Official: Passion UA announce new roster featuring Complexity quartet

Kvem replaces cxzi to complete the lineup.

Passion UA has announced its new roster after completing the transfer of Johnny "⁠JT⁠" Theodosiou, Michael "⁠Grim⁠" Wince, Håkon "⁠hallzerk⁠" Fjærli, and Nick "⁠nicx⁠" Lee from Complexity, confirming a previous report by HLTV. The American organization announced on Tuesday that it would step away from CS amidst economic struggles, with its team set to move on.

Read more
Complexity exit Counter-Strike: "It's been an incredibly difficult time economically"

The lineup is rounded out by Vladyslav "⁠Kvem⁠" Korol, who was retained by the Ukrainian organization from its previous lineup and replaces Danny "⁠Cxzi⁠" Strzelczyk as the final player alongside the incoming quartet.

The move reunites the Complexity players with head coach Tiaan "⁠T.c⁠" Coertzen after the organization parted ways with him in March. The South African had been the team's skipper for over three years and stood behind JT for over eight years before his departure, and made the move to Passion UA in April.

Passion UA will still be assigned to the Americas in the VRS despite having a 2-2 Europe and Americas split with Kvem, as JT counts toward the lowest-priority region following the June 25 ranking model update.

The organization also inherits the core's VRS rank and tournament invite slots, with the team's debut under the new banner set for August 29 at DraculaN Season 1.

Passion UA is now:

Ukraine Vladyslav "⁠Kvem⁠" Korol
South Africa Johnny "⁠JT⁠" Theodosiou
United States Michael "⁠Grim⁠" Wince
Norway Håkon "⁠hallzerk⁠" Fjærli
United States Nick "⁠nicx⁠" Lee

South Africa Tiaan "⁠T.c⁠" Coertzen (coach)

United States Nick 'nicx' Lee
Nick 'nicx' Lee
Age:
20
Team:
Rating 1.0:
0.96
Maps played:
380
KPR:
0.67
DPR:
0.70
Norway Håkon 'hallzerk' Fjærli
Håkon 'hallzerk' Fjærli
Age:
25
Team:
Rating 1.0:
1.07
Maps played:
1189
KPR:
0.71
DPR:
0.64
United States Danny 'Cxzi' Strzelczyk
Danny 'Cxzi' Strzelczyk
Age:
25
Team:
No team
Rating 1.0:
1.01
Maps played:
1038
KPR:
0.71
DPR:
0.72
United States Michael 'Grim' Wince
Michael 'Grim' Wince
Age:
24
Team:
Rating 1.0:
1.04
Maps played:
1356
KPR:
0.71
DPR:
0.68
Ukraine Vladyslav 'Kvem' Korol
Vladyslav 'Kvem' Korol
Age:
23
Team:
Rating 1.0:
1.09
Maps played:
660
KPR:
0.76
DPR:
0.69
South Africa Johnny 'JT' Theodosiou
Johnny 'JT' Theodosiou
Age:
26
Team:
Rating 1.0:
0.93
Maps played:
1522
KPR:
0.62
DPR:
0.68
ok, expected. (weird, but understandable move)
2025-08-20 00:04
208
6 replies
wonder if Passion UA pay more than Jason Lake
2025-08-20 07:41
0
1 reply
nvm
2025-08-20 09:06
0
#105
Faceit level 8 Old school: User been here for more than 10 years  | 
zont1x | 
Russia shoras
Now T.c in Passion UA actually makes sense. Was so weird when he joined a full ukranian team.
2025-08-20 08:54
11
3 replies
Back again with his boys
2025-08-20 09:44
1
#112
 | 
Iceland Namaste56
He knew complexity was over probably
2025-08-20 09:57
10
Now the move to black and red jersey also makes sense XD
2025-08-21 00:03
0
#2
 | 
Brazil GRAPEFRUITz
xd
2025-08-20 00:04
0
10 replies
kvem overrated ass... another chance , another time to fraud check should have kept demQQ instead of nicx and jackshamo instead of kvem.
2025-08-20 01:03
6
9 replies
Agree
2025-08-20 01:07
0
#56
 | 
Angola miracl4
Nobody wants to play eu qualifiers
2025-08-20 01:16
33
#65
Faceit level 7  | 
 | 
United Kingdom zt3x
Jackasmo instead of kvem? I mean kvem might be overrated but Jesus he’s miles better individually than jackasmo, not sure how nicx managed to stay on when yeah demqq would have been a sick replacement
2025-08-20 02:01
37
5 replies
Regions. They get passage through NA instead of having to grind out of EU. Look at how well that is working out for liquid
2025-08-20 02:21
32
3 replies
#107
 | 
Poland Botaz
They just need to make a deal with g2 amd swap malbs for nertz, liquid gets americas core and saw gets his boy back
2025-08-20 09:13
0
2 replies
#110
Old school: User been here for more than 10 years  | 
rain | 
Norway Mickoo
Not a bad idea. But probably too complicated to actually make it happen.
2025-08-20 09:47
1
#114
Old school: User been here for more than 10 years  | 
910 | 
France pheno71
g2 would still ask for lot of money, knowing they'd offer liquid the major
2025-08-20 10:02
0
still have same opinion? Complexity was better EVEN WITH czxi as 5th. can´t even win vs bot bymas in 2025
2025-09-12 23:25
0
#108
 | 
Ukraine orangecs
Kvem is NOT overrated /closed
2025-08-20 09:27
6
passion usa
2025-08-20 00:04
266
2 replies
Fuck, I went and found my password just to log in and comment this and you got there first
2025-08-20 00:56
35
#96
Old school: User been here for more than 10 years  | 
 | 
Europe dataryder
the S is silent :D
2025-08-20 07:50
5
#4
Faceit level 8  | 
 | 
United States sziasztok
WERE SO BACK
2025-08-20 00:04
8
4 replies
#60
 | 
Saudi Arabia plz_no_ban
i mean, it's nice for the players for being paid. but nothing will come from this. this roster is cool, but will fall apart in the next year eventually. why should they suddenly become much better? they will have a honeymoon, sure, and after that continue to play against BIG and ENCE in tier 2...
2025-08-20 01:44
0
3 replies
#61
 | 
Saudi Arabia plz_no_ban
btw, NA CS now super dead.
2025-08-20 01:51
0
1 reply
#125
Faceit level 10  | 
 | 
United States ahacks
FLAG TIMES 1,000
2025-08-20 15:37
3
Complexity showed some promise and kvem is miles better than cxzi so who knows. Grim, Goatzerk and Kvem is not a bad core. JT is a solid mid tier IGL nicx is definitely the weak link but maybe he will get motivated and grind
2025-08-20 04:00
11
PASSION USA GOOD LUCK KVEM
2025-08-20 00:04
24
#6
 | 
Netherlands Lasarius
lmao L for complexity
2025-08-20 00:04
4
3 replies
?? the org is literally dead bro wtf do you mean "L for Complexity"
2025-08-20 00:12
108
2 replies
Massive L Jason Lake should have gotten into counterfeiting to keep the org afloat This is business management 101
2025-08-20 00:54
39
1 reply
#100
Faceit plus user Faceit level 10 Old school: User been here for more than 10 years  | 
 | 
Poland Astoner55
Nah he should've just done the classic USA businessman Epstein island trip and gotten a loan in exchange of selling his soul forever. Skill issue from Jason Lake
2025-08-20 08:14
9
Nice!
2025-08-20 00:04
0
rip cxzi
2025-08-20 00:05
18
1 reply
good
2025-08-20 00:48
8
Good luck Passion UA or USA hehehhehe but happy to see my boy Kvem in a decent squad rn jokes aside.
2025-08-20 00:05
5
Good luck new PassionUSA, NA needs it
2025-08-20 00:05
9
PASSION NA
2025-08-20 00:05
12
#12
Faceit level 10 Old school: User been here for more than 10 years  | 
roman | 
Portugal MUTIRIS_VAC_SHOT
what can coL even do now...
2025-08-20 00:05
1
5 replies
#23
 | 
United States 1Tuurtle
They disbanded (I am really sad for Jason lake)
2025-08-20 00:19
16
4 replies
#26
Faceit level 10 Old school: User been here for more than 10 years  | 
roman | 
Portugal MUTIRIS_VAC_SHOT
just checked their twitter... really sad day for NA CS not even coL's fault, they just can't take the gambling sponsor money everyone else is getting i'm sure Jason Lake tried everything for coL to stay in CS but it just wasn't meant to be. e: didn't see the HLTV article really need to go to sleep lol
2025-08-20 00:25
19
3 replies
The gambling sponsors also have less reason to advertise to US markets when online gambling/casinos are still illegal in quite a few states
2025-08-20 00:56
4
2 replies
Gambling sponsor laws in the US are also just filled with legal landmines that you can step on if you're not incredibly careful. It's not a coincidence that not a single NA based org has a gambling sponsor, and all the good sponsors that can pay for an org are already sponsoring much bigger orgs like Liquid and C9. There is just nothing for you if you're not one of the big orgs in NA.
2025-08-20 03:06
1
1 reply
I’m sure Jason Lake, a lawyer, would have looked at every option before disbanding. Thank you Jason for everything you’ve done to keep the NA scene alive.
2025-08-21 05:32
0
Passion UA basically bought a spot in the next Major... that's it
2025-08-20 00:07
2
#15
 | 
United States blargCS
NA saved. Just dropped to my knees and prayed in Walmart
2025-08-20 00:07
28
1 reply
Based. I went outside and started shooting my gun in the air. Euros could never.
2025-08-20 04:01
13
T.C securing paycheck for his boys W coach
2025-08-20 00:09
12
Now it makes sense why TC stayed, they got rid of the matchfixing ukrainians and bought the col lineup
2025-08-20 00:10
19
2 replies
#57
Faceit level 4  | 
 | 
Ukraine MagdaLena53X
No one complains. Akuma = you should be canceled from the game for good. Hope we will never see toxic Wallhack2K and RadarQQ again.
2025-08-20 01:30
1
1 reply
#98
Faceit premium user Faceit level 10  | 
 | 
Russia awiioqe
finally good ukrainian take W btw i like kvem, dunno how it will end still
2025-08-20 08:03
0
+ elige and we might have a era in our hand
2025-08-20 00:12
13
#20
 | 
Egypt BomberMan_
Should have welcomed the Passion USA roster would have been funny
2025-08-20 00:12
3
#21
 | 
Netherlands geek3D
NA IS BACK!
2025-08-20 00:12
3
#22
 | 
Czech Republic TECHNICKER
T.c. was on a mission
2025-08-20 00:17
8
#25
Faceit premium user Faceit level 10  | 
 | 
Romania xceedw
Tc knew, LOL
2025-08-20 00:23
3
Hope they dont qualify for major ditching UA roster for tier5 NA bots lol
2025-08-20 00:25
1
6 replies
#38
 | 
Ukraine zhvchnskiy
they didnt ditch ua roster because of that. Ua roster was heavily dysfunctional to the point demqq refused to play as ex-PUA core with woro and topa who left PUA altogether. There clearly were internal conflicts and they just didnt want to play together. Given that its not a bad move for PUA
2025-08-20 00:35
15
4 replies
Ohhhh... Where you hear that ?
2025-08-20 02:18
0
3 replies
#72
 | 
Ukraine zhvchnskiy
woro2k and kvem both said in their Tg that team didnt click and that there was no harmony etc. Demqq on his stream recently mentioned woro and topa asked him to play some of the tournaments they were invited to play as ex-PUA but demqq refused. Now they couldve asked jackasmo as well, but topa also wrote in his tg that there will be no ex-PUA core performing in events which means they either didnt ask jackasmo or he refused as well. In the end it seems like team just split up into 2 pieces and picking up new core was easier then fixing UA core mid-season. Since there was only one potential spot in complexity core and PUA had 3 riflers on bench its no surprising they gave chance to kvem
2025-08-20 02:39
12
2 replies
Damn well thanks for the information. Unfortunate was hoping they would do the whole ex pua thing.
2025-08-20 03:12
1
Insightful thanks
2025-08-20 04:03
1
#40
 | 
Brazil Heineck
They are a much better team
2025-08-20 00:35
5
They kept nicx over DemQQ?
2025-08-20 00:25
0
13 replies
#32
 | 
United States 1Tuurtle
For Americas spot
2025-08-20 00:30
5
9 replies
so why not -hallzerk +Woro2k then?
2025-08-20 00:32
0
8 replies
#39
 | 
United States 1Tuurtle
Sidegrade at best individually (imo a downgrade) while messing up team chemistry. No real point
2025-08-20 00:35
17
1 reply
Wrong, they kept him for aura, that's enough for me.
2025-08-20 07:34
1
hellzerk > worobot
2025-08-20 00:36
8
1 reply
"Hellzerk" is actually "Hallzerk's" bigger half-brother... but still hellzerk>worobot hltv.org/player/936/hellzerk
2025-08-20 08:08
5
#44
Old school: User been here for more than 10 years  | 
blameF | 
Denmark hEnzeee
Why would the downgrade by keeping woro? They clearly don't wanna matchfix anymore.
2025-08-20 00:40
4
hallzerk def just has more t1 experience
2025-08-20 00:42
5
#89
Faceit level 9  | 
Jesus | 
Kazakhstan yTuHbIe_ucTopuu
woro better on stats while he plays in t2, but hallzerk more experience, more chemistry and it seems woro is a bit toxic
2025-08-20 05:29
0
#90
Cooper | 
Europe kuu1
2025-08-20 05:37
5
they kept the Major spot over DemQQ
2025-08-20 00:32
6
Never forget that DemQQ was on the legendary Akuma roster that used clean-feed radar "cheats" (not an in game software, just a stream on the second monitor) against NaVi in EPIC League CIS 2021, which was an RMR event. That was the event where 14/16 of the attending teams wrote an open letter to Valve asking them to investigate Akuma. So he is, at best, guilty by association of helping to cover up his teammates' cheating in a Major-qualifying event (worst case being he did it himself too).
2025-08-20 01:09
12
1 reply
he knew It's amazing why he still plays
2025-08-20 10:00
2
T.c mastermind
2025-08-20 00:28
6
#30
 | 
United Kingdom Leftie
Glad to see Hallzerk is being given another home, love that guy.
2025-08-20 00:28
7
2 replies
#45
Old school: User been here for more than 10 years  | 
 | 
Lithuania AvaIon
Atleast now he should be able to attend lans in NA because he doesn't need to get the harder to acquire visa when he's not employed by an american company
2025-08-20 00:41
5
1 reply
#95
 | 
Slovakia GloryMole
Lmao how does that work? Bud literally works for US org but cannot get into the US. Their visas are weird af.
2025-08-20 07:43
1
much more understandable given complexity's situation
2025-08-20 00:29
7
#33
 | 
Netherlands Dutch69
Nvm i cant read
2025-08-20 00:30
0
Hold on, let them cook
2025-08-20 00:30
4
thank god cxzi is gone, holy he was underperforming alot and yea kvem does deserve this kind of team
2025-08-20 00:34
4
#43
Old school: User been here for more than 10 years  | 
 | 
Lithuania AvaIon
T.c FNS level of planning
2025-08-20 00:39
1
kvem is going to drop kato-donk like numbers on na competition lmao. he was absolutely crushing europe t2 scene
2025-08-20 00:51
6
#59
 | 
United States TheGr8One
what happened to complexity?
2025-08-20 01:35
0
hos is kvem's english?
2025-08-20 01:54
3
3 replies
He's got really good English tbh
2025-08-20 02:20
2
2 replies
hope it works out then. he should be a solid upgrade for that core of coL
2025-08-20 02:25
2
1 reply
Oh kvem is the goat for sure no question there
2025-08-20 02:32
3
what in the fuck are these orgs smoking
2025-08-20 01:58
2
Hoping for the boys this works out. Sad to see Complexity go like this. Hoping they can carry the legacy on, let’s go Passion USA lol
2025-08-20 01:59
3
#66
 | 
Portugal rbm14
I'd love to see Passion UA use this to branch into 2 different divisions. They could have Passion.USA as their top tier competition team, and keep developing home talent under Passion.UA
2025-08-20 02:07
4
3 replies
u cant have 2 teams from 1 org, look academy rosters
2025-08-20 07:15
3
2 replies
#123
 | 
United States MrNorwood
You can have two teams, just not at the same events. Also, I am assuming he is talking about an academy-like team for the Passion UA brand anyway.
2025-08-20 15:06
0
1 reply
#126
 | 
Portugal rbm14
That's correct
2025-08-20 16:07
1
#73
 | 
Cuba Dyabolic
This is so weird, bro. Lol
2025-08-20 02:51
1
#74
 | 
United States blargCS
I don't know how but this is somehow ohnepixel's fault
2025-08-20 02:59
5
1 reply
#79
Faceit level 4  | 
 | 
Israel mcnamaras_EEEdiots
agreed
2025-08-20 03:33
2
Passion NA
2025-08-20 03:01
2
tier 3 max
2025-08-20 03:18
0
same players...same results...
2025-08-20 03:42
1
1 reply
#88
Faceit level 9  | 
Canada J1llMap1e
Making some guesses I dont wanna hear the result. :<
2025-08-20 04:36
0
#72 gave a good input about the lineup and why Passion UA went for this move
2025-08-20 03:56
2
i guess it’s an easy route to NA sticker money, but this roster is not even good
2025-08-20 04:08
0
Holy shit, let's go passion NA!
2025-08-20 04:35
4
Lmao Passion UA lmao
2025-08-20 07:05
0
cringe
2025-08-20 08:00
0
#101
Faceit plus user Faceit level 10 Old school: User been here for more than 10 years  | 
 | 
Poland Astoner55
Passion NA or Passion USA? What's the official hltv mens)) (®) rebrand? I think Passion USA is better but I'm ready for a community discussion
2025-08-20 08:17
3
1 reply
#128
 | 
United States flipfone
USA, it sounds better and all the NA players are American anyways
2025-08-21 04:30
0
#102
Old school: User been here for more than 10 years  | 
Sweden skorpan
Why keep nicx when they had the chance to ditch him? :P
2025-08-20 08:25
0
#103
 | 
Russia 1guan
Why nicx? + jba or swisher would be better
2025-08-20 08:43
0
Passion UA with only 1 UA player lol
2025-08-20 08:48
1
#115
 | 
Bulgaria R34
JT will get benched after a few weeks when kvem is considered a core so the team can keep the VRS rank when kicking him
2025-08-20 10:37
0
2 replies
why kick the igl?
2025-08-20 11:00
1
Highly doubt there will be any benching soon cus of T.c as a coach xd
2025-08-20 11:49
1
#117
 | 
Serbia DRogla17
Passion usa
2025-08-20 11:40
1
This explains why Complexity has got an invite to Starladder and accepted it.
2025-08-20 11:41
1
Top 20 max team
2025-08-20 11:49
0
1 reply
#130
Faceit premium user Faceit level 7  | 
NIKOLAAAa | 
United States xDiedrich
They still make a good seed at the Major tho this roster will farm NA VRS still
2025-08-21 19:08
0
f for col :(
2025-08-20 12:47
0
what the actual f
2025-08-20 13:12
0
#124
 | 
Sweden Vrede
good, no cxzi
2025-08-20 15:35
0
#131
Old school: User been here for more than 10 years  | 
United States Bluefin
Now that Elige is benched on Faze, is he going to Passion USA? Are all of these moves a coincidence?
2025-08-23 12:05
0
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