ECHO dethrones Blacklist, captures M4 crown

ECHO pulled off the impossible as it registered a stunning sweep of Blacklist International to win the M4 Mobile Legends World Championship Sunday night at the Tennis Indoor Stadium Senayan in Jakarta.

Spearheaded by skipper Tristan "YAWI" Cabrera, ECHO delivered a masterful performance, booking a 4-0 victory to knock the crown off Blacklist head and pocket a total of P16.4 million on top of the honor as the best Mobile Legends: Bang Bang squad in the world.

Aside from YAWI, also part of the squad were Karl "KarlTzy" Nepomuceno, Benedict "Bennyqt" Gonzales, Sanford "Sanford" Vinuya, and Alston "Sanji" Placebo.

YAWI said their victory vindicated them from the criticisms that they couldn't get the job done following an opening-round exit in the Season 9 Playoffs of the Mobile Legends Professional League Philippines.

"We are not a first-round-exit team anymore. We are now the strongest in the world," YAWI said following the victory that installed them as the third Filipino squad to win the world crown next to Bren Esports in M2 and Blacklist in M3.

ECHO's gold laner Bennyqt, meanwhile, emerged as Most Valuable Player for his impressive performances in the tourney where he mostly played marksman heroes like Karrie, Claude and Beatrix.

"I am so happy. I cannot explain it. I want to cry but the tears would not come out," Bennyqt, who also banked P549,000 for winning the MVP citation, said.

"It is so overwhelming for me – all the things that go into my head and heart."

Meanwhile, KarlTzy, the star jungler who was part of Bren Esports success in M2 in December of 2021, reached a career milestone when he formally became the first player to win two M-Series world championships.

KarlTzy, however, politely brushed off the tag that he already surpassed his former Bren Esports teammate CJ "Ribo" Ribo as the greatest Mobile Legends player ever.

"I still lack the MSC (Mobile Legends Southeast Asia Cup) title. Maybe I will surpass Ribo's achievements if I become an MSC champion too," KarlTzy said.

For its part, Blacklist, the reigning Mobile Legends Professional League champion, fell short of becoming the first team to win back-to-back M-Series crowns.

Still, it will walk away with a pocket full of cash after winning P6.5 million for emerging as runner-up.