In a major disappointment, the defending world champions, ECHO, have failed to qualify for the M5 World Championship. Despite being one of the favorites to win the MPL Philippines title, ECHO faltered in the Playoffs Stage and were knocked out by their arch-rivals, Blacklist International.
ECHO had a successful year in 2023. After winning the M4 World Championship against Blacklist International in the Finals, they went on to become the champions of the MPL Philippines Season 11. Additionally, they achieved third place in the MSC 2023 and fourth place in the Snapdragon Pro Series SEA Finals.
Entering Season 12 of the MPL Philippines as favorites, ECHO started off strong, topping the regular season with a score of 11-3. However, their performance in the Playoffs Stage did not go as planned. They were knocked down to the Lower Bracket by Blacklist International in the Upper Bracket Semifinal. Although they were able to secure a rematch with Blacklist in the Lower Bracket, they were once again defeated, ending their chances of defending their world championship title.
This is not the first time a defending world champion has failed to qualify for the MLBB M World Championships. In 2020, EVOS Legends, the inaugural M1 World Champions, also did not qualify for the M2 edition.
The M5 World Championship will take place from November 23 to December 17, with 22 teams from around the world competing for the title and a share of the $900,000 prize pool.
AP Bren, formerly known as Bren Esports, emerged as the Season 12 Filipino champions. Since the M1 edition, all M World Championships have been won by a team from the Philippines, making AP Bren one of the favorites to defend the country's honor. After a period of struggle and controversy, including the former CEO being falsely accused of illegal activities, AP Bren has now reclaimed their position as champions by winning the MPL Philippines for the first time since Season 6 and their second time overall.
In conclusion, ECHO's failure to qualify for the M5 World Championship is a major disappointment for the defending world champions. However, it is not an uncommon occurrence in the history of MLBB M World Championships. Meanwhile, AP Bren's redemption story adds excitement to the upcoming tournament as they aim to defend the honor of the Philippines.
