BY JOEL C. ESCOL, Managing Editor
The Mobile Legends: Bang Bang (MLBB) powerhouse AP.Bren from the Philippines secured the title of this year’s world champions by defeating their Indonesian counterparts, ONIC Esports, in a thrilling 4-3 victory during the M5 World Championship best-of-seven Grand Finals on December 17.
With this triumph, AP.Bren claimed the lion’s share of the $900,000 prize pool, taking home a grand prize of $300,000. Remarkably, this marks the second MLBB world championship for the Bren Esports organization, with their initial win at the M2 World Championship in 2021, establishing them as the first-ever two-time world champions in MLBB history.
The team’s EXP laner, David “FlapTzy” Canon, and midlaner Angelo “Pheww” Arcangel, both integral parts of the M2-winning roster, now hold the distinction of being the first two players to achieve the title of two-time MLBB world champions.
This victory also signifies the Philippines’ dominance in MLBB, as it marks the fourth consecutive year that a Filipino team has clinched the world championship. Bren Esports initiated the streak at M2 in January 2021, followed by Blacklist International at M3 in December of the same year, and ECHO at M4 in January 2023.
AP.Bren and ONIC displayed dominance throughout the competition, with ONIC leading Group A and AP.Bren topping Group C during the Group Stage. The two teams clashed in the upper bracket finals after maintaining their form during the Knockout Stage.
After ONIC swept AP.Bren 3-0 in their first upper bracket encounter, AP.Bren rallied back with a 3-0 sweep against fellow Filipino squad Blacklist in the lower bracket finals, earning them a rematch against ONIC for the M5 World Championship title.
In a thrilling Grand Finals series, AP.Bren and ONIC traded blows, with AP.Bren eventually securing the 4-3 victory in front of their home crowd. David “FlapTzy” Canon was named the series MVP for his exceptional play across various heroes, notably his impactful performance on Thamuz.
The M5 World Championship Grand Finals took place at the Rizal Memorial Coliseum in Manila. For comprehensive coverage of the M5 World Championship, refer to the official event page.
AP Bren Roster:
- David “FlapTzy” Canon
- Vincent “Pandora” Unigo
- Michael “KyleTzy” Sayson
- Angelo “Pheww” Arcangel
- Marco “Super Marco” Requitiano
- Rowgien “Owgwen” Unigo
Onic Esports Roster:
- Muhammad “Butsss” Sanubari
- Kairi “Kairi” Rayosdelsol
- Gilang “S A N Z”
- Calvin “CW” Winata
- Adriand “Drian” Wong
- Albert “Alberttt” Iskandar
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