The Filipino who took Global Esports to the VCT Pacific Stage 2 title would call the shots for an XLG side built around ZmjjKK and d4v41.
Xavier “xavi8k” Juan is expected to join Xi Lai Gaming for the 2027 VCT season, sources told Sheep Esports. Team Secret’s Jhian “Zeus” Vega was also considered for what Sheep describes as XLG’s import slot.
Neither xavi8k nor XLG has confirmed the move. According to Sheep, WsLeo is now set to leave the roster, and would have stayed had XLG gone for Zeus instead.
A free agent with a trophy
The 25-year-old has been without a team since Global Esports left esports to become an AI studio on 19 October, after the organisation missed out on a partner spot for 2027. GE released the whole roster, and xavi8k posted his free agency the same day, listing himself as an IGL and mid-round caller who can play initiator, controller or sentinel and is open to any region.
He holds both Philippine and US citizenship.
His route to the top took years. He played in the Philippines with Bren Esports and Oasis Gaming, won bronze with the Philippines at the 2023 Southeast Asian Games, and spent the 2025 season with NAOS in Challengers Southeast Asia, where the team finished fifth to sixth at Pacific Ascension. Global signed him for his first season in the league, and it went like this:
| Event | Result |
|---|---|
| Pacific Kickoff | 7th to 8th |
| Pacific Stage 1 | 3rd |
| Masters London | 9th to 10th |
| Esports World Cup | 13th to 16th |
| Pacific Stage 2 | 1st |
| Champions Shanghai | 9th to 12th |
The Stage 2 grand final was the high point. Global lost the first two maps to Nongshim RedForce, including a 2-13 on Split, and then won the next three.
Global Esports3-2
Nongshim RedForceSunset 11-13, Split 2-13, Abyss 13-10, Lotus 13-5, Haven 13-10At Champions, Global beat EDward Gaming 2-0 to survive in Group B before LOUD ended their run 2-0 on 4 October. Over his career Sova and Breach have been his most played agents, and in the second half of 2026 he was on controllers and sentinels, mostly Astra, Omen and Sage.
A Pacific caller in China
The move would take a player from VCT Pacific to the China league, and put a Filipino caller in charge of a lineup with four nationalities. Sheep’s expected XLG roster for 2027:
ZmjjKK (reported)
xavi8k (reported)
d4v41 (reported)
happywei- TBD
Zheng “ZmjjKK” Yongkang, the 2024 Champions MVP, is set to leave EDward Gaming for XLG, and Malaysian Khalish “d4v41” Rusyaidee is expected to arrive after six years at Paper Rex, both also according to Sheep. Taiwan’s happywei, with XLG since March 2024 and part of the team that won China Stage 1 in 2025, is set to stay.
Sheep itself names the risk: a roster from several regions has to find a common language and a shared style, something many international lineups have struggled with. xavi8k has some experience of that, having led a Global side with players from several countries this year.
XLG start again
Xi Lai Gaming are one of Riot’s China partners for 2027 and 2028, but their 2026 faded after a strong start. They finished second in both China Kickoff and Stage 1, then went out of Champions Shanghai without a map win after 0-2 defeats to Karmine Corp and Nongshim RedForce.
| Event | Result |
|---|---|
| China Kickoff | 2nd |
| Masters Santiago | 11th to 12th |
| China Stage 1 | 2nd |
| Masters London | 5th to 6th |
| Esports World Cup | 13th to 16th |
| China Stage 2 | 5th to 6th |
| Champions Shanghai | 13th to 16th |
The clear-out has already started. Rarga left on 5 November, head coach hvoya departed on 2 November, and NoMan has been inactive since October. Lysoar and Sharks are still on the active roster but are not in Sheep’s expected lineup.
