Nightfall on Mira: “He’s one of the best teammates I’ve ever had in my entire career.”
Aurora Gaming carry Yegor “Nightfall” Grigorenko spoke in an interview at The International 2026 about the team’s disappointing performance at the previous tournament in the series and the changes in his gameplay following roster changes. The player also spoke about Miroslav “Mira” Kolpakov and named the strongest carries on the professional scene.
On The International 2025
The last TI was the toughest one for me. Things just didn’t go according to our plan. In the elimination match, we basically gave away a fairly easy game ourselves. But what can you do—life goes on. I hope to perform better at this TI.
On how the game has changed since the roster changes
I think there have been changes. A lot depends on the three core players, in particular. On different teams, each core can play differently—it all depends on what exactly is required of you. I’d say that over time, my own style has become more aggressive.
[Question: But are you leaning toward a more aggressive playstyle now?]
Yeah, probably. Dota itself just pushes you in that direction.
[Question: Which style do you personally prefer? Farming or going out to fight?]
It depends on my mood. But I guess fighting and constantly taking risks is more fun.
On the Impact of Ws and kaori
As for Ws, I think he’s added confidence to the team. Plus, he makes calls based on his hero. And Kaori has brought a sense of calm to our communication. With him, our lane has also become stronger than it was before.
About Mira
It’s a real pleasure to play with Mira. I’d say he’s one of the best teammates I’ve ever had in my entire career. He’s just a really good person.
[Question: It’s clear that you want to lift the “Aegis.” But does the thought that Mira could win it for the third time and become the first to do so give you extra motivation?]
If I set aside my own dream of lifting the “Aegis,” then I suppose my next thought would be winning it for Mira’s sake.
On the best carries
I’d probably single out Satanic and miCKe. miCKe has had a great month, and Satanic just won a tournament in Paris—I think he played absolutely brilliantly there.
On working with kpii
It’s a pleasure to work with kpii. I think he’s one of the best coaches when it comes to game analysis. He analyzes replays very well and knows how to make his breakdowns informative, quick, and useful all at once.
Aurora Gaming kicked off The International 2026 with a victory over GamerLegion. Nightfall played Tiny with a KDA of 11/5/15 and Windranger with a KDA of 6/3/12. The team’s next match will be in the 1:0 bracket; their opponent will be determined later.
