Kairi, Yeb win first international title with ONIC Esports as Blacklist falters

PHNOM PENH — ONIC Esports, bannered by Filipino jungler Kairi "Kairi" Rayosdelsol and Filipino coach Denver “Yeb” Miranda, has decoded Blacklist International, 4-2, to take the team's second Mobile Legends Southeast Asia Cup (MSC) title at the Aeon Mall Mean Chey in Phnom Penh, Cambodia.

It was a historic win for the hedgehogs as they are the first team to ever cop multiple international Mobile Legends titles — their first was in the 2019 MSC held in the Philippines. 

The Indonesian squad wasted no time in taking a game, finishing Blacklist International's base in just 11 minutes and 11 seconds, followed by a 12-9 win in Game 2.

But when Blacklist International found three players on the side of ONIC Esports during the lord dance at the 19th minute, the Agents were able to turn the tide to take Game 3, 18-17.

Losing their match streak seemed to have awakened a beast as ONIC Esports demolished the Agents, 13-2, to propel them to match point. But Blacklist International responded with a 19-4 Game 5 win to stay alive in the series.

But when the Indonesian team secured favored heroes Fanny and Chou for Rayosdelsol and Nicky “Kiboy” Fernando, ONIC Esports made history by winning their second MSC title. 

It was both Rayosdelsol and Mirada’s first international title win since they started their professional careers. Their last international grand finals appearance was in the M3 World Championship wherein they lost 0-4 against the same team.

It also breaks the winning streak of an all-Filipino team dominating the major International Mobile Legends tournaments since Sibol won the 2019 Southeast Asian Games. In 2021, three Filipino teams won three major Mobile Legends tournaments: Bren Esports ruled the M2 World Championship, Smart Omega (then Execration) conquered the 2021 MSC, and Blacklist International topped the M3 World Championship. In 2022, Sibol reigned supreme in the Hanoi SEA Mobile Legends Event and RSG Philippines won the MSC 2022. At the start of this year, ECHO won the M4 World Championship and SIBOL triumphed in the Phnom Penh SEA Mobile Legends Event.

Speaking to the media after the grand finals, Coach Miranda stressed that the win is still a victory for the Philippines, even if the ruling team was not all-Filipino.

"It's a win for both Indonesia and the Philippines. It's a win for Indonesia as we are an Indonesian team pero para sa Pilipinas rin [at Pinoy kami]," said Coach Miranda.

Back when Miranda and other Filipino imports to different Mobile Legends leagues visited the MPL Philippines playoffs, the ONIC Esports coach amended the tagline “Pinas Lang Malakas” to “Pinoy Lang Malakas”, to denote that though the region is strong, Filipinos themselves, whether playing outside the Philippines, have a different mindset and playstyle that they contribute to the leagues they are part of.

Miranda adds, "Sana mabukas yung mga mata ng community na whatever team, kasi alam naman natin sumusuporta pa rin yung Pilipinas sa kapwa Pilipino, pero di naman natin kailangan atakahin yung ibang tao."