Russel “Twistzz” Van Dulken is on the move again. Liquid confirmed that the Canadian star will depart the roster following FISSURE Playground 2, and within hours, FaZe announced his stunning return ahead of ESL Pro League Season 22.
Season 22Sweden
Vitality
Falcons Esports
MOUZThe End of a Difficult Liquid Chapter
Twistzz’s second stint with Liquid comes to an abrupt end just shy of two years. While his first tenure from 2017–2020 produced an Intel Grand Slam and a trophy cabinet full of titles, the 2024–2025 run never lived up to expectations.
Liquid’s 2024 rebuild — featuring cadiaN, skullz, and zews — initially generated excitement, but quickly collapsed under internal friction. Twistzz found himself taking over IGL duties after another roster overhaul, but playoff berths without deep runs defined his time as captain. Even with a top-eight finish at the Perfect World Shanghai Major, results consistently fell short.
Further changes, including the arrivals of siuhy and flashie, brought structural improvements, but Liquid remained inconsistent. Losses to teams like Sashi and VP.Prodigy highlighted just how far they were from regaining elite form. With StarLadder Budapest Major qualification slipping away, losing one of their top fraggers is another brutal blow.
The Homecoming: Twistzz Back in FaZe
For Twistzz, the move is a return to familiar ground. FaZe confirmed his comeback shortly after Liquid’s statement, reuniting the Canadian rifler with Finn “karrigan” Andersen and long-time teammates. His first test? ESL Pro League Season 22.
The Canadian already expressed his joy on X, calling FaZe “home” and promising a longer message after FISSURE concludes. It’s a fitting reunion — his 2021–2023 spell with FaZe was the most successful stretch of his career, bringing a Major, IEM Katowice, IEM Cologne, and an Intel Grand Slam. Three consecutive HLTV Top 20 Player appearances cemented his status as one of CS2’s elite.
FaZe’s Search for Firepower
FaZe themselves have struggled in 2025, failing to secure deep playoff runs despite adding Jakub “jcobbb” Pietruszewski in place of EliGE. With Twistzz back, the lineup now reads:
- Finn “karrigan” Andersen
- Håvard “rain” Nygaard
- David “frozen” Čerňanský
- Helvijs “broky” Saukants
- Jakub “jcobbb” Pietruszewski
- Russel “Twistzz” Van Dulken
- Filip “NEO” Kubski (coach)
What remains unclear is who Twistzz will replace in the active five. Regardless, his return injects proven firepower and championship pedigree into a roster desperate for a resurgence.
Looking Ahead
Liquid now face the challenge of filling a superstar-sized gap while their Major invite chances hang by a thread. FaZe, meanwhile, are gambling on history repeating itself: Twistzz delivered greatness once, and they’ll hope he can spark another golden run.
For fans, this transfer is as dramatic as they come — a fallen giant leaving one legacy org to reunite with another. All eyes now turn to ESL Pro League Season 22 to see if Twistzz’s homecoming can shift the balance of power in CS2.