Filipino coach parts ways with Fnatic ONIC Esports

MANILA, Philippine — Indonesian organization Fnatic ONIC Esports announced Monday night that Filipino coach Denver “Yeb” Miranda has departed the team.

"Today, we have to say goodbye to an incredible leader, mentor, and strategist, Coach Yeb. Under his guidance, Fnatic ONIC reached new heights, from refining our players to inspiring resilience in every team member. Coach Yeb didn't just bring strategies to the table-he brought heart, passion, and a vision that united us all in every match we fought,” the organization said in a post with a farewell video from Miranda as watched by the current players of Fnatic ONIC Esports.

Miranda and Kairi "Kairi" Rayosdelsol were the first Filipino imports back in 2022 when they transferred from then ONIC Philippines to the mother organization, ONIC Esports in Indonesia.

Prior to his move to Indonesia, Miranda was the coach of ONIC Philippines and had steered the team to the M3 World Championship, which saw the first all-Filipino M-Series grand final. The squad, however, fell short of the trophy after losing to Blacklist International.

But as he explored opportunities outside the Philippines, Miranda flourished in ONIC Esports and along with Rayosdelsol, brought Fnatic ONIC Esports to new heights. The team, for instance, bagged four consecutive MPL Indonesia titles from Season 10-13; the ONE Esports MPL Invitational trophy in 2022; and the Mobile Legends Mid-Season Cup in 2023. Miranda was also named Best Coach during MPL Indonesia Seasons 11 and 12.

But the team has been seeing a slump since its MPL Indonesia Season 13 win. In MSC 2024, Fnatic ONIC Esports was eliminated as early as the group stages, while its MPL Indonesia title defense ended prematurely after the team was eliminated in the first round of MPL Indonesia's Season 14 playoffs. It thus failed to qualify for the M6 World Championship.

In a longer video posted on YouTube, Miranda is seen giving messages to all his players as well as apologizing to Rayosdelsol for going back to the Philippines first, implying his return to the country. But there is no word yet if he will return to MPL Philippines or if he will coach a different team.