PLAYER MOVEMENT
Transfers rock MPL Season 8
To our fans, we hope that you will continue to support us in this new team, we will still be together, fighting in tournaments
It’s going to be an all-out war as nearly all teams have boosted their respective rosters with quality players in preparation for the Mobile Legends: Bang Bang Philippines Professional League Season 8 starting 13 August.
Omega Esports, Bren Esports, Onic PH, and new team RSG are among the squads who transformed themselves into legitimate contenders after acquiring players who can help them win the title in the country’s most prestigious Esports competition.
A little over a week after parting ways with its players, Omega Esports made a bold move as it acquired the entire Execration squad — the bridesmaid of the MPL Season 7 and champion of the Mobile Legends Southeast Asia Cup 2021.
Spearheaded by Billy “Z4pnu” Alfonso, Omega reached a deal with Joshua “Ch4knu” Mangilog, Kiel “Kielvj” Hernandez, Renz “Renzio” Cadua, Duane “Kelra” Pillas, and Patrick “E2MAX” Caidic as well as their coach Jomie “P4kbet” Abalos.
Z4pnu said they are embracing the changes and ready to lead the Smart-backed Omega Esports to the title.
“Thank you for welcoming us to this team. We will do our very best. For us, this is just the start of our journey and we promise to do the best that we can,” said Z4pnu, who revealed that their move was sparked by Execration’s failure to secure an MPL franchise.
“To our fans, we hope that you will continue to support us in this new team, we will still be together, fighting in tournaments. And I know that you all will be there. Thank you.”
Omega also signed four new talents in Dian “Dian” Cruz, Romeire “Allidap” Padilla, Dean “Raizen” Sumagui and Robert “Hito” Candoy.
“The talent that we have, the popularity and the following that we now have, I think that all the combination gives us, puts us in a good situation to do very well across the board performance-wise and popularity-wise,” Smart Sports head Jude Turcuato said.
“It’s exciting news outside of actual matches to see a team like that get into even a higher profile situation so we’re very very happy to have been able to put this together and have team Execration join and become Smart Omega.”
The talent that we have, the popularity and the following that we now have, I think that all the combination gives us, puts us in a good situation to do very well across the board performance-wise and popularity-wise
With that, former Omega Esports members Jeniel “Haze” Bata-Anon, Salic “Hadjizy” Imam, Adrian “Toshi” Bacallo, and Jankurt “KurtTzy” Matira, have transferred to Nexplay EVOS, reigning champion Blacklist International, TNC Pro Team and ECHO, respectively.
TNC, a DOTA 2 powerhouse, finally dipped its fingers in the Mobile Legends arena after signing the ex-Work Auster Force stalwarts in Shemaiah “Chuuu” Chu, Dylan “Light” Catipon, Patrick “P-God” Grecia and former Cignal Ultra captain Douglas Joseph “ImbaDeejay” Astibe.
MPL Season 6 champion and M2 Mobile Legends World Champion Bren Esports, meanwhile, expanded its team to a ten-man roster after acquiring Mico “Coco” Sampang, Raven “L3bron” Alonzo, Muj “Malik” Malik and Dwine “Rimuru” Enriquez.
Singapore-based pro Esports organization RSG had also entered the MPL arena as it signed Kenneth “Kenji” Villa, Elyson “GHOST Wrecker” Caranza, Arvie “Aqua” Calderon, Dexter “Exort” Martinez, Earvin “Heath” Esperanza, Eman “Emann” Sangco, Joshwell “Iy4knu” Manaog, Jonard “Demonkite” Caranto and Nathanael “Nathzz” Estrologo.
Former Aura PH standouts Christian “Rafflesia” Fajura, Mark “Hadess” Lazaro and Benedict “Bennyqt” Gonzales have signed with a new team in ECHO, where they will join Jay “Jaymeister” Torculas, Joshua “Aspect” Tating, Aaron “Aaronqt” Lim, Kenneth “FlySolo” Coloma, Rion “Rk3” Cudo and Samuel “Invoker” Cruz.
On the same note, Onic PH overhauled its roster as well by hiring Allen “Greed_” Baloy, Nowee “Ryota” Macasa, Ian “Beemo” Sergio, Mico “miicoo” Quitlong, and Marky “Markyyyyy” Capacio and retaining Gerald “Dlar” Trinchera, Kairi “Kairi” Rayosdelsol and Jaylord “Hate” Gonzales.
The surprising changes in team rosters also come with an entirely new format in Season 8.
Double round robin will be played throughout the regular season with 56 matches in total with only the top six teams advancing to the playoffs.
Unlike the previous seasons, MPL Season 8 playoffs would see all six teams start in the upper bracket in a best-of-five series.
The top two teams will be seeded into the upper bracket finals and the grand finals, which will boil down to a war of attrition with a best-of-seven series.