Aether Main Claims the Mobile Legends Professional League PH Championship

The MPL-PH might be over but according to Aether Main, it’s only the beginning for them.

Day 1 Recap

It was Championship Sunday for the Mobile Legends: Bang Bang Professional League (MPL), and thousands of fans have gathered to witness the conclusion of the biggest Mobile Legends tournament in the Philippines. Tournament favored team Aether Main closed it out in style, but the surprises came in before the Grand Final. From pocket strategies, cheese picks, upset victories, and tons of highlight plays — MPL Grand Finals day was a treat for all Mobile Legends fans.

Invictus Godz eliminate Demon Kings

Invictus Godz might not have the bigger following as compared to the three main teams in the MPL (Aether, Digital Devils, and Obsidian Gaming), but they surely showed up in the LAN Finals. Already earned the respect of everyone after winning 2-0 versus Aether Valkyrie yesterday, they proceed to outclass Demon Kings in two quick games.

Demon Kings started the game really well and were in quite of a networth lead during Game 1. However, with the better mid-game lineup of a triple tank set-up in Grock, Lolita, and Jawhead, Invictus Godz were able to pull away with the victory. They even ended it up with a full Ace. Game 2 wasn’t even close, as Invictus Godz got their hands on their winning recipe of a triple tank set-up — this time, Jawhead and Lolita with the Akai. Invictus Godz take the series 2-0.

Digital Devils Pro Gaming oust Aether Valkyrie

Aether Valkyrie didn’t look like they found their second wind after their first round loss versus Invictus Godz. Although after Game 1 of their Lower Bracket Round 2 match versus Digital Devils Pro Gaming (DDPG), they looked pretty strong. The 12 minute match was one-sided favoring Aether Valkyrie, and it seemed as if they were en route to eliminating the last Digital Devils team.

However, DDPG stroke back come Game 2. Seemingly adjusting to the MPL Lan Finals metagame, DDPG drafted a triple tank set-up with Chou, Jawhead, and Lolita. The fast-paced lineup snowballed heavily, and Aether Valkyrie just succumbed after 18 minutes.

The third game looked to be Aether Valk’s game: however, come the 6:20 mark, DDPG made the game-clinching play by stealing the Lord and outright winning the 4v5 skirmish and turned the game around to their favor. This gave a lot of space and global gold for DDPG.Pheww’s Fanny to be an unstoppable force as the game progressed. DDPG snatched the series away from Aether Valkyrie, and advanced to the Lower Bracket Round 3.

Aether Main routs Obsidian Gaming, earns seat to the Grand Final

When Obsidian Gaming (Obs Gaming) went to the MPL stage since the tournament started, it was apparent that their fanbase was huge. However, Aether Main brought in their A Game as they breezed through their rival team Obs Gaming in two one-sided victories for their Upper Bracket Finals match-up.

Game 1 is about Aether Main’s Yellyhaze showing off with his classic Chou, proving to be too much of a playmaker for Obs Gaming’s Yolo (playing Johnson) and Dian (playing Grock). A two-for-three tradeoff favoring Aether Main by the 6 minute mark seems to be the game-clinching clash for Aether Main: Yellyhaze barely survives but with calculated maneuvers and beautiful connections with his crowd control skills, Aether Main just rode off the momentum and won the game from there.

Game 2 was then about a pocket strategy from Aether Main. During the regular season, Aether Main was successful with their few Aurora games, and they employed it in this specific game. While they gave away the Helcurt to Obs Gaming, they easily controlled the pick with their immense of lockdown and disables between their Aurora, Martis, and Grock pick. Obs Gaming tried to be cheeky with their Leslie pick which did not work at all. The multiple stun connections with the Ashura Aura from Aether’s Martis, though flashy, were merely icing on the cake, as the Aether Main punched their ticket to the Grand Final.

DD.PG defeats Invictus Godz on the way to the LB Final

Invictus Godz really made it hard for DDPG, especially during their first game. Invictus Godz let Pheww’s Fanny through the draft, while also drafting a Ruby as one of their tanks. It looked one-sided for DDPG come the mid-game, but because of their heavy dives, they were punished on and on by Invictus Godz. This match slowly became the longest game of the day, ending in 31 brutal minutes Invictus Godz. The game went the distance, but the superior firepower from DDPG overwhelmed Invictus Godz in the end.

DDPG’s Yackou earned his street credit as a top Alpha player — and come Game 2 they got their hands on it, whereas Invictus Godz tried to answer it with an Argus pick. Needless to say, it did not work, as Yackou had an essentially free game, alongside Pheww’s Gusion and Tets’ Akai making so much good plays with him. It took DDPG 11 minutes to eliminate Invictus Godz and advance to the Lower Bracket Final.

Obs Gaming crumbles, DD.PG take Grand Final slot

Obsidian Gaming looked to be in control of the series after Game 1 of their match-up versus DDPG. Their triple tank lineup of Akai, Lolita, and Jawhead were too much for the double mage set-up for DDPG. They overwhelmed DDPG with an immense amountof initiations, teamfight and sustain in 9 minutes of torture. Obs Gaming were just one win away from a re-match against Aether Main after that 16-2 kill score victory.

DDPG considered a different approach to win over Obs Gaming come Game 2 by employing a late-game lineup around a single tank Grock (they also banned out the Chou and the Jawhead, diminishing the amount of playmakers for their opponent). Obs Gaming were also quite in control of the game, but as the game progressed, their firepower died down. DDPG were able to hold on up until the late game, and made an incredible play to mount their comeback: by the 25 minute mark, DDPG contested the Level 4 Lord and exchanged one hero for three kills versus Obs while stealing the Lord at the same time. DDPG even the series up a few minutes thereafter.

DDPG got their hands on Yackou’s Alpha once again for Game 3, and backed it up with their comfort picks in Grock + Lolikta + Kagura. It looked to be a completely even game at the start, but by the 7-minute mark, DDPG were able to pick off Obs’ Z4pnu which easily translated into two turret takes. The game-clinching play was by the 9:26 mark, where Yolo, Dian, and jeffqt4ever tried to cut the Lord take by DDPG — this maneuver ended up badly, as they were all picked apart by DDPG and they eventually lost five heroes. The game was over by 11 minutes, and Obs Gaming just exit the tournament at third place.

Aether Main outclassed DDPG, win the first MPL championship

Game 1 of the Grand Finals was a treat for all MPL fans, as Aether Main showed a pocket pick Pharsa. Yellyhaze opted for the Grock (even when they had the Chou) and was totally brilliant for Aether Main. Yuji’s Pharsa was extraordinary as well, even facilitating for a 4-2 tradeoff during the early stage of the game by closing in on a kill on a Jawhead, scoring the Feathered Air Strike snipe from long distance and even without vision. Needless to say, Aether Main played wonderfully around their Pharsa, and Yuji was untouchable the whole game. 12 minutes was enough for Aether Main to get the first game.

During Game 2, DDPG got their hands on their comfort Alpha pick. They even got the Fanny to go with it. However, Aether Main were more than prepared for Pheww, as they got their hands on lockdown heaven with Jawhead, Akai, Martis, Harley, and Saber. It looked promising for DDPG during the early stages of Game 2, controlling many portions of the map for most of the early and mid-game. Unfortunately, during the latter stages of the game, Aether was able to fish where Pheww was playing around and picked him off, and was able to regain control of the game. The skirmishes were pretty close, but over the course of the match, DDPG grew impatient. The clash during the 23 minute mark was horrible for DDPG, as they went in one-by-one against Aether. Aether punished them heavily, and placed themselves one win away from championship.

Game 3 wasn’t even close. It’s an utter destruction, even. Aether got all of their comfort picks, such as the Lancelot for Pein and Chou for Yellyhaze. With classic Yellyhaze turnarounds — wherein he survives with a sliver of health and turn the fight around because his enemies are always trying to chase him down — Obs Gaming looked totally disoriented. Their Johnson pick for Dee did not even go online at all, not in teamfights nor turret defenses.

Aether Main even did their classic 5-man standoff at their enemie’s base, recalling back before finishing the core. 14-1 was the final score for the last game, and Aether Main become the first champion for the Mobile Legends: Bang Bang Professional League in the Philippines.

“You know, they should stop wishing is good luck and just congratulate us from the start. (Alam mo, dapat hindi na good luck yung sinasabi sa amin, dapat congrats na agad),” says AE Pein team captain of Aether Main. It was refreshing to see this kind confidence in Philippine esports, where players would usually be very polite and timid. Each week of the competition, AE Main showed us that behind the stunts, the attitude, and the highlights was a team that could deliver it all to us and then some–in other words, they’re confident because they have something to be confident about. Their plays and presence in this competition not only provided us with an exceptional show of talent but also a mindset that should be emulated by aspiring pro gamers everywhere. Let’s get to know the team whose influence completely reshaped the way Filipinos played Mobile Legends: Bang Bang.

AE Yuji, you mentioned in an interview before that you were aiming to be considered the “Mage God” of the Philippines once people got to notice your accomplishments in this competition. Do you think you’ve accomplished this and if so, would that mean the next step for Aether Main is going to be to compete internationally?

I’m not boasting or anything but I think I have. We’re definitely eyeing the international arena. We currently have no one on our level to have scrims with and we still have a few hidden picks and strategies we want to try out. I think the next step for me should be becoming the Mage God of Southeast Asia and if there will ever be a world championship, being Mage God of the world doesn’t sound that bad.

AE Yellyhaze, everyone knows that AE Main is made up of superstars in the Mobile Legends Bang Bang scene. How different is playing with this particular AE team from your past teams?

I think what made the most difference was the bootcamp that (AkoSi) Dogie, our coach, had us go through. There’s a world of difference when practicing with people who are beside you rather than just over the Internet. I honestly didn’t expect our team to perform this well together that’s why I’m so happy that everything worked out. Though, I also brought everything I learned from my past teams as well and combined that with what I learned in AE.

AE Pein, considering that you brought this team together, how do you feel right now after all of your hard work has finally paid off?

I’m just speechless. I can’t believe how strong our team has grown. I’m really thankful to be in the same team as these guys. We proved to everyone that we are really the strongest team in the Philippines. I think it was destined for us all to meet to be able to achieve this.

AE Ribo, you guys performed exceptionally well throughout the entire competition even during this high-stakes Grand Finals. You yourself were awarded with two medals and were crowned the MVP. How were you and your team able to accomplish such an incredible feat? What do you think separates you and Aether Main from the other participants in this competition?

I couldn’t have accomplished this without the help of my team. We really worked hard for this and I’m glad it paid off. I guess people were really impressed with Aether Main’s level of gameplay. As for the MVP title, I guess people seldom take notice or realize how large of an impact a support can be so I have the advantage of staying lowkey while I get to do what I want on the map and influence the game.

AE Coco, a lot of people consider Aether Main the ones who continue to define the meta of MLBB. Now that it’s season 9, where do you think the game is going? Is the future bright for MLBB?

We’re expecting a lot of new heroes to come in season 9 so you can expect the meta to change a lot in the future. We’re always practicing and thinking of new ways to subvert the meta. We developed our Pharsa pick especially for our series against DD Pro Gaming since they were the only ones we lost to in the regular season.

AE 666, the most important question goes to you. What will you guys do with the $32,084.00?

We’re going to do something good with it. I can’t say what that is for now but expect something great from us in the near future. We’ll be competing in more international competitions like the MSC Invitational to compete against the best teams in South East Asia in a few months time.

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