SkewMond: "I hope KC, MKOI, and us can keep raising the level of the region"
Photo Credit: Riot Games
G2 Esports have done it again. In a nerve-shredding best-of-five that went the full distance against Karmine Corp, the Samurai claimed the inaugural LEC Versus title in Barcelona. Right after the match, Rudy "SkewMond" Semaan sat down with RFT to break down the chaos of a series that nearly slipped away, his evolving playstyle, and what lies ahead at First Stand.
How are you feeling after this series?
I'm very happy. The BO5 (best-of-five) was pretty insane. From our side, I think we maybe played a bit too loose — we played too much without fear. We came back down to earth when we lost games three and four. Despite being ahead in the early game in both of those, we just couldn't close them out properly. And game five was nearly the same scenario. But in the end, I'm just really happy that we managed to be clutch as a team. That's the most important thing.
How do you explain it being so close? They had better scaling comps or played better in mid game?
I think it's a bit of both. We made some small mistakes that we honestly wouldn't make when we're really locked in under pressure. But when you're 2-0 and ahead in the game, you tend to allow yourself to try things, and it cost us. Games three and four were honestly winnable — we were very far ahead in the early game.
But when KC have compositions that scale well, it's no secret that once you start handing over shutdowns and the gold gap closes, they can just destroy you in teamfights.
But overall, are you still confident in G2's mid game as well?
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Honestly yes, I think it's really a question of mindset and staying focused.
Discipline is the most important thing.
Whether you're 0-2 or 2-0, you have to play the same way — no fear, just playing to your win conditions and your timings.
We struggled to find ourselves during the regular season. And honestly, I can say it — the BO1 (best-of-one) format just isn't it in 2026. Each BO1 is basically just whoever finds the best reads wins, and it doesn't really represent who the best team is. That said, that excuse aside, we just weren't very good in the regular season. We struggled with drafts and in-game play. It cost us. But I'm really happy we managed to get it together when it mattered. Hard work always pays off, and I'm proud of what we've accomplished.
Can you elaborate on what happened behind the scenes? What did you guys say to each other when things were going wrong?
It was really about confidence, believing in ourselves and remembering who we are.
Without any ego attached to it, we're really good players. The problem was that when we got on stage, we weren't showing it. We were playing too timid. It just took a small reminder that we know how to play the game when we want to, and that we need to work hard and actually show it when it matters.
Do you think experience played a role today? And how do you evaluate KC's level — are both of you a cut above the rest?
I think experience played a part, but for us it was really about resilience — especially after losing games three and four, which were really in our hands. Game four in particular. So yeah, experience matters, we found the right words, and we did everything we could to get a solid draft in game five. As for KC, they're very strong. I wasn't sure they would beat KOI, and in the end it went to five games, as we saw. But in terms of overall level, I think — a bit like last year — there's a clear top three. Although Fnatic aren't really part of that group anymore, in my opinion.
Photo Credit: Hara Amoros/Riot Games
KC, G2, MKOI — that's a solid top three. Beyond that, I think NAVI could have done good things. It was a bit strange that they lost to GX. They could have been in that conversation. But apart from that, a pretty solid top three in the LEC.
I hope we can keep raising the overall level of the region and do good things internationally.
You're still taking natural leads over your direct opponents, but you've clearly become much more creative to help your team as well. How much have you worked on being more available for your team?
I think it came a bit naturally. Last year, when you don't communicate enough about what you want and what might happen, you tend to default to safe plays — just base, do your own thing. And that's where I'd naturally go into my own little game plan, farming resources like you said. But now, we're much more aware of what can happen in the game.
There was a moment on Pantheon where you skipped a Scuttle Crab to defend a bot lane dive...
On that game three play, I saw the dive coming from my side, I called it, and when I saw them commit, we picked up the kills.
But it's really a collective effort — it comes down to trust.
You would've skipped that scuttle two years ago?
Probably not.
Photo Credit: Hara Amoros/Riot Games
How do you see the jungle meta right now?
Farming is important — there's no way around it. When you look at the top junglers in the world, apart from a few volatile matchups in bot or mid, they'll do two full clears, meet at the Scuttle, and go from there. There's no big secret. But you do have space to be creative in your early pathing and impact the map, which is cool. In terms of champions, it's pretty diverse. Bruisers are the kings right now, especially in the first games of Fearless Draft. But as the series goes on, you can afford to pick tanks like Maokai, or even AP junglers. It's a good meta.
Is the way you snowball leads — contesting every camp — something you learned from watching LCK or LPL?
Not specifically. It's normal to watch LCK and LPL games, but in terms of details, it came naturally through our scrims and figuring out what's important. For example, the timing of the second Scuttle Crab is super important in full-clear games — that's something we noticed, and everyone has noticed. It's not some secret meta read, it's just natural — the jungler who hits level six first gets to impact the map more easily. These are timings that come with a lot of knowledge and a lot of games. And things have changed this season too, with the Homeguard changes making you arrive on the map faster.
You're going to First Stand, which means that in just over a year in the league, you've already attended every international tournament. How important is it to accumulate these experiences quickly?
Very important. Every experience you can have as a player is something you shouldn't overlook — even the disappointing ones.
My first international experience, MSI in Canada, I played really poorly. We got rolled. But despite that, I don't even know if we would have won Summer without that experience.
That, combined with the EWC, allowed us to become much stronger and develop a totally different identity heading into Summer. It allowed us to be as dominant as we were. Worlds too — every experience is super valuable.
Photo Credit: Colin Young-Wolff/Riot Games
The most important thing is to take good collective takeaways. Of course, individually, when you play against the best teams and players in the world, you learn a lot. But the experiences you share with your team — positive or negative — that's where you really learn the most. And at international tournaments, that's usually where you get punished the hardest. That's where you can learn the most.
Any last words for the fans watching — whether they're KC, G2, French, or European?
To all the French fans in particular, thank you for supporting us — whether it's me individually or the team. I hope we were able to put on a good show, both during this BO5 and throughout the split. It clearly wasn't the best start in the regular season, but I'm really happy we managed to bounce back. I think we showed some good things, and I hope you'll keep supporting us — at First Stand and beyond. Thank you everyone for the support.
Skewbounce, enjoy brazil cause it will be the last time you touch any European trophy with G2