As a Dota 2 player with a history of controversy, some might expect Ivan “Pure” Moskalenko to be arrogant or perhaps shy away from his past over his future. But as he approaches the final weekend of ESL One Birmingham, Pure is ready to shake off the old and welcome the new.

Pure, who was loaned by BetBoom to Birmingham-based Tundra Esports, has played a key role in the team’s progress in the league. Despite his talent, he has been mired in controversy and criticism since the start of his professional career. In April 2022, his contract with Virtus.pro was terminated for drawing militaristic symbols in a live match, and he was personally responsible for a direct loss suffered by BetBoom in 2023 after he watched the live stream of his match during a break in play. He now acknowledges that lessons had to be learned in order to move forward.

While his relationship with BetBoom got off to a rocky start, he admits to Dot Esports that he’s “definitely learned a lot” over the past year about how to be a better teammate. In particular, he seems to have thrived in his transition to Tundra Esports in a leadership role. “It’s new for me to be a leader on the team, to be a captain, but I think it’s going pretty well,” Pure told Dot. “I have a lot of responsibilities, so I’m focused on trying to adapt to everything.”

Crucially, he also acknowledges that in order to prove his talent and regain respect, his actions had to extend beyond the game. He assures viewers and pros alike that he’s “trying to be a better person, a better player, better than I was. I’m just trying to do my best in both ways.” With a fresh perspective, Pure now has his sights set on shaking off his troubled past to prove that he has the right to claim the position of best Dota 2 player in the world.