Riot Games announced Monday evening that popular bot laner Jian “Uzi” Zihao has been named the second inductee into the Hall of Legends. Launched last year, the League of Legends Hall of Fame honors the best of the best professional players in the world.
Uzi joins South Korean player Lee Sang-hyeok—better known as Faker—who was the very first inductee into Riot’s special class. Riot said in Monday’s announcement that Uzi received an “overwhelming amount of votes” from panelists across the globe, further proving that, among his
peers, he is considered “one of the game’s most influential figures.”
As part of being inducted into the LoL Hall of Fame, Uzi will will be honored throughout the duration of the Hall of Legends in-game event beginning June 11, which includes an event pass that will highlight his career and offer dedicated cosmetic items themed after and made in collaboration with the Mad Dog (more details to be announced at a later date). He will also be honored at the official Hall of Legends Induction Ceremony in Shanghai, China, on June 6.
In addition, Riot Games partner Mercedes-Benz will present a custom art piece honoring Uzi, that blends “the real world with the universe of League of Legends,” that spotlights his career achievements and personal journey as professional LoL player. He will also be given a personalized Mercedes-Benz G-Class with EQ Technology, according to the announcement.
The 28-year-old Chinese player began his career in the League of Legends Pro League (LPL—the league dedicated to China) as a bot laner for Royal Club and Royal Never Give Up (RNG). Over the years, he has played for the aforementioned organizations, as well as Edward Gaming, Oh My God, Newbee, and BiliBili Gaming.
According to data from Esports Charts, Uzi has generated $553,869 USD in prize money during his career, and his most popular match was during Worlds 2016. He last competed professionally for Edward Gaming in August 2023 during the LPL Regional Finals and is currently unaffiliated. Despite being one of the most popular players in the world, Uzi never won a World Championship; during his time with RNG, the team picked up the 2018 Mid-Season Invitational (MSI), 2018 LPL Spring and Summer titles, and was named LPL Spring 2018 MVP.