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Tag: Aurora Gaming

  • Edward Dapadap retires as two-time world champion, closes seven-year MLBB career 

    Edward Dapadap retires as two-time world champion, closes seven-year MLBB career 

    For a span of seven years, Edward Jay “Edward” Dapadap helped define what it meant to be an elite Filipino Mobile Legends: Bang Bang player.

     

    Now, one of Philippine esports’ most decorated careers has reached its final chapter as Edward announced his retirement from professional MLBB on Tuesday, with Aurora Gaming confirming the veteran exp laner’s departure from competitive play after a career filled with domestic championships, international glory, and individual recognition.

     

    “Some careers end on stage. Others live on through the moments they leave behind. Edward, thank you for making Aurora Gaming your final chapter as a pro MLBB player. Your consistency helped shape the scene better. We’re proud to have shared your final ride with us,” Aurora Gaming said on their social media post.


    The timing of his retirement brings an end to a journey that began far from the bright lights of the MPL Philippines stage.

     

    From student hobby to esports history, Edward first encountered MLBB as a student, initially treating the game as a hobby before his performances in amateur tournaments began attracting attention from established players.

     

    At only 15, he made the bold move to travel alone to Manila in search of opportunities in the growing professional scene.

     

    It eventually led him to Blacklist International, where he became one of the key figures in one of Philippine MLBB’s most successful runs.

     

    With Blacklist, Edward captured MPL Philippines Season 7, Season 8, and Season 10, adding the M3 World Championship in 2021 to his résumé.

     

    But his career did not stop with Blacklist as Edward later joined Aurora Gaming, where he added another world championship to his collection by helping the team conquer the M7 World Championship.

     

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    The victory placed him in an exclusive group of players to have won the MLBB World Championship twice.

     

    The 21-year-old became the fourth player to accomplish the feat, joining jungler Karl “KarlTzy” Nepomuceno, David “FlapTzy” Canon, and Angelo “Phewww” Arcangel.

     

    For all the championships attached to his name, Edward’s influence on the local scene was not measured solely by medals and titles.

     

    In 2023, he was inducted into the MPL Philippines Hall of Legends, cementing his status among the players whose careers made a lasting contribution to the league.

     

    His retirement now closes a chapter that began with a teenager chasing an opportunity and ended with a two-time world champion and Hall of Legends inductee.

     

    In his farewell video, Edward looked back on the people who accompanied him throughout the journey, thanking his coaches, teammates, and supporters.

     

    He saved his final words for the community that watched his career unfold.

     

    “This is Edward signing off. Thank you for being part of the best years of my life. Maybe this is the last time na makikita niyo akong wearing a pro jersey. Pero sa lahat ng support niyo, I will carry it with me forever,” said Edward.

     

    From a 15-year-old making the trip to Manila to a player lifting world championship trophies on the international stage, Edward’s seven-year career became part of the story of Philippine MLBB itself.

     

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  • MPL PH Season 17 Playoffs kick off with blockbuster ONIC PH, Aurora, Omega, and Twisted Minds matchups

    MPL PH Season 17 Playoffs kick off with blockbuster ONIC PH, Aurora, Omega, and Twisted Minds matchups

    The road to the MPL Philippines Season 17 crown officially enters its most unforgiving stage on Wednesday as the league shifts from regular-season positioning to pure survival mode at the San Juan Arena.


    After weeks of standings battles, momentum swings, and upset-heavy matchups, the Season 17 Playoffs finally begin.

     

    Day 1 immediately delivers two high-stakes best-of-series clashes featuring ONIC Philippines against Aurora Gaming Philippines and Smart Omega facing Twisted Minds Philippines in what shapes up as a defining opening day for the postseason.

     

    For ONIC Philippines, the playoffs begin with both confidence and pressure. The third-seeded squad closed the regular season with a 9-5 record and enters the play-ins carrying a favorable history against Aurora after defeating the reigning M7 world champions in both Week 3 and Week 7 of the regular season. 

     

    ONIC’s aggressive rotations and mid-game control repeatedly exposed Aurora’s inconsistencies during those meetings, making them slight favorites entering the rematch.

     

    But Aurora arrives with a completely different kind of urgency. Despite enduring a rough second half of the regular season, the former world champions still clawed their way into the final playoff spot after surviving a tense qualification race. Their late push included crucial wins over Smart Omega and AP.Bren to secure the sixth seed and avoid elimination.

     

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    Aurora’s biggest challenge now is rediscovering the form that once made them one of the most feared teams in the region. While ONIC enters with momentum, Aurora leans on experience and star power — hoping the playoffs can reset the narrative of their uneven campaign.

     

    The second play-in matchup presents an even tighter storyline. Fourth-seeded Smart Omega and fifth-seeded Twisted Minds PH both finished the regular season with identical 6-8 records, setting up a rubber-match style encounter where familiarity could matter as much as mechanics.

     

    Twisted Minds struck first during the regular season, defeating Omega in Week 2. But Omega answered back in Week 6, earning redemption in a result that ultimately helped end the organization’s two-season playoff drought.

     

    Omega gradually rebuilt momentum late in the season behind improved objective control and sharper late-game decision making, while Twisted Minds earned recognition as one of the league’s most unpredictable squads — capable of upsetting contenders but also vulnerable to sudden collapses.

     

    Looming beyond the play-ins are two waiting giants. Second-seeded Team Falcons Philippines already secured an upper-bracket advantage after a strong regular season that included handing Team Liquid PH its first series loss of the season. Falcons now await the winner between ONIC and Aurora in Match 3 on Day 2.

     

    Meanwhile, defending champions Team Liquid Philippines enter the playoffs as the top seed after finishing with a dominant 13-1 regular-season record. The Cavalry will face the winner of Omega versus Twisted Minds in Match 4, placing immediate pressure on whichever team survives the play-ins.

     

    Beginning on Wednesday, only the teams capable of surviving chaos will continue the chase for the MPL PH Season 17 championship and will have the chance to represent the country in the 2026 Esports World Cup in Paris, France.

     

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  • Aurora Gaming’s MPL PH Playoffs spot hanging by a thread after straight defeats 

    Aurora Gaming’s MPL PH Playoffs spot hanging by a thread after straight defeats 

    From world champions to a team desperately trying to stay alive in the playoff race, Aurora Gaming’s sudden collapse in MPL Philippines Season 17 has become one of the league’s biggest surprises.


    Aurora entered the season carrying the prestige of being the reigning M7 world champions, expected by many to contend for another MPL crown behind a veteran core led by Jonard “Demonkite” Caranto, Edward “Edward” Dapadap, and Kenneth “Yue” Tadeo. Instead, the team now finds itself fighting to avoid an early exit after absorbing a painful defeat against Onic Philippines on Sunday at the Victoria Sports Tower.

     

    The loss marked Aurora’s fifth straight defeat, extending a downward spiral that began in Week 5 and continued against Team Liquid Philippines, TNC Pro Team, Twisted Minds, Team Falcons, and now Onic.

     

    For a moment, it looked like Aurora had finally rediscovered its championship form. Demonkite gave the struggling squad an explosive start in Game 1, masterfully piloting Harley with four kills and six assists to punish Onic’s rotations and secure the opener. 

     

    Aurora’s aggression and tempo resembled the disciplined style that helped the franchise capture the M7 world title earlier this year.

     

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    But the momentum quickly vanished. Onic adjusted in the next two games and exposed Aurora’s inability to maintain control once the pace shifted. Frince “Super Frince” Ramirez delivered a flawless Game 2 performance on Gord with two kills and three assists without a single death, before Cyric “K1NGKONG” Perez completely took over Game 3 on Suyou with a devastating seven kills and seven assists in another deathless outing.

     

    The defeat dropped Aurora to a troubling 3-9 win-loss record, currently placing the former champions near the bottom of the standings with their playoff hopes hanging by the thinnest margin.

     

    Despite the collapse, Aurora head coach Aniel “Masterthebasics” Jiandani still believes the team is slowly recovering its identity.

     

    “Konti pa. Hindi pa 100 percent bumabalik ‘yung form pero nakitaan naman natin ng improvement. So konting mastery pa sa ginagawa namin,” Jiandani said.

     

    Onic head coach Jeniel “Haze” Bata-Anon admitted Aurora’s opening-game draft caused serious problems, particularly Demonkite’s Harley pick which snowballed early and dictated the pace.

     

    “‘Yung Harley kasi, ‘yung hero na ‘yun, malaking factor siya sa meta ngayon kasi grabe siya mag-snowball. Ang OP (overpowered) niya kasi. Kaya naman siya tapatan pero nag-snowball lang nang malala nu’ng first game. Tapos hindi na namin na-sustain. Wala kasing makasabay sa Harley,” Haze said. 

     

    The timing of Aurora’s skid has made the situation even more alarming. Earlier in the season, the squad was still viewed as one of the league favorites after retaining the same championship-winning roster that captured the M7 World Championship with a dominant 4-0 finals victory over Alter Ego in Jakarta.

     

    Aurora still has a narrow path to the playoffs, but there is little room left for mistakes. The team faces Smart Omega on May 16 before closing the regular season against AP Bren on May 17.

     

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  • Aurora Gaming PH paints Jakarta blue with sweep for historic M7 World crown 

    Aurora Gaming PH paints Jakarta blue with sweep for historic M7 World crown 

    Aurora Gaming PH didn’t just win the M7 World Championship — they left no doubt about who owned the biggest stage in Mobile Legends.

     

    Under the bright lights in Jakarta, the Northern Lights delivered a cold, clinical performance, dismantling home favorites Alter Ego in a 4–0 sweep in the best-of-seven grand finals to claim the M7 crown on Sunday night. 

     

    What many expected to be a tense showdown instead turned into a statement: Aurora had arrived not just to compete, but to dominate.

     

    The title run was built long before the finals. Aurora carved its path through the upper bracket with resilience and composure, starting with a tight win over fellow Filipino contenders Team Liquid (2–1), followed by a convincing takedown of Alter Ego (3–1), and capped by a grueling 3–2 victory over Malaysia’s Selangor Red Giants to punch their ticket to the championship match.

     

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    At the heart of the run were Edward “Edward” Dapadap, Jonard “Demonkite” Caranto, Kenneth “Yue” Tadeo, Jan “Domeng” Delmundo, and Dylan “Light” Catipon, a lineup that blended experience with fearless execution. For Edward, the win carried extra weight, marking his second M-series title after lifting the trophy with Blacklist International in M3.

     

    Beyond the trophy, the triumph also rewrote Aurora’s own history. This marks the organization’s best-ever finish in the M-series, a breakthrough moment that cements them among the elite of the global MLBB scene. The victory comes with a massive reward as well, as Aurora pockets $320,000, the largest share of the tournament’s $1,000,000 prize pool.

     

    Elsewhere, Team Liquid saw its M7 journey end in fourth place after falling to Selangor Red Giants, closing a campaign that fell just short of the podium.

     

    With M7 now in the books, the spotlight shifts forward. Moonton Games announced that the M8 World Championship grand finals will take place in Turkiye next year, setting the stage for another chapter in MLBB’s ever-growing global story.

     

    For now, though, the moment belongs to Aurora Gaming PH — champions forged through the upper bracket, crowned through dominance, and etched into M-series history.

     

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  • Aurora Gaming PH surges into M7 upper bracket finals with statement win over Alter Ego

    Aurora Gaming PH surges into M7 upper bracket finals with statement win over Alter Ego

    Aurora Gaming PH’s M7 World Championship run has quickly transformed from redemption arc to title contention, as the Filipino squad locked in at least a top-three finish after dispatching Indonesia’s Alter Ego, 3–1, in the upper bracket semifinals early Thursday at the MPL Arena XO Hall in Jakarta.

     

    The victory does more than move Aurora one step closer to the championship — it places them in the upper bracket finals, where a marquee showdown awaits against Malaysia’s Selangor Red Giants, a lineup stacked with Filipino talent led by John “Innocent” Banal, Mark “Kramm” Rusiana, and coach Michael “Arcadia” Bocado. 

     

    The winner of that clash earns the first direct berth to Sunday’s grand finals, raising the stakes even higher.

     

    Against Alter Ego, Aurora showed maturity and adaptability. After trading blows in the opening two games, the Filipinos seized control in Game 3 with cleaner rotations and superior objective play. 

     

    Game 4 tested their composure, but Aurora held firm in clutch moments, closing the series with discipline rather than desperation — a hallmark of a team growing into the tournament.

     

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    That poise has been building since the opening days of the knockout stage. Earlier in the week, Aurora snapped a long-standing losing skid against Team Liquid, a psychological hurdle dating back to the MPL Philippines Season 16 Finals. 

     

    Their 2–1 triumph over the reigning MPL PH champions sent an early message that this Aurora lineup was no longer bound by past results.

     

    Team Liquid briefly reminded everyone of their pedigree in Game 2 of that series, powered by Japee “Jaypee” Dela Cruz’s relentless early-game pressure on Khaleed.

     

     His repeated pickoffs and a decisive midgame re-engage swung momentum sharply, forcing a rubber match. But when the pressure peaked, Aurora responded.

     

    In Game 3, Demonkite delivered a defining moment, calmly securing the 15-minute Lord objective before Yue capitalized with back-to-back kills using Kimmy. The sequence ignited a decisive 5-for-2 wipeout that sealed the series — and symbolized Aurora’s growing confidence on the international stage.

     

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