FlipSid3 Tactics: Where Are They Now?

Before the days of the dynasty of Gale Force eSports, and later Team Dignitas, from RLCS Season 4 until Season 6, there was one European team dominating the scene from even before the RLCS existed. That team was FlipSid3 Tactics.

FlipSid3 Tactics was one of the first esports organisations to believe in the potential of Rocket League as an esport, and they showed that by picking up Teamy Weamy, a team who went on to win almost every single tournament in Europe at the time.

Even though they just about lost the Rocket League Central Pro League Season 1, FlipSid3 Tactics was the hot favourite to win the first RLCS world championships. Through internal struggles and some underwhelming results for a team poised for victory, the American rivals IBUYPOWER, with Cameron "Kronovi" Bills, stole away the world champion title in Season 1 of the RLCS, but after a roster change and another dominating season in Europe, FlipSid3 was back for Season 2 Worlds in Amsterdam.

In Amsterdam, FlipSid3 showed that they could be the best when it really matters, and after getting put down in the lower bracket by Mock-It Esports, they went on a tear through the bracket to meet Mock-It again in the grand finals. There, FlipSid3 had to defeat the Mock-It squad two series in a row to call themselves the world champions - and that’s what they did.

It’s been four years since the finals in Amsterdam. After all these years, the players are still very much involved in the world of Rocket League esports. Let’s take a look at what happened to them and where they are now.

Kuxir97

Francesco "kuxir97" Cinquemani is perhaps the single most legendary Rocket League player. The Italian was already a known figure before the game was released as a veteran player of Supersonic Acrobatic Rocket-Powered Battle-Cars (SARPBC). He was already good at that game, and other games too. Before his career in Rocket League, Kuxir97 used to play Tekken competitively.

His drive to compete has pushed him to be at the top of EU for a very long time, and stay completely unbeaten for part of it. He has always looked for new ways to improve, and even got a move named after him: the Kuxir Pinch, where you hit the ball against the wall at such an angle, that it shoots off into the opponent’s net. His influence in Rocket League is so big, that the popularity of the Batmobile as a competitive car is largely attributed to him.

For five years, Kuxir97 managed to stay on the same roster. Sometimes the roster changed organisations, but Kuxir97 was always part of it. When FlipSid3 Tactics eventually left the Rocket League esports scene, he went on with The Bricks, who got picked up by mousesports. And when mousesports was gone again, Kuxir97 stuck around for long enough to get signed by Team Liquid.

Recent results have not been as glamorous as the start of his career, but Kuxir97 is still here to compete. He finally left his roster, and now tries to stay in the RLCS with SWAG.

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Markydooda

Mark "Markydooda" Exton had already met Kuxir97 two years before teaming up, in Battlefield 3. The unashamedly Scottish Markydooda was also a SARPBC veteran, so both him and Kuxir97 got a head start coming into Rocket league. Apart from his glory days in Season 2 and 3, he is known for his distinct eyebrow wiggle, that even made it into the game as a topper, and his charismatic personality - always just saying what’s on his mind. He stayed with Kuxir97 on FlipSid3 Tactics until 2018, when he moved to excel Esports for a year. After 2018, he was done competing, and he retired in February 2019.

But Markydooda wasn’t done with Rocket League. He made an appearance as an analyst on the desk at the RLCS world championships in Season 5, and returned to the game two years later as a commentator for various RLCS events. Now, he’s active as a commentator and analyst for RLCS X and other events, like the Salt Mine Underground, hosted by his good friends John "Johnnyboi_i" MacDonald and Matt "Smellsworth" Ellsworth. Smellsworth was also the first person to congratulate Markydooda when FlipSid3 won the world championship.

gReazymeister

After playing Season 1 with Michael "M1k3Rules" Costello, Markydooda and Kuxir97 were looking for a new third, and found Marius "gReazymeister" Ranheim. The Norwegian gReazymeister was on Northern Gaming, who were the main rivals of FlipSid3 Tactics at the time. He took his chance with FlipSid3, and they made it work. For a second season in a row, FlipSid3 was destroying the competition and came into the tournament with all the confidence they needed. Even having to fight in the lower bracket didn’t stop the quick gReazymeister on his way to victory.

What followed was a turbulent career, playing on teams like Team Envy, Complexity Gaming, and lastly, Magnifico. Even though gReazymeister announced that he would retire in May 2020, he came back to play for RLCS X, and even made it into the top four at the first Regional Event of the Fall Split. It didn’t last very long, though. The team was on the verge of disbanding, and gReazymeister left the roster. Diego "VK-Sailen" Isla Serrano replaced him on Magnifico, and the now completely Spanish squad went on to get signed by Team Queso.

As for gReazymeister, the future is largely unknown. He’s not currently on a roster, but that can change, of course. Whatever happens to him and his former teammates on FlipSid3, they can always look back on their career as world champions.

 

Image via Liquipedia RL