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One thing’s for sure, we can expect the unexpected.
The M7 rollercoaster just keeps on twisting and turning as the MLBB World Championships continues to deliver with day one of the playoffs. While no team was under threat of elimination, that didn’t deter any of them from rocking the standings with upsets.
Day one of the M7 playoffs was a MPL grand finals rematch day as it was the Philippines’ Team Liquid versus Aurora Gaming PH and Indonesia’s ONIC versus Alter Ego. Both regions’ champions trounced their rivals last time so we can’t blame anyone for thinking the same would happen.
But M7 loves throwing its curveballs as Aurora got their revenge on Team Liquid, beating them 2-1. It was a rivalry that showed the prowess of both squads but Aurora’s adaptability got the better of Team Liquid. After five straight game losses, the Northern Lights get their payback in a massive way by sending the Cavalry to the lower bracket.
Joining them there are the Indonesian champions, ONIC, although this isn’t as big of an upset as it seems. ONIC’s performance in M7 has been trending downwards lately while AE’s has only gone up. AE were the ones who moved on from the Swiss Stage with a 3-0 record while ONIC took the longer road with a 3-2. Many fans expected that record to be swapped but it holds true as AE swept ONIC 2-0.
Now it’s a dangerous game as both the Philippine and Indonesia champions are already in danger of elimination. As M7 resumes on the 21st, it’s going to be a bloody affair to see which team moves on.
Upset After Upset
M7 has now become notorious for being the tournament where expectations are thrown out the window. At every stage of the tournament, even all the way in the Wildcard, a shocking twist in the script has happened.
Back in the Wildcard, the CIS’s Virtus.pro was on the right track to qualify for the Swiss stage. With an impressive showing back in MSC 2025, they looked like one of the strongest Wildcard teams in the tournament. But even their undefeated record in the group stage couldn’t save them from the tenacity of Turkey’s Boostgate Esports. It was a scrappy fight, but Virtus.pro would be the first big upset of M7.
Then we were treated to even more surprises in the Swiss stage but it felt more like the woes and tribulations of ONIC in hindsight. With their losses against Myanmar’s Yangon Galacticos and the CIS’s Team Spirit, Indonesia’s Sky Kings have looked anything but kingly.
If anything, the only team to live up to expectations are Malaysia’s Selangor Red Giants. They defeated Team Liquid in one of the best matches in M7 to make it into the playoffs with a 3-0 record. Then they swept Team Spirit, a team they already beat in the Swiss stage, to keep their upper bracket advantage.
It can be argued that outside of Team Liquid, SRG have had a fairly easy tournament run so far. But you only need to look at the quality of their wins to see that SRG are not playing around. They’re coming out ahead in the race for the M7 trophy and it’s anyone’s guess which team will be able to stop them.
Banner photo from Mobile Legends Esports.