2021 Pro Paintball Offseason Rumor Mill Archive
- Quinn Nadu
- Dec 16, 2021
- 16 min read
Updated: Jun 21
Archie Montemayor Departs San Antonio XFactor to Join Dynasty for 2022.12/16/2021
In a shocking move, Archie Montemayor has left the team he helped start, San Antonio XFactor, to join San Diego Dynasty for the 2022 season. Archie will add to the deep talent pool on the Dynasty roster and should help continue the run of success they have experienced over the last two season, winning 3 events and two season titles in that time. San Diego Dynasty Signs Semi-Pro Player Damian Vazquez.12/16/2021
San Diego Dynasty has signed a talented young dorito player for the 2022 season. Damian Vazquez joins Dynasty after playing the last four season for the Noobies semi-pro team. He is one of the most sought after young players of the off-season and should be a critical building piece for Dynasty's future. Brandon Short Retires from San Diego Dynasty12/16/2021
Following San Diego Dynasty's World Cup victory, Brandon Short has again retired from the sport of professional paintball. He will continue to lead the sales team at HK Army and is rumored as a potential pro coach for the 2022 season. |
Rumor: Michael McGowan Cut by Tampa Bay Damage12/16/2021
With the emergence of Jared Lackey joining Damage, there is a rumor circulating that McGowan is going to be let go to make room for Lackey on the roster. We will continue to update this story. Zak Freese and Eddie Daws Depart from NRG Elite12/16/2021
Amid swirling rumors behind major signings coming to NRG Elite this preseason. Maybe the first hint of that has landed. NRG has parted ways with two players, Zak Freese and Eddie Daws. They will both join Carolina Crisis in the semi-pro division as they look to win a pro spot for 2023. New Orleans Hurricanes join the NXL Pro Ranks after AC Dallas is Relegated.12/16/2021
After the relegation of ac Dallas at the conclusion of the 2021 NXL Season, the New Orleans Hurricanes will be promoted from the semi-pro division after earning their spot by winning the semi-pro season title. They have a style founded around their high level of aggression off the break, and their reactive style of play. Latin Saints Purchase TMG Outlaws Pro Spot. Will play 2022 NXL Season.12/16/2021
The newly formed Latin Saints professional paintball team has purchased TMG Outlaws pro franchise spot in the NXL. They will compete in the 2022 season with a roster comprised of the top Central and South American players from programs like MX Dead Legion, TJ Allstars and Wild Dogs. Baltimore Revo Signs Benny Carroll for 2022 Season.12/16/2021
The news surrounding Baltimore Revo continues as they announced the addition of Benny Carroll, formerly of the New England Hurricanes. Benny brings nearly 2 decades of experience and played with both the professional and semi-pro iterations of the Hurricanes over the last 15 years. He is a poised and relentless center attacker and will provide a spark for Revo in 2022. Dan Zaleski Announces Retirement after 9 Pro Seasons.12/16/2021
Dan Zaleski of Baltimore Revo has announced that he will be retiring from professional paintball at the conclusion of the 2021 NXL season. Dan has been a versatile offensive player throughout his career, and had a high-level season in the snake for Revo in 2021. Brad McCurley Retires from Professional Paintball.12/16/2021
Brad McCurley has announced that he will be retiring from professional paintball after 13 seasons in the professional paintball division. He saw success with teams like Chicago Aftershock, ac Dallas, Los Angeles Infamous, and most recently, Tampa Bay Damage during his career. He will be remembered for his elite counterpunch ability and gun skills. RUMOR: Diego Gallego and Andres Gallego rumored to be joining Latin Saints for 2022.12/16/2021
After surprising many teams in 2020 at the World Cup with the Wild Dogs, the talented offensive players joined Moscow Red Legion for the 2021 year. A rumor is now emerging that Diego and Andres will join the newly formed Latin Saints roster for 2022. If true, they will provide some veteran leadership to the program as they look to assert themselves in their rookie season as a pro franchise. Rob Velez departs Edmonton Impact, Joins Baltimore Revo for 2022.12/16/2021
The versatile and experienced Rob Velez will be leaving Edmonton Impact to join Baltimore Revo for the 2022 campaign. His high paintball IQ and extreme versatility across the field will provide critical depth to the surging Revo program and should help push them into the top of league in 2022. Greg Siewers Retires from Los Angeles Infamous12/16/2021
Star offensive player Greg Siewers is hanging up his cleats after nearly 20 professional paintball seasons. He most recently played for Los Angeles Infamous and had one of the best offensive seasons of any player in the 2021 NXL year. He will continue to pursue and grow his fitness business. |
Marc Berolo Signs with Baltimore Revo for 202212/30/2021
Marc Berolo, formerly of Seattle Thunder, has signed with Baltimore Revo for the 2022 season. Marc will bring some additional experience to the snake position for Revo and should be able to make an impact immediately. Confirmed: John Jackson and LJ Parrish Have left the Ironmen.12/21/2021
Nick Slowiak has confirmed that both John Jackson and LJ Parrish have left the Los Angeles Ironmen. There are rumors of multiple landing spots and LJ Parrish appears to have multiple teams attempting to sign him. TMG Updates: New Semi Pro Team to Form in Midwest with multiple Players formerly of the Outlaws.12/17/2021
Five former TMG Outlaws players will be forming a Midwest based Semi-Pro team for the 2022 NXL season. They will be competing to earn back a pro spot for 2023. When talking with one of the former players, Vidal Saldivar, he mentioned that the sale of the team came as a total shock for the players, and they were not notified by team ownership; "So for the record, some people are not clear on (what happened). The players on Outlaws had no idea that the team was being sold. At (NXL World) Cup we found out from other people. It looks like 5 of us are staying together and starting a new SemiPro team out of Chicago." We will post more details on this new semi-pro team as details emerge but they should instantly become one of the favorites to win the division in 2022. Latin Saints owner Diego Santos announces Roster for 2022 NXL Pro Debut.12/17/2021
Diego Santos is the owner of the newly formed Latin Saints professional paintball team. The roster has been confirmed as follow, with rumors of a few more additions coming; Diego Santos Diego Gallego Alvaro Ramos Melvin Gonzalez Pedro Ojeda Julio Aguilar Alejandro Villalobos Daniel Gonzalez Jero Patino Rumored to be joining: Ceelos Cortez Confirmed: Diego Gallego will leave Moscow Red Legion, signs with Latin Saints for 2022.12/17/2021
Latin Saints team owner Diego Santos has just confirmed with us that Diego Gallego will be departing from Moscow Red Legion to join the newly formed Latin Saints for the 2022 season. Diego previously played with the Wild Dogs as well. Rumor: David Smowton Stepping Away from Thunder. Future Unclear.12/16/2021
A rumor is moving around that David Smowton is going to step away from the Seattle Thunder team for the 2022. It is unclear as to why he chose to do so, but it is another loss for Thunder after watching their star snake player, Marc Berolo, depart from the team. Marc Berolo Leaves Seattle Thunder. Fielding offers from multiple teams12/16/2021
Emerging snake attacker Marc Berolo is stepping away from Seattle Thunder after a successful 2021 campaign with Seattle. He is fielding offers from multiple franchises. Marc is also the owner of Sandana Paintball. Rumor: Ceelos Cortez May be moving on from the Ironmen and Joining the Saints for 2022.12/16/2021
A rumor is circulating that Ceelos Cortez is fielding an offer from the newly formed Latin Saints and is considering leaving Los Angeles to play with the NXLs first professional team from Central America. This is a rumor and we will continue to update as more news comes out. Jared Lackey Signed by Tampa Bay Damage12/16/2021
After a bit of a lackluster season in 2021. Tampa Bay Damage has added veteran offensive player Jared Lackey for the 2022 season. Jared previously played with NRG Elite and New York Xtreme and is a versatile attacker. Rumor: Payton Tabada May Not play with Ironmen in 2022, Joined the US Navy.12/16/2021
It is looking like there is a chance the Ironmen will be without young and aggressive offensive player Payton Tabada for the 2022 season. It is being said that he has made the decision to join the United States Navy and will not be available to play during the 2022 season. We will continue to update this story. |
Rumor: Seattle Thunder has Sold their Spot to Brooklyn Bears?1/4/2022
According to sources close to both organizations, we are hearing that that Seattle Thunder has sold their pro spot to the Brooklyn Bears semi-pro organization. The Bears are apparently rumored to be retaining Corey Field, Mapp Chimm, Paddy Gleason, and Adam Gomez in the deal for the 2022 Pro Roster. Tim Stelzl Healthy and ready to Go for New York XTreme this year.1/2/2022
After struggling with an injury during the 2021 season, Tim Stelzl is healthy and ready to play in 2022. He will be returning to New York Xtreme's active roster and should quickly improve the team's offense in the upcoming season. He is one of the leagues biggest question marks going into the year, as he is one of the most naturally talented and athletic players in the league, but the young offensive phenom has struggled with injuries during the early portion of his pro career. That being said, he should be a key piece of the NYX offense and the spark he will add to the snakeside attack for NYX alongside Jerry Caro and Will Hennessey will be huge. John Iannucci Jr. Will Not be Playing with New York Xtreme in 2022.1/2/2022
Officials from the team have confirmed that Johnny Iannucci Jr. will not be returning to NYX to play in the upcoming season with the team. There are also rumors that NYX is looking to add one or two players for the 2022 campaign. Rumor: Brandon Short Set to become the New Head Coach for the Latin Saints.1/2/2022
Coming off a string of big signings for the Latin Saints, it is now appearing that Brandon Short, retired all-time great player for the Ironmen and Dynasty, will become the new Head Coach for the burgeoning program. Brandon has previously coached parts of this roster under MX Dead Legion in the divisional league and should seamlessly fit in. Brandon is also the head of sales for HK Army, the premiere paintball sponsor of the Latin Saints. Confirmed: Raney Stanczak and Tom Guest will Return to XFactor for 2022.1/1/2022
After much speculation on Raney Stanczak’s status for the 2022 season due to injuries, he has been confirmed to be playing the 2022 year with XFactor. Tom Guest will also return for XFactor in what is beginning to look like one of the most talented rosters in the league. RUMOR: LJ Parrish will join San Antonio XFactor. Signing of deal is imminent.1/1/2022
Arguably one of the biggest potential signings of the offseason, LJ Parrish is rumored to be joining San Antonio XFactor for the 2022 season. LJ Parrish is one of the most talented offensive players in the league and he will be a hugely impactful player for XFactor this year. Under the guidance of an elite coach like Ryan Brand, he will surely be in the running for Offensive Player of the Year in 2022. After losing Archie Montemayor earlier this offseason to San Diego Dynasty, this potential signing of LJ will keep XFactor in the conversation as the best team in the pro division. Their roster is quickly shaping up to be one of the most talented offensive teams in the league with elite players like Billy Bernacchia, Colt Roberts, Jesse Stephens, and Meter Ninios all returning for 2022, along with promising, young attackers like Shon Saucedo and Anthony Bowles Frank antetomaso Signs with San Diego Aftermath, Leaves Baltimore Revo.12/31/2021
After a 2021 season where he faced some injury issues, Frank Antetomaso, formerly of Baltimore Revo, has signed on with San Diego Aftermath. This signing brings yet another talented offensive player into the fold for SDA after also adding LJ Woodley earlier this week. LJ Woodley siGns with SAn Diego Aftermath for the 2022 season.12/31/2021
LJ Woodley, formerly of Tampa Bay Damage, has been signed by SD Aftermath for the 2022 season. On the move, Coach and Owner Mike Hinman said: ”SDA is glad to welcome LJ aboard. LJ is a proven champion in the NXL and SDA looks forward to what he can do to help the team be a more competitive team.” LJ should be able to bring a strong offensive threat to an SD Aftermath team that was primarily successful around their stout defense in 2021. Ceelos Cortez has signed with the Latin Saints for 2022.12/31/2021
The bad news continues for the Los Angeles roster after rumors about the departure of offensive threat, Ceelos Cortez were reported just a week ago. Ceelos has agreed to a deal that will see him take his talents to the Latin Saints for 2022. The athletic and aggressive Cortez will bring major veteran leadership to the Saints in their rookie season, and he should be a critical piece to their success this year. ac Dallas to be renamed to PBFit for 2022 Semi Pro season. Will continue to work with the AC program.12/30/2021
AC Dallas, formerly of the professional division before being relegated at the conclusion of the 2021 season, will be playing semi-pro for the 2022 in an attempt to win back a pro spot. They are rumored to be fully breaking away from the AC camp and will be formed under a new name, PBFit, for the 2022 year. The above story initially originated from our good friends Ryan Greenspan and Kyle Spicka on the Spick & Span show and was expanded upon. You can see more of their content here. UPDATE: According to Trenton Mason of PBFit, the name change was discussed with Greg Pauley and they will continue to work within the structure of the AC camp and work closely with Greg and ac Diesel the coming season. |
George McClean signing with NYX.1/26/2022
This move is now confirmed. McClean will play the 2022 season with New York Xtreme. Matt Darula and Mike Zuppa Leave Revo, Sign with Edmonton.1/17/2022
After previously playing with Baltimore Revo, both Mike Zuppa and Matt Darula have left the team. They are both going to be signing with Edmonton Impact, the apparent replacements for Goldman and Arod after they left the team last week for the Latin Saints. More info on Revo coming soon. Alex Goldman signs with Latin Saints, Breakdown Video.1/15/2022
The news has been confirmed by franchise owner Diego Santos, and Alex Goldman is the newest member of the Latin Saints. For Goldman, his move to the Saints brings experience and leadership for the young roster. In six seasons with Edmonton Impact , Alex Goldman won a staggering 13 events, and made the finals 22 of the 38 events he played with Edmonton during that time and placed in the Top 5 in 33 out of 38 events. Put simply, Alex has one of the highest win rates in professional paintball history among current active players. In terms of the Saints, the addition of Goldman brings them one of the best snake players in the history of the game. We should see Head Coach Brandon Short deploy Goldman as the main offensive threat on the snake side of the field and for good reason. Goldman has elite speed and his patience within the snake has developed his style in a way that he can often be placed on an island by himself on the snake side. With the pickup of Ceelos Cortez recently as well, it isn’t out of the question to see the wildly aggressive Ceelos in the snake 1 attack role, with the more patient and calculated Goldman playing behind him. Much in the same way we saw Impact deploy Goldman and Kyle Spicka to great success. This would potentially give the Saints one of the most potent snakeside pairings in the NXL pro division. One factor I particularly love about Goldmans playstyle is his timing. While many players tend to favor getting into the snake early, Alex is elite in his ability to create pressure from all levels on the snake side of the field, whether it be the snake corner, or the 50 snake and everything in between. He is essentially able to calculate the level of risk instantly and make the best decision to keep himself in the game. And, in a position that often sees much lower survivability, this advantage has made Goldman one of the best players in the World. In my opinion, this move paired with the signing of Alex Rodriguez and Ceelos will surge the Latin Saints timeline years forward and instantly make them a threat to make a deep Sunday run this season. They still appear to be lacking a veteran presence on the back line of the field, which could prove to be their entry barrier into the elite of the pro division. But I'm sure Diego will address this prior to event one in Florida. BREAKING: Corey Hall Signs with the Latin Saints.1/15/2022
The string of signings continue as it is now confirmed the Latin Saints are signing Corey Hall for the 2022 season. Corey will instantly become the top dorito attacker on this team and will bring a huge amount of offense to the Saints. Corey is a big move player, and his timing is elite. He previously played with the Los Angeles Ironmen, where he most recently had won the 2020 NXL Vegas Open. The Saints are rapidly becoming one of the most talented rosters in the league with this signing, in addition to recent signings of star players Alex Goldman and Alex Rodriguez, as well as offensive threat and former teammate of Corey, Ceelos Cortez. CONFIRMED: Nick Slowiak will remain with the Los Angeles Ironmen for 2022.1/15/2022
During a time of uncertainty around the Los Angeles Ironmen organization, Team Captain Nick Slowiak has reiterated to Iconic Paintball, his commitment to being apart of a winning program in Los Angeles in the upcoming season. Nick will be a critical piece in the upcoming rebuild process for Los Angeles, and his talent and charisma will play a large part in attracting more players to the Ironmen this season. Talking with Nick.Los Angeles has recently seen the departure of some of their top athletes such as Payton Tabada, John Jackson, LJ Parrish, and Ceelos Cortez; but through this chaos the pillar of their pro organization still stands firm. Nick Slowiak, one of the top defensive players in the National Xball League commented on his commitment to the LA roster; "I have committed to play for the Ironmen in 2022. I am here because I believe in the organization and the backing of Dye. This team was robbed of what could have been, arguably, it's best year ever in 2020. Some people got greedy, some people had to step away due to life. It's all understandable and I don't hold any grudges. I'm just not so quick to quit when I look ahead to what can be. It's hard, it's not easy, and there will be times when you're going to want to quit, but winners are not people who fail, but those who don't quit." In regards to the 2022 roster, there has also been some confusion on the direction the team will take. As a large portion of top talent is quickly being signed, Nick believes they will still be able to build a strong roster and be competitive in the upcoming season and also commented on what it means to be a leader on the Ironmen; "I would question my leadership. I for one can do better, I have to do better. This will be one of the hardest things the organization has ever had to deal with. An almost incomprehensible exodus of players from the team. With that though brings opportunity, it brings a chance for someone to earn their Shield and prove themselves. I don't believe the organization has to do much in terms of strategy. What worked for us at the start of 2020 was everyone on the team wanted to be there. That's where we will start. You have to want to be part of a team, be a team player. After that it will be teaching and enforcing the Ironmen mentality. I have been blown away by the interest of others to come and try to be apart of this team and it gives me hope. There are quite a few very talented players out there. I look forward to seeing them next weekend." With so much uncertainty around the Ironmen, one thing is clear, they are led by a resolute, talented, and dedicated player in Nick Slowiak. With Nick helping to build the next great Ironmen roster, we should see them once again rise to the top with hard work. Keep an eye out for Nick's newest custom barrel tips coming soon, as well as an exclusive run of retro Dye jerseys and colorways. Logan Arnold Retires From Paintball.1/12/2022
Logan Arnold of Columbus LVL has made the decision to retire from the NXL Professional Paintball League. Logan was a key contributor on LVL that helped the team make their late season push in 2021 to emerge as a competitive program. Per a player from the team. Latin Saints Sign Alex Rodriguez, Superstar NXL Player.1/11/2022
And the biggest move of the professional paintball offseason is official; Alex Rodriguez, the superstar professional paintball player from California, has signed with the Latin Saints. Brandon Unger is Stepping Away from SD Aftermath to focus on Career.1/11/2022
Brandon Unger has announced on his social media that he is stepping away from professional paintball to place a focus on building his career outside of the game. He most recently played with San Diego Aftermath, which may explain their multiple offseason moves already in an attempt to fill his role with another player. Brandon mentioned that he will continue to play in the ICPL with Adrenaline in the 10 man classic format. ARod Leaving Impact?1/8/2022
A rumor has emerged that superstar offensive player, Alex Rodriguez, is stepping away from Edmonton Impact and signing with a new team. This is a developing story and we will provide more info on the new team as it emerges. RUMOR: Latin Saints Plan to Sign with Planet Eclipse for Their Rookie Season in the NXL Pro Division.1/6/2022
As the Latin Saints are preparing for their first season in the professional division, they have made the decision to sign with Planet Eclipse for 2022. The choice was an easy one for team owner Diego Santos; "We are excited to be able to sign with one of the best companies in paintball. Planet Eclipse has been in the industry for a long time, they’ve proven themselves to be one of the most reliable and innovative companies in paintball. It’s an honor to be able to represent them at the professional level." One of the major reasons many professional players choose Planet Eclipse is their history of reliability and strong service team at events. Diego mentioned "Reliability is definitely the most important thing for us. Paintball is played in different environments and having a marker that’s been proven to work under the harshest conditions is necessary to compete at the highest level. We feel planet eclipse markers have proven that over the years in a significant way." According to Diego, the versatility of the Eclipse lineup of markers was also a major reason that the Saints chose to partner with Planet for 2022; "Planet Eclipse offers three types of marker platforms that are each designed to fit the different styles of paintball players, something most companies do not offer. Whether it’s the CS2, Geo 4 or LV platform we believe the ingenuity, design and relatability are a clear cut above the rest." |
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