07
June

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Jian "UZI" Zi-Hao Retires After An 8 Year Professional LoL Career

Undeniably, when one thinks of iconic League of Legends players - those who have led entire eras throughout the history of the LPL - Jian Zi-Hao, better known to the community as Uzi, comes to mind in an instant.

 

Starting his spectacular career with Royal Never Give Up in 2012, Uzi has stuck with the team for over 8 years and has singlehandedly been the shining beacon of loyalty, inspiration, and dedication as well as an unrivaled icon in the world of esports as a whole.

 

However, on June 2, Royal Never Give Up released the heartbreaking news - as of LPL006, Uzi has chosen to retire and leave the world of professional League of Legends.

 

Why Is Uzi Retiring?

While there was some degree of speculation over the past few years, and everyone more or less expected Uzi to take off around this time - it's no secret that he has been struggling with poor health for a number of years.

 

From shoulder injuries to arm and leg pain - his health has taken a turn for the worse, and at 23 years of age, by the recommendation of health professionals that he has been seeing, he announced that he will be hanging up the flag and retiring after the split.

 

In an earlier 2019 interview with Nike, Uzi commented that "[my doctor] told me during a check-up that my arms are similar to that of a 40 to 50-year-old." He also mentioned that he often feels weak and that he has been recently diagnosed with type 2 Diabetes attributed to "chronic stress, obesity, staying up late, and an irregular diet," among other causes.

 

Will Uzi Be Back To The LoL Pro Scene?

While the news is definitely saddening and heartbreaking, on-par with Dyrus' retirement, Uzi did express that he hopes to be able to return after being able to focus on recovering and improving his health.

 

Interestingly, this is not the first time that Uzi has considered retiring. During the 2015 LPL split with OMG, Uzi complained about severe shoulder pain. However, he overcame the pain to dominate in OMG's domestic league split and later performed impressively on the international level.

 

In addition to this, Uzi is not officially departing from RNG just yet. In a recent follow-up statement to the retirement announcement, RNG has commented that Uzi is a core member of the RNG crew, even in his early retirement. They also expressed that the organization would be there for him to assist his future endeavors as well as helping him recover from his injuries and declining health.

 

Closing Thoughts

Over the last eight years, Jian "Uzi" Zi-Hao has proven himself to be one of the best professional players in the League of Legends community, especially when it comes to dominating the bot lane.

 

With three LPL wins, the Asian games and the Mid-Season Invitational behind his belt, UZI has cemented his legacy in stone. He is definitely one of the players that will be worshipped, remembered, and loved, even in their retirement.

 

As sad as his retirement is, the League of Legends player community eagerly hopes that Uzi is able to fully recover and return to the professional scene. And thankfully, the newly retired pro shares in those hopes and plans to put his all towards a speedy recovery.

 

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