
How did you end up teaming with Tigreee and Extra, and what do you think has made your team effective so far this season?
Well, after failing to find even a tryout on an RLCS team, I looked at trying to get on an already-established RLRS team, and again didn’t have any luck there. I was pretty much ready to retire until Tigreee hit me up about trying out with him and Extra, which also led to tryouts with Extra and Oscillon. I think we’re all just very alike in how we approach the game: eager to learn and improve as a unit, and very motivated with an intense desire to climb up.
MOVE UP A GEAR!
Welcome to @TigreeeRL @EyeIgnite @Extra_RL and @s1moN_kL, the new @ASMonacoEsports Rocket League team! ??⚪ #DagheMunegu
Read more on ➡ https://t.co/h8H5GoijNO pic.twitter.com/8WVGp12AiD
— AS Monaco Esports ? (@ASMonacoEsports) October 19, 2019
How has the overall level of skill and team quality changed from the last time you competed in the Rival Series?
It’s nothing like it used to be. I’ll be honest: I don’t see much difference in skill between the RLRS and the RLCS teams; it mostly comes down to consistency and IQ now, in my opinion. On any given day, I’d say teams like Method, Discombobulators, Baguette Squad, and a few others could beat anyone in RLCS.
What happened with your exit from TSM?
I won’t say much on the matter, but I didn’t like the way the situation was handled. One person decided they wanted a change and didn’t specifically mention anyone. I argued the point that a change was not needed and simply working through the issues would be better in the long run, which put me in the position to get removed.
Do you feel like you got closure on that whole situation?
Absolutely not, but I hold no grudges.
How hungry are you to get back into the RLCS and prove that you still belong there?
Extremely. The pain of being dropped and forgotten is indescribable. Going from a player in the conversation for top 10, to not even being a player mentioned as a potential tryout for teams, was just heartbreaking to say the least. I’m hungry to get back to where I know I belong and crush everyone there.
Photo courtesy of DreamHack, credit: Todd Gutierrez
