As the playoffs for BLAST Open Rotterdam get underway, Ayush “mzinho” Batbold of The MongolZ took time during Media Day to discuss the team’s current state. After a strong 2025 season, the roster underwent a significant change when rifler Azbayar “Senzu” Munkhbold stepped down. The team is currently focused on integrating their newest addition, Anarbileg “cobrazera” Uuganbayar, while preparing for high-stakes playoff matchups.
Adjusting the Roster
The MongolZ had maintained a stable lineup for an extended period before Senzu decided to bench himself prior to the Major roster lock last October. mzinho acknowledged that the sudden departure was a difficult moment for the players.
It was really sad that he decided to leave and bench himself, so it was kind of tough,” mzinho stated. “But in this game, no time to cry. You have to move on and play stable on tier one.
Integrating cobrazera
Following a brief period playing with a stand-in, The MongolZ officially signed cobrazera. mzinho sees a strong stylistic resemblance between the new player and Senzu, noting that the primary hurdle for cobrazera is adjusting to the psychological demands of top-tier Counter-Strike.
He is a very good player and has a very familiar playstyle to Senzu,” mzinho explained. “He can be the same as Senzu, but I think the difference right now is only mental, and he’s working on that. He was still a newbie, so we teach him a lot and give him the space to play so that he can kill anyone.
Navigating the Playoff Bracket
The MongolZ are scheduled to face Aurora, an opponent mzinho noted consistently plays them closely. A victory would potentially set up a semifinal match against Vitality.
mzinho observed that while much of the competitive field is unpredictable, Vitality stands out due to their exceptional game sense and positioning. He specifically mentioned the challenge of playing against ZywOo.
Playing against them is kind of tough; all of them just read the game very well,” mzinho said. “I always play against them where I die to ZywOo. He’s just checking two steps ahead. I think they don’t know about me, but he always knows about me and is holding me.
2026 Season Objectives
Looking ahead to the rest of 2026, mzinho emphasized the importance of overall improvement and consistency. Rather than focusing on defending specific titles from the previous year, the team aims to build a foundation that allows them to consistently compete for trophies.
We just want better results than 2025 so we can achieve a lot,” mzinho stated. “Not specific [tournaments], just try our best to collect everything. Vitality did that, so that is our goal. We just try our best to win.
