Bulldogs conquer 2026 UAAP ML:BB
NU avenges its finals loss last year by dethroning La Salle in a thrilling 2-1 win in the 2026 UAAP Mobile Legends: Bang Bang tournament championship.
Photograph courtesy of UAAP
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NU avenges its finals loss last year by dethroning La Salle in a thrilling 2-1 win in the 2026 UAAP Mobile Legends: Bang Bang tournament championship.
Photograph courtesy of UAAP
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National University knocked De La Salle University off the throne in a satisfying 2-1 championship rematch win to reign supreme in the 2026 University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) Esports Mobile Legends: Bang Bang on Wednesday at the MVP Studios in Mandaluyong City.
The Bulldogs recovered from an early slip in the deciding Game 3 and went on to win their first-ever crown.
Motivated to avenge its championship loss last year and a humiliating 0-2 defeat in the group stage, NU devised a perfect gameplan to bring down the Green Archers and complete their redemption.
"For me, this championship win is something that is very sentimental for the team. As a new coach, I saw how hard they worked, especially after their loss last season. Then the last series before the semifinals, we lost to them once again. Now, I think the difference was day and night. We’re more focused. We locked in to get this championship," said NU coach Ernest Del Rosario.
Bulldogs’ Johann Estacio suffered an early setback in Game 3, dying in the opening minute as Joshua Tating secured a double kill during a top-lane ambush.
The NU star quickly bounced back, though, going on a rampage and finishing with eight kills, three assists, and just one death as the Bulldogs overcame their previous struggles against La Salle to clinch the title in 13 minutes.
The Bulldogs seized control of Game 1 from the get-go, building a commanding 9-1 kill advantage by the eighth minute behind Estacio’s four kills and five assists.
Not even Tating’s Lord steal in the ninth minute could halt NU’s charge, as the Bulldogs cruised to a 14-minute victory after Estacio secured a Savage in the final team fight.
La Salle, however, showed its championship poise in Game 2, pulling off a dominant draft and building an advantage of as much as 8,000 gold before forcing a series decider with a 17-minute victory.
Estacio was named grand finals MVP after a near-perfect performance in the championship series.
NU dispatched University of the Philippines, 2-0, in the semifinal while La Salle rallied from a game down to stun Adamson, 2-1.
The Falcons and Fighting Maroons, both first-time semifinalists, settled for bronze.
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