LCS team Cloud9 will be completing its 2021 line-up with its Academy top-laner Ibrahim “Fudge” Allami. Fudge will be joining the team after grabbing two back-to-back championships on the Academy roster.

Fudge enters the LCS at the perfect time as the C9’s final piece. With Yasin “Nisqy” Dincer and Jesper “Zven” Svenningsen maxing out C9’s capacity of import players, the team might struggle in finding a championship-ready NA resident that’s also a free agent. But with the dissolving of the OPL, OCE players like Fudge now count as NA residents, giving C9 a big advantage in their new line-up.

While he may be filling in a big role previously played by veteran top-laner Eric “Licorice” Ritchie, Fudge is ready to meet higher expectations as a rookie. Aside from his gradual success in the LCS Academy, the 18-year-old top-laner went to Worlds in 2019 with OPL team Mammoth. With a year already locked in with the NA team, Fudge also had some time to absorb some knowledge from Licorice before his departure.

“When I first came to NA in Spring, I’d actually say I was a middle-bottom tier player, but as soon as I started playing with everyone, versed the other LCS players, and even scrimmed with our main team, I think I improved a lot,” said Fudge. “I had 1v1ed Licorice almost every single week for the LCS and that actually contributed a lot to my individual play.”

The LCS scene may be uncharted waters for the young player, but he’ll have a familiar face to guide him through the season grind. With C9’s previous coach of Bok “Reapered” Han-gyu also leaving, C9 Academy coach Kim “Reignover” Yeu-jin will be stepping into the role of LCS head coach. Reignover was seen as the spearhead to C9 A’s success and also Fudge’s improvements when he had a rough start coming into the NA scene.

While the team may have lost a strong veteran in Licorice, Fudge can definitely provide some rookie energy and spontaneity to C9’s cultivated line-up.

READ MORE: Cloud9 bids farewell to Licorice