Grizz: "I'm happy to have a bunch of new guys around me who I can teach and grow alongside"

Dust2.us' Editor-in-Chief Jeffrey "Mnmzzz" Moore spoke with Marsborne star Adam "Grizz" Golden after his side took down M80 to advance to the semifinals at FRAG 20.

Grizz spoke about Marsborne's form at FRAG, the dissolution of the old team, and his thoughts on his new teammates.

Find the video interview below, with a full transcription underneath. All questions and answers have been slightly edited for length and clarity.

Congratulations on that insane win, I believe you posted something like 35 kills, 162 ADR. It was an insane performance overall. How did it come together for you on the server?

I started off hot. We were all playing really good, there was a lot of good movement from us on the map. It really helps to play good as a player when you're feeling it but your teammates are also backing you up, giving good comms. Whenever that happens, it makes it a lot easier to play.

Let's zoom out a little bit back to the series as a whole. Of course, it's no easy feat to take down M80. After barely missing out on the Major, how does it feel to take down a team that is heading to the Major?

It feels pretty good. We had a really rough showing the last couple of weeks in Brazil. The chemistry wasn't there in the game. Coming into this event, we all feel rejuvenated.

This is a new squad, a new life with people no one's seen before. We have good people at the helm with Lucid and ben1337. It makes playing teams like this and Voca a lot better.

Talk to me about the end of the old Marsborne and the beginning of the new Marsborne. You finish up in Brazil, and a few days later, the whole roster gets benched. Did you know this was going to happen to you then? Was this new roster already in talks?

No, the new roster wasn't in talks. We knew the current team was dysfunctional, especially in-game. We didn't have issues with people as a whole. I still have a good connection with all the guys in Marsborne. They're all good guys.

Going into this new team, I spoke with Lucid and our owners and talked through what we were thinking. At first, hearing names you haven't heard of or seen a lot of, you're skeptical but watching them play and hearing them discuss the game, they're all young and hungry.

I was in their shoes a year ago. I've gotten to a point in my career where I'm playing really good and I'm proud of where I'm at but I need to keep learning. That's why I stayed here, and I'm happy to have a bunch of new guys around me who I can teach and grow alongside.

What's the team environment like right now? I know this team has only been together for ten days, but what's the vibe like?

Going into the event, no expectations besides making the playoffs, trying to get VRS secured. With this win, we did that. No one here is goofing off or trying not to win.

We're not taking it too seriously; we want to have fun and play the game, learn from what we're playing. We're not trying to put too much pressure on the new guys because we're a new team, we don't have any expectations.

A year ago, you were the new kid on the block, now it's time for WUMBO and marekiew to be the new kids on their first big team. What's your impression of those guys? WUMBO's gotten a lot of kudos in his start to 2026.

WUMBO is a really good prospect; his individual in-game decision-making and how he moves around the map are really fluid.

marekiew, something I think about him is that he's very quiet, but he has a very good set of skills we needed at the time, being an anchor. I think he needs a little more time to develop on this team, but both of them have a very good shot at showing their worth.

Also, ogwizard, he's had a couple more opportunities, but he's 20 years old, very young, very inexperienced, and here to learn, as well.

Another piece of the puzzle, freshie, is also doing a lot of new things on this team. He was previously an IGL on SportsBetExpert, but I believe he was only in that role out of necessity because that team itself was quite dysfunctional.

How do you think he's doing with this, being his first team where he chose to be an IGL?

I think he's doing really good. At first, I was skeptical, talking with him and learning about what he knows about the game and his mindset is, he changed my opinon on him. This guy's smart and he's got Lucid and ben1337 to guide him and teach their theory which is in alignment with his own thought process.

You're through to the semifinals with a top-four finish guaranteed; on the other side of the bracket is Passion UA and Wildcard.

It's still open-ended on your side with either LAG or Fisher College going through. After taking down Voca and M80 today, do you think either of those teams can stop you?

Absolutely, we lost to Fisher in the group stage, granted it was more on us than them. But, yeah, we're playing good and we're good individuals but we can't look past anyone. We need to look at the team in front of us and play round by round.

Finally, I believe a LAN trophy has eluded you, especially at FRAG. You've come up short numerous times. I remember your first event together was the first FRAG Block of 2025 where you lost to BLUEJAYS in the finals.

How would it feel to take home a LAN trophy in the first event with your new team?

It would be amazing. It's something I've wanted my whole career. I've always wanted to win a tournament, national or international. I just want to win a tournament in person. I've won some online, but it's not the same as being in-person and winning on stage.

Marsborne are set to play the third-place decider later today after falling to Fisher in the semifinals.