The Most Shocking LoL Pro Transfers

7. Mithy and Zven to G2 Esports

In 2016, G2 was the new kid on the block that had finally gone through the challenger series to burst on the LEC scene and shock everyone by stealing the title from Fnatic, defeating Origen in the final. Origen’s strongest point was their bot lane, with veteran support and shotcaller Alfonso "Mithy" Aguirre Rodríguez and AD prodigy Jesper "Zven" Svenningsen. Yet despite the break before the summer split usually not being a time for major changes, G2 managed to snag off Origen’s prized botlane and sent the Worlds 2015 semifinalist team into a tailspin it never recovered from. | © Riot Games

6. SwordArt to TSM

While the LMS region never recaptured its glory days from the 2012 miracle run to the Worlds cup, its representatives would often score amazing underdog victories and produced several well-known players. Hu "SwordArt" Shuo-Chieh has a deserved reputation as one of the best of them and he showed it again as late as 2020, when he played a key role in ensuring LPL dark horse Suning Gaming fought their way to the finals.It came as a massive surprise when struggling NA stalwart TSM announced a massive buyout for the Taiwanese player in a high-stakes bid to revitalize their team. | © Riot Games

5. Caps to G2 Esports

G2 Esports had an iron grip on the LEC for two years until 2018, when it was Fnatic’s time to shine. With mid laner Rasmus "caPs" Borregaard Winther powering up in his second year on the team, Fnatic won both splits and went all the way to a Worlds Finals. So imagine the shock when their biggest rival G2 Esports signed caps put their own world-class mid laner Luka "Perkz" Perković on the ADC position. Everyone was shocked - G2 had done it again, and would continue to be the undisputed kings of the LEC for the next two years. | © Riot Games

4. Perkz to Cloud9

Up until 2020, Luka "Perkz" Perković had been the driving engine that made Gamers2 and then G2 Esports the juggernaut of the European competitive scene. A top-tier mid-laner and team leader, he helped Carlos "ocelote" Rodríguez Santiago’s project Gamers2 finally break into the LEC, only to immediately start stacking title after title. His cocky attitude and amazing skill defined G2’s “bad guy” persona and despite the players around him changing several times, Perkz was Mr. G2 as much as its founder was. He even changed positions to AD carry to make room for his former rival to join the team. That’s why it was a huge shock when, in 2020, the Croatian moved to Cloud9 for a very hefty sum. Of all the NA power big wallet power moves, nothing comes close to this. | © Riot Games

3. Doublelift to TSM

While many fans give the LCS flak for buying top talent from other regions, in the early years of professional League of Legends North America was home to several top stars in the budding scene. Of them, Yiliang "Peter" "Doublelift" Peng is easily the most famous one. Known for readily talking smack and occasionally not backing it up, he finally led Counter-Logic Gaming to their first LCS title against long-term rival Team SoloMid, even scoring a Pentakill in the second game. After a less than stellar Worlds performance, however, tempers were running hot in CLG and after a suitably spicy video announcement, Doublelift went over to TSM and proceeded to add several more trophies to his collection. | © Riot Games

2. Rekkles to G2

The cherry on top of all G2 Transfers came in 2020. By then, Martin "Rekkles" Larsson had become virtually synonymous with the Fnatic team and brand, being a part of the team since 2012 with two exceptions - two seasons in 2013 when he wasn’t old enough to play in the then-EU LCS, and a disastrous disastrous split on Alliance in 2015. In 2021, however, Fnatic fans were stunned to see the announcement that he was changing sides and joining their old rival. Carlos had stolen Fnatic’s prized carry once again. Plus, we got this certified banger. though if rumors are true, the tear is now fully stacked... | © Riot Games

1, The Great Korean Exodus

While 2013 saw a LCK team lift the Worlds cup for the first time, it was in 2014 that the region solidified its reputation by having its representatives lift the Summoner’s Cup a second time. Yet in the off-season, every starting player for Worlds champions Samsung White and sister team Samsung Blue went on to sign for LPL teams The LCK quickly recovered with T1 coming back to win Worlds two more times, but the pattern of some of the best players in Korea going over to play for the LPL continued.