Sweet Revenge: ECHO sweeps Blacklist International to rule all-Filipino M4 final

JAKARTA, Indonesia (Updated 11:12 p.m.) — ECHO Philippines has dethroned Blacklist International as the top Mobile Legends: Bang Bang team in the world, stunning the Agents with a dominant 4-0 sweep, in the M4 World Championship Grand Finals at the Tennis Indoor Stadium Senayan here.

A finals rematch of Mobile Legends Professional League Philippines Season Ten, ECHO completed their redemption bid in the all-Filipino M4 final.

ECHO’s winning moment. | @StarSportsHub @PhilstarNews #MLBBM4 #DareToBeGreat pic.twitter.com/rhGzDzhcaK

— Michelle Lojo (She/her) (@MGLojo) January 15, 2023

Both teams also faced each other in the M4 Upper Bracket finals, with the MPL PH defending champs taking the series, 3-1.

Looking to avenge all their previous defeats against Blacklist, ECHO started strong with a solid game plan from Game One, banning Blacklist’s signature Estes, having learned not to underestimate Johnmar "OhMyV33nus" Villaluna's mastery of the hero. 

ECHO took the opener quickly thanks to Alston "Sanji" Pabico’s MVP pickoffs while Benedict "BennyQT" Gonzales accomplished yet another backdoor play to take Game Two for the dominant 2-0 lead. 

In Game Three, Kiel "OHEB" Soriano tried to take matters into his own hands for Blacklist as he picked ECHO’s signature hero, Karrie, for himself.

But Sanford "Sanford" Vinuya on the Gusion proved to be unexpected key for the Orcas to surprise the Agents as he propelled his team to matchpoint, 3-0. 

With the championship crown on the line, ECHO wasted no time in gaining the upper hand in Game Four, securing key objectives and taking the base by the 17th minute. 

Gonzales was named Finals MVP of the lopsided series.

"Grabe. Hindi ko ineexpect talaga, as in," said Gonzales of the individual accolade.

"Pero coming in sa M4 inexpect ko siya, parang ito 'yung goal ko and kumbaga ayun 'yung sinet ko na goal para kung hindi ko man makuha 'yun, at least champion kami. Pero nitong, grand finals, wala na talaga akong pake na award. Kaya sobrang grateful ako na sa akin pa rin binigay." he added.

Karl "KarlTzy" Nepomuceno, for his part, received the distinct honor of being the first-ever double world champion in MLBB history, having won it first with BREN Esports.

He relished being able to achieve it against a team like Blacklist.

"Masarap po kasi sa pakiramdam tapos sobrang lakas po kasi talaga nila, walang nakakatalo sa kanila. Sobrang sarap sa feeling na nanalo kami sa kanila." he said.

ECHO’s win gives the Philippines its third consecutive Mobile Legends World Championship title after BREN won the M2 in January 2021 and Blacklist winning M3 in December of the same year.

Meanwhile, the Philippine MLBB community was given another reason to celebrate earlier on Sunday as Moonton Games announced that the fifth edition of the world championship, M5, will be held in Manila in December.

MLBB World Championships heads to Manila in 2023 https://t.co/Mhuey2DxQ0 | @MGLojo @PhilstarNews #MLBBM4 #DareToBeGreat

— Philstar Sports Hub (@StarSportsHub) January 15, 2023