One of fighting games eSports’ most talented athletes, Dominique “SonicFox” McLean, is now the sport’s top free agent, after announcing their departure from the Echo Fox organization Tuesday evening.

SonicFox thanked Echo Fox in a statement via Twitter, stating, “Had a lot of good runs with the team and it changed my life!”

Their departure ends a three-plus year relationship between the Evo champion and an organization that once sported the most formidable roster of fighting games eSports athletes in the field. During their time with Echo Fox, SonicFox won championships in Injustice 2, Skullgirls, Dragon Ball FighterZ, and Mortal Kombat 11, including Evo titles in the latter two games.

While SonicFox’s announcement surprised many, a formal announcement of their departure has been expected for months following the apparent dissolution of Echo Fox as an organization. An Echo Fox investor spokesperson confirmed such in a November 2019 report from win.gg, stating that “All the players were let go. The staff was terminated. The logo and uniform, they’re now a collector’s item.”

“There is no Echo Fox. It’s gone,” the spokesperson added.

Echo Fox’s fall came after a long battle between founder and former NBA champion Rich Fox and investor Amit Raizada over emails from Raizada that directed racist comments at former Echo Fox CEO Jace Hall. The spat ultimately led to Fox’s exit from the company and the loss of Echo Fox’s membership in the League of Legends Championship Series, following an investigation from LCS operator Riot Games. The LCS is one of the most popular and profitable esports leagues in the world.

SonicFox’s exit was inevitable and comes at an inopportune time as they prepare for the Mortal Kombat 11 Final Kombat tournament on March 8. But they are already teasing some big announcements for the future. “Looking forward to the future and new opportunities! Expect new announcements soon,” said SonicFox.

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