Kairi, ONIC conquer MPLI

Star jungler Kairi "Kairi" Rayosdelsol displayed a sizzling performance to power ONIC Esports to an impressive reverse sweep of Geek Fam and win the Mobile Legends Professional League Invitational 2022 over the weekend.

With Kairi at the helm and Filipino Mobile Legends coach Paul Denver "Yeb" Lintag Miranda calling the shots, ONIC crawled back from two games down to win the next three and bag the prestigious MPLI title as well as the grand prize of $35,000 — or roughly P2 million.

"We feel very good," Kairi, the 17-year-old who is billed as the first Filipino to win MPL Indonesia title as well as the regular season and finals Most Valuable Player awards, said.

While Yeb and Kairi basked in MPLI championship glory, the rest of the Philippine Mobile Legends teams did not fare all too well in the rich tourney as ONIC PH and ECHO were eliminated on the opening day of the Playoffs against their respective opponents.

Omega Esports, meanwhile, was sent packing by MPL Philippines Season 9 champion and Southeast Asia Cup 2022 titlist RSG PH.

The teams' early exit in MPLI left three Philippine teams in RSG PH, Bren Esports, and Blacklist International vying for the championship.

Bren Esports, looking to emulate its gritty run in the last season of MPL Philippines, made it to the quarterfinals where it eventually lost to ONIC Esports.

On the other hand, M3 Mobile Legends world champion Blacklist International did not have to break a sweat in getting a spot in the quarterfinals after gaining an automatic qualification for winning the MPL title recently.

Unfortunately for Blacklist, it lost in its first and only match in the tournament against Geek Fam via 0-2 sweep.

After beating Omega Esports on the opening day, the Filipinos went on to beat Alter Ego in Round 2 and Team HAQ in the quarterfinals before bowing to Geek Fam in the semifinals with a 1-2 decision.