Streamer Pavel “9pasha” Khvastunov jokingly stated his intention to return to professional Dota 2 as an offlaner for Nigma Galaxy. During a personal stream, Khvastunov quipped that he could replace Toni “No!ob” Assaf and receive a salary instead, even if the team`s trophy prospects remain unchanged.
He jokingly pondered the idea of `securing a spot` in Nigma, suggesting he plays `a thousand times better` than No!ob. He humorously outlined a plan to get in shape for `The International,` anticipating roster changes in Nigma post-tournament, where he would present himself as a strong Dota 2 player. He imagined Nigma realizing their `critical mistake` of signing No!ob and considering him, 9pasha, as a `not the worst option.` He jokingly envisioned being welcomed to Nigma Galaxy in Dubai with fanfare and a lucrative salary.
Khvastunov continued his humorous train of thought, emphasizing the `motivation` of simply joining Nigma, regardless of winning championships. He jokingly declared himself a `Dota player again` and urged viewers to `screenshot` his prediction of joining Nigma in six months, even if the team continues to underperform. He stressed that the primary goal is just to be part of Nigma for the salary.
Later, Khvastunov reiterated his idea, clarifying that his main motivation was to earn a high salary with minimal effort. He joked about improving his in-game skills just enough to join Nigma Galaxy and replace No!ob, confidently asserting his superior gameplay and aiming to `sit on a $20,000 per hour salary` while resisting any attempts to remove him from the team. He concluded by stating he still needed to figure out how to join Nigma and promised an `announcement` in the future.
Previously, 9pasha had stated he had no plans to return to competitive Dota 2, claiming he had achieved his goals, even without winning The International.
9pasha`s idea to join Nigma Galaxy arose while watching the team`s matches at ESL One Raleigh 2025, where they placed 7th-8th, and after their top-4 finish at BLAST Slam II.
Finley Holt