Former Falcons captain Damjan “kyxsan” Stoilkovski has finally addressed his benching after being replaced by karrigan ahead of the Major. In a podcast with K Bizzy on Half Time CS, the Macedonian IGL explained why the decision felt “unfair.” After clips from the interview spread online, kyxsan urged fans to watch the full conversation instead of reacting only to headlines.
Instead of only reading this title or this post, I would suggest people to actually watch the entire podcast.
The post quickly gained traction, with many fans defending kyxsan and criticizing the lack of context in short clips.
kyxsan explains why the decision shocked him
During the podcast, kyxsan revealed that he learned about the roster move only after arriving at IEM Rio 2026. According to him, there had been no previous discussions inside the team about replacing him. The IGL admitted Falcons were not performing at their best this season. However, he emphasized that the roster had always been presented internally as a long-term project rather than a short-term experiment.
This team was promised time.
He also explained that the timing of the move made the situation even more painful. The Major roster lock happened during IEM Rio, which made it almost impossible for him to join another team before the biggest event of the season.
Despite the disappointment, kyxsan repeatedly stressed that there is “no bad blood” between himself and Falcons. Still, he believes the lineup deserved “more trust” after reaching multiple finals and remaining one of the strongest teams in the world for long stretches of 2025 and early 2026.
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Pressure inside Falcons and constant criticism
Another major topic of the interview was the pressure that came with playing for Falcons. kyxsan described how criticism and toxic messages became a normal part of everyday life inside the organization.
When you play for Falcons, when you win nobody cares. But the one game you lose, everyone is blaming you.
The former captain also revealed that players regularly received hate messages and threats after defeats. According to kyxsan, some players — including NiKo — largely avoided social media during difficult periods because of the negativity.
At the same time, he pointed out the contrast between online discussions and arena experiences. Falcons still received huge support from fans during live events and signing sessions.
Community reaction overwhelmingly positive
The community reaction to kyxsan’s response was largely supportive. Many fans argued that headlines and short clips removed important context from the full interview. Several users directly defended the Macedonian IGL:
- “You were never the problem.”
- “Just sign with another competitive team and prove them wrong.”
- “One headline becomes the whole narrative while the actual context gets lost.”
Others criticized “clip culture” in esports media and encouraged people to watch the full podcast before judging the situation.
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kyxsan already receiving interest from teams
Despite being sidelined before the Major, kyxsan confirmed that several teams have already contacted him ahead of the post-Major shuffle period. However, he admitted that contracts and buyout discussions could delay his return.
I would like to get on a team as soon as possible.
The former Falcons captain added that the situation has only increased his motivation to return to Tier-1 Counter-Strike once the Major concludes.
