Sentinels sign canezerra for VCT 2027 after ban lift

Sentinels have announced the canezerra signing. North America's rising duelist Alex Banyasz will make his VCT debut after Riot lifted his hardware ban. The move adds another big name after OXY and brawk.

VLR.gg reports that canezerra has long been seen as one of North America's top up-and-coming players. He is the latest piece of a rebuild that began after Sentinels missed the international stage entirely in 2026.

Who is canezerra?

canezerra was a popular figure among Valorant streamers and played in community events such as the FunHaver circuit. His pro career took off in 2024 when he joined RANKERS. That squad impressed straight away and was picked up by ENVY the following year, going on to lift the Americas Ascension trophy.

While he waited on the sidelines for Stage 2 because of the age limit, Riot handed him a one-year hardware ban in April. ENVY released him soon after. Riot recently lifted the ban, which cleared the way for Sentinels to sign him.

What did canezerra say after signing?

canezerra apologised for his past behaviour. "I can only apologise for past actions and being ignorant on certain topics," he said. "This year I've become an adult and had to deal with realities in life that made me realise I needed to mature. My actions going forward will show you that." He thanked those who gave him a second chance and said he would not take it for granted.

What does the Sentinels 2027 roster look like?

Name	Role	Note
johnqt	Player	Mohamed Amine Ouarid
Reduxx	Player	Yassin Aboulalazm
OXY	Player	Joined from Cloud9
brawk	Player	Champions Paris 2025 MVP
canezerra	Player	New signing
cortezia	Player	Gabriel Cortez
Ewok	Head coach	Marthinus Jacobus Van Der Walt
GUNTER	Assistant coach	Luke Clives
Zyto	Manager	Bryan Ybanez

According to VLR.gg, canezerra likely fills Sentinels' duelist spot for 2027. Six players are listed, which suggests the team wants flexibility across roles. The starting five has not been officially confirmed.

Why are Sentinels so aggressive in this window?

In 2026, Sentinels failed to reach any international event for the first time in more than three seasons. That pushed the organisation into a full rebuild. First came OXY from Cloud9, then Champions Paris MVP brawk. With canezerra on board, Sentinels now have one of the most talked-about rosters in North America.

What else is moving in the Americas?

Sentinels are not alone. The Americas region is busy ahead of VCT 2027. According to recent VLR.gg reports, Cloud9 parted ways with three players and signed Glyph, while FURIA decided to step away from Valorant. Sentinels had already released jonahp and JerrWin, as covered in our Sentinels departures story. How quickly canezerra shakes off a year of rust may decide how far this roster goes.

Why does this signing matter?

The canezerra story is also a reminder of Riot's strict stance on competitive integrity. Riot has made Vanguard checks mandatory for VCT 2027 and tightened open qualifier rules, as we covered in our VCT 2027 integrity rules story. A player returning from a ban straight into a major partner team will spark fresh debate about second chances.

We have tracked every step of the Sentinels rebuild. Read our OXY signing story and our brawk signing report to see how the roster came together.

Frequently asked questions

Which team did canezerra join?

canezerra has signed with North American organisation Sentinels for the VCT 2027 season.

Why was canezerra banned?

Riot handed him a one-year hardware ban in April, and ENVY released him. Riot recently lifted the ban.

What does the Sentinels 2027 roster look like?

According to VLR.gg: johnqt, Reduxx, OXY, brawk, canezerra and cortezia, with Ewok as head coach.

Sources

• VLR.gg: canezerra gets his VCT shot with Sentinels
• Sentinels official site
• VALORANT official maps page