Blacklist falls short, settles for 3rd place

Three-time Mobile Legends Professional League Philippines champion Blacklist International ended its M5 Mobile Legends World Championship run in third place after getting eliminated by fellow Filipinos AP Bren in the lower bracket final.

Blacklist International, which also ruled the M3, booked a slot in the Knockout Stage with a 2-1 record in the Group Stage. They played against Indonesian powerhouse ONIC Esports in the opening game of the Playoffs where they lost, 2-3, in a hard-fought best-of-five series.

Blacklist looked unstoppable in its do-or-die matches in the lower bracket, trampling Fire Flux Esports and Geek Fam, 3-1, before defeating Deus Vult in the lower bracket semifinal by way of 3-0 sweep.

The lower bracket final came down to the showdown between MPL Philippines Season 12 champion AP Bren and ONIC Esports.

With AP Bren losing to the Indonesian squad in the upper bracket, Blacklist was forced to face their fellow Filipinos for a chance of making it to the final.

But just like the MPL Philippines Season 12 final, Blacklist International fell short anew in its vital match against AP Bren, this time losing to the latter via a 3-0 sweep.