Alimzhan "Watson" Islambekov, the esteemed member of Gaimin Gladiators, recently addressed his decline in performance in European Dota 2 matchmaking. Balancing time between public matches, scrims, and competitive tournaments has proven to be a challenging feat for the skilled player. Watson candidly shared these insights with his loyal fan base during one of his live streams.
Throughout 2022 and 2023, Watson dominated the Dota 2 matchmaking scene, consistently holding the prestigious top 1 position on the ladder. There was even a remarkable period where he simultaneously occupied two top spots with the use of a smurf account. However, the following year, 2024, presented a more demanding schedule for the talented carry as he strived to maintain his ladder ranking while participating in various tournaments.
In the current landscape, Illya "Yatoro" Mulyarchuk has ascended to the peak of the ladder, surpassing the impressive 16,000 MMR milestone. The Ukrainian carry has reported that his closest competitors hover around the 15.5k points mark. On the other hand, Watson, who had previously reigned supreme, now finds himself in the fifth position. His recent grievances regarding the matchmaking system in Immortal Draft reflect the challenges of relying on randomly assigned teammates.
