Image: MinD_ControL X (@MinDcontRoLDotA)
GosuGamers sat down with TI7 champion MinD_ControL to discuss the next step of his career with his new team, Jigglin.
Ivan “MinD_ContRoL” Ivanov is one of the most storied players in the history of Dota 2, with a long list of accolades under his belt that include lifting the Aegis of Champions in The International (TI) 2017, finishing second in TI 2019, as well as winning a Major championship in 2018 and countless other tournaments.
But over half a decade since the peak of his career, MinD_ControL is embarking on a new journey at the head of his own team, Jigglin, in the hopes of once again rising to the top of the Dota 2 scene in the 2025 season.
GosuGamers recently sat down with the veteran offlaner during the Champion of Champions (CCT) Series 6 to discuss his new career trajectory, and MinD_ControL says everyone should expect to see him as a better and more well-rounded player.
“I'm confident that I can win, but I don't know if it will be this year, maybe next year. We don't know. Results, they come by themselves in my book. But what should [fans] expect? They should expect a better version of me because I'm trying to be better. I want to be a better teammate. I don't want to be some teammate who is too lazy to work with the team and things like this. And also, I'm trying to get some new heroes in my hero pool. We'll see how that goes.”
Jigglin their way to the top
Jigglin is formed around a duo of veterans surrounded by young, up-and-coming players. Both MinD_ControL and position 4 support Rodrigo “Lelis” Santos started their professional careers in 2014, offering veteran experience to help hone the talents of their younger teammates in mid laner
Philipp “Copy” Bühler, carry player
Altanginj “423” Bilguun, and position 5 support
Tugstur “Se” Dashzevge.
While MinD_ControL, Lelis, and Copy are all very familiar with the cutthroat competition of Western Europe, 423 and Se are both new to the region. Both Mongolian players spent their careers prior to joining Jigglin in Southeast Asia, with 423 only having a brief two-month stint with Team Secret. When asked why he picked two relatively unknown players to be his teammates, MinD_ControL said that he saw plenty of potential in the duo of 423 and Se.
“I was looking at all the free agents that are available and I was thinking of options. Obviously, they were not the only option, but I went with them because one reason is that they already played together. So it was easier to select the carry and the position five, it's like a duo. And of course, I watched some replays of them – of their official games and their ranked games – and I was impressed. They've really adapted to the modern Dota. They're doing some good things, so I wanted to try it out and they agreed. They said that they want to play with me as well.”
While most casual viewers may see Jigglin as just another ragtag squad, the team showed that they have what it takes to compete in the bloodbath that is Western Europe within their first month playing together. In a gauntlet of qualifiers and Tier 2 tournaments in January, Jigglin finished 5th-6th in the DreamLeague Season 25 Western European qualifier – notably knocking out OG in the process – before placing 7th-8th in the PGL Wallachia Season 3 qualifier, second in the European Pro League Season 23, and fourth in CCT Series 6.
MinD_ControL is well aware that the team is a work in progress, but he thinks that Jigglin already have the foundations of a good team in place. For one, there is mutual respect between the team's veterans and young players, something that the TI7 champion places very high importance on. And while he is indeed a veteran, MinD_ControL doesn't need to take on as much of a mentor role as others would expect.
“The main thing is this is a new team and that we are just trying to grow from the start, from zero. And everyone is treating each other with respect. And I really love this about this team. It feels great to be part of it, like, I wouldn't change anything. That's why this veteran experience thing is just a very small factor of it. I don't have to teach them, I don't know how to buy a Tango or something. Like, it feels great. Yeah, they are really good players, all of them.”

MinD_ControL and Team Liquid during TI7. (Image: Valve Software)
In the competitive Dota 2 scene, you really have to grind your way to the top. With no more Dota Pro Circuit (DPC) and the scene fully shifted into third-party tournaments, newly-formed stacks like Jigglin have to play in tournaments like the CCT to showcase their skill and earn their place at the top of the scene.
Far from it being beneath a TI champion, MinD_ControL values this grind. He's done it before, after all. Not only that, but events like CCT may just end up being the proving ground that the next generation of superstars needs in order to break out. Who knows, perhaps MinD_ControL sees potential greatness in his new group of teammates.
“[Events like CCT are] about improving the scene and having more opportunities for the new players, it's always good to have a chance. I don't like when there are less chances for new players. I mean, we all need to start from somewhere. So it's great that we have this tournament. Because like one guy could be really good, but nobody knows about him in the world. So he needs to have this chance.
“The more chances he has, like, he can do it. And maybe one day he can't perform. But in one year, maybe after a lot of practice, finally he can perform. And maybe we'll see the new [
Amer “Miracle-” Al-Barkawi], right?”
Of course, Jigglin have faced their fair share of challenges. In mid-January, the team were signed by British organisation Into The Breach (ITB) as they re-entered the Dota 2 scene. But just a week later, ITB shut down its esports operations after their CEO was found to have embezzled the organisation's funds for his personal use.
Blink and you've missed it, but MinD_ControL and his squad are playing as Jigglin again. The veteran offlaner isn't fazed at all by this setback, as he sees organisational support as something secondary to having a good roster of players around him to actually play the games. Once again, MinD_ControL places emphasis on mutual trust.
“As long as you're playing good Dota and you have good players with you, I don't see why the org changes anything. If you want to be the best at something, you need to grind hard on all cards and consistently. It's not about which org you're playing for. It's about the work ethic you have and the teamplay that you have with your team. And, of course, trusting each other.”
What's next for MinD_ControL?
While Jigglin looks like an entirely new venture for MinD_ControL from the outside, for him, it's the continuation of a long career forged by hard work and dedication that made him into the accomplished player he is. Jigglin may still be a work in progress now, but with enough grinding – and you can never grind enough – who knows what heights MinD_ControL and his new squad can reach?
“Competition is always, if you're better, you'll get it. So you better get your ass on it and work and watch replays, play games, because if you slack off, someone else will just take it from you. And it happened to me in the past, too. Sometimes you feel like you worked enough, but someone just beats you and makes you feel like you're nothing. So it means you just don't work hard enough. You need to work more than someone else is. And that's how it works, in my mind.”
And if there's ever any doubt about MinD_ControL's abilities as a player and a leader, the TI7 champion has a very simple answer.
“I already proved myself that I can be successful, that I can play very good Dota, that I can be the best.”

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