Uzi Announces Tournament Return
League of Legends legend Uzi announced the "UZI CUP" tournament post-LPL split with substantial prizes, and confirmed he'll participate in the competition. The tournament represents a major return for one of the game's most iconic players. Uzi's involvement adds significant star power to what's expected to be a high-profile esports event.
Jian "Uzi" Zi-Hao's return to the spotlight comes after his latest retirement in November 2023, where he cited that he felt "defeated by reality" and had lost the desire to play competitively. This followed a summer split with Edward Gaming, which ended with the team failing to qualify for the World Championship. Uzi's career has been a series of triumphant returns and difficult retirements, largely due to health concerns. He first retired from Royal Never Give Up in June 2020 due to personal health issues, including a diagnosis of Type 2 diabetes, brought on by years of high-stress competition and an irregular lifestyle. Despite never winning a World Championship, Uzi's trophy case includes a 2018 Mid-Season Invitational title and a gold medal for China at the 2018 Asian Games. He is a two-time LPL champion and was the second player inducted into the LoL Esports Hall of Legends in 2025, following Faker. His career, which began in 2012, has seen him play for several top-tier organizations, including Royal Club, OMG, Newbee, Bilibili Gaming, and Edward Gaming. Uzi is widely regarded as one of the most mechanically skilled bot laners in the history of League of Legends, renowned for his aggressive playstyle. His career earnings from tournaments are estimated to be over $500,000.
