RLCS star ViolentPanda proposes to girlfriend, confirms retirement at Fall Split Major

Yesterday, Jos “ViolentPanda” van Meurs proposed to his girlfriend of five years, Mellina Kong, on stage at the Rocket League Championship Series (RLCS) Fall Split Major.

After his girlfriend said yes, ViolentPanda announced his retirement from competitive play. He first revealed his plan to retire in October, citing his thumb injuries — tendonitis in both thumbs — before Season 10 as the main reason. The injuries forced him to reduce his training time, causing him to fall behind his teammates.

During his first announcement, ViolentPanda expressed his gratitude to fans for their support throughout his career. He addressed fans via Twitter, wishing he could repay their kindness.

The Rocket League veteran said he wants to be a manager or coach after retiring. He added that he was interested in the business side of esports, claiming that he could make an impact in the industry.

ViolentPanda has participated in every Rocket League Championship Series, playing for different teams. The Dutch player started to gain fame in his second year of Rocket League career after his team became the runner-up in the Season 2 World Championship.

Esports analysts said that while he was not “the flashiest player,” ViolentPanda made a great captain for his ability to motivate his teammates to do their best. In Season 6, he earned the European Clutch Playmaker award for posting the most assists, thanks to his unstoppable infield passes.

During his time with Gale Force eSports, ViolentPanda won two RLCS European championships and a World Championship. After that, he moved to Dignitas and led the team from Season 5 to 10, during which he helped the team dominate the tournament.

With Dignitas, ViolentPanda snatched the win at Season 5’s World Championship. In Season 6, they become the runner-up. In total, they won the European tournament twice.

In the Fall Open Qualifier, in which ViolentPanda made his surprise proposal, he played with the Three Musketeers. The team finished 13th in the event.

Gen.G wins RLCS Fall Major

Gen.G triumphed over Moist Esports in a six-game series to win the RLCS Fall Major and bring home the $100,000 prize money.

Gen.G’s Jack “ApparentlyJack” Benton and Joseph “Noly” Kidd recently moved from England to compete in North America, following teammate Nick “Chronic” Iwanski. Analysts believe that ApparentlyJack and Noly’s move to North America was a big leap, especially since the European region is less competitive. Furthermore, both came from teams that had mediocre results in the more recent LAN events.

In earlier predictions, only a few people expected Gen.G to get to the top five in North America. However, its members built amazing chemistry to pass through the grand finals in three different regions. Inter-region rivalries are not strange in esports, but analysts noted that the competition was fiercer in Rocket League.

Unlike his teammates, the 17-year-old Chronic was relatively unknown on the professional stage. He has played Rocket League for years, but the community considers him a “bubble player” — someone talented who cannot break the top-tier barrier.

Gen.G successfully turned their raw talent to the next level. Analysts noted the team’s high-skilled passing plays and high-flying mechanics as the major contributors to their win. They faced tight competition from the No. 2 seed from Europe, Team Liquid. In the semifinal, Gen.G defeated FaZe Clan 4-1 before facing Moist Esports. ApparentlyJack also earned the MVP award in the tournament.