Echo Esports, the reigning champions of the Mobile Legends: Bang Bang (MLBB) world, have experienced a stunning fall from grace as they failed to secure a spot in the highly anticipated M5 Championship. Their journey came to an unexpected halt in the Lower Bracket Finals of the MPL Philippines Season 12, where Blacklist International emerged as the triumphant victors.

https://www.instagram.com/p/Cy8YBz9pcjD

The MPL Philippines Season 12 featured two coveted slots for the prestigious M5 World Championship. AP. Bren and Blacklist International, both top-performing teams, managed to secure their spots, leaving Echo Esports to claim the third position.

The M5 World Championship, scheduled to take place from December 2 to December 17, 2023, boasts an astonishing prize pool of $900,000. This year, the tournament introduces a new wildcard phase with two slots up for grabs, featuring a total of 16 MLBB teams from across the globe.

Echo Esports commenced their journey in MPL PH Season 12 with a dazzling display of dominance. They triumphed in 11 out of their 14 regular season matches, with only Evos, RSG, and Bren managing to best them. Echo secured the top spot in the overall standings with an impressive 30 points, granting them direct access to the semifinals.

However, their momentum took a nosedive in the playoffs when they clashed with Blacklist International. Despite their earlier success, Echo Esports faltered in their opening playoff game, losing 1-3 and being relegated to the lower bracket. The team showed resilience by bouncing back to defeat RSG, earning them a place in the lower bracket finals.

Unfortunately for Echo, their path to redemption led them once more to Blacklist International, a team that had been pushed into the lower bracket after their loss to Bren in the upper bracket finals. Echo Esports, however, proved unable to conquer their rivals in this crucial showdown, sealing their fate and missing out on a spot in the M5 Championship.

In a twist of fate, Bren and Blacklist faced off in the MPL Grand Finale, with Bren emerging as the dominant victors. Both MLBB clubs secured their tickets to the M5 Championship, while Echo Esports watched from the sidelines, their dreams of defending their world championship title dashed.

Also read: Barracuda Esports Replaces Team Lunatix’s Slot In MPL MY Season 13

This unexpected turn of events marks a stark contrast to Echo Esports' previous performance, where they showcased dominance and secured the world championship title. Notably, they had outperformed Blacklist International to claim the championship in the previous edition of the tournament. While they had also conquered MPL Season 11 in May 2023, their unfortunate stumble in the crucial MPL PH Season 12 proves that even champions face challenging seasons in the world of competitive gaming.