Sentinels sign Champions 2025 MVP brawk from NRG as TenZ is reported to be heading back to pro play with T1

Sentinels have made their second big signing in two days. On 3 November they announced that Brock "brawk" Somerhalder, NRG's initiator and the MVP of Valorant Champions 2025, will join them for 2027. The day before, they signed Francis "OXY" Hoang from Cloud9. Over in Asia, Sheep Esports reported that Tyson "TenZ" Ngo is set to come out of retirement and play for T1 in VCT Pacific. Neither T1 nor TenZ has confirmed that report.

brawk leaves NRG for Sentinels

According to VLR.gg, brawk spent several years in Tier 2 with Moist Moguls, Moist x Shopify and Shopify Rebellion Black. NRG signed him in February 2025. That season NRG turned things around in Stage 2 and went unbeaten at Champions Paris 2025 to win the world title, and brawk was named MVP at his first international event. He is known as one of the best Odin players in the game.

NRG did not win a trophy in 2026 but went to all three international events. They finished third at Masters Santiago and in the top six at Champions Shanghai. brawk decided not to re-sign and told fans it was one of "the hardest decisions I have ever had to make in esports," as reported by THESPIKE. He thanked NRG for being the first partnered team to give him a chance.

Sentinels' rebuild takes shape

The two signings follow a tough 2026 for Sentinels. VLR.gg's records show they went 2-3 in both Stage 1 and Stage 2 and were knocked out in the Play-Ins by KRÜ Esports. It was the first year since 2023 that they failed to qualify for an international event. They released duelist Jerrwin and flex player JonahP at the end of October.

Sentinels' team page now lists johnqt, Reduxx, cortezia, OXY and brawk, with Ewok as head coach and GUNTER as assistant coach. That is a full five, though Sentinels have not formally confirmed it as their final 2027 starting lineup.

TenZ to T1? Reported, not confirmed

The bigger story for Asia-Pacific fans is TenZ. The Canadian won two Masters titles with Sentinels, in 2021 and 2024, before retiring from competition in 2024 to focus on content creation. He later joined T1 as a streamer. On 21 October he posted "LFT" (looking for team) on X, which started talk of a comeback.

THESPIKE, citing Sheep Esports, says TenZ is set to move from T1's content team into its VCT Pacific roster for 2027. He would take one of T1's two import slots. Under the new 2027 rules, Pacific teams must field at least three players from their home country, so T1 will need at least three Koreans. American player crashies has also been linked with T1, but that too is only a rumour. THESPIKE stresses that plans could still change until there is an official announcement.

T1 are rebuilding from scratch. They have already parted ways with Meteor, Munchkin, DH and coach KDG. As a VCT Pacific partner team for 2027-2028, T1 have a guaranteed place at the VCT Pacific 2027 Kickoff. That is the first event of the new season for Pacific teams, including Singapore's Paper Rex.

Key takeaways

• Sentinels signed brawk, the Champions 2025 MVP, from NRG on 3 November, a day after adding OXY.
• Sentinels' listed lineup is now johnqt, Reduxx, cortezia, OXY and brawk, after a 2026 season with no international events.
• Sheep Esports reports that TenZ is set to return as a player with T1 in VCT Pacific. Neither T1 nor TenZ has confirmed it.
• New 2027 Pacific rules require at least three home-country players per team.

FAQ

Who is brawk? brawk is an American initiator who won Valorant Champions 2025 with NRG and was named the tournament's MVP. He has signed with Sentinels for 2027.

Has TenZ officially joined T1's Valorant team? No. Sheep Esports reports that he is set to join T1's VCT Pacific roster, but neither T1 nor TenZ has confirmed it.

Why does T1 need Korean players in 2027? New VCT Pacific rules from 2027 require at least three players from a team's home country, so T1 can use at most two imports.

Sources: VLR.gg, THESPIKE, Sheep Esports