---
title: "Aurora Gaming Stuns Team Falcons for First MPL Philippines Title"
url: https://sports23.net/aurora-gaming-first-mpl-philippines-title
published: 2026-10-26T11:23:24Z
updated: 2026-10-26T11:23:24Z
summary: "Aurora Gaming rallied from 2-1 down to beat Team Falcons 4-2 and claim its first MPL Philippines title before a sellout crowd at PhilSports Arena."
author: "Sports23 Editorial"
categories: ["Scores & Results"]
tags: ["Esports", "MPL Philippines", "Mobile Legends", "Philippines", "Southeast Asia"]
lang: en
---

# Aurora Gaming Stuns Team Falcons for First MPL Philippines Title

*The reigning world champions finally own a domestic crown — and now head to Istanbul to defend their M8 title.*

Fourth-seeded Aurora Gaming completed a season-long turnaround on Sunday night, rallying from a 2-1 deficit to defeat second-seeded Team Falcons PH 4-2 in the MPL Philippines Season 18 grand finals before a sellout crowd at the PhilSports Arena in Pasig City. It is the organization's first MPL title after runner-up finishes in Seasons 14 and 16 — and it makes the reigning M-series world champion a domestic champion at last, [per GMA News](https://www.gmanetwork.com/news/sports/othersports/1007125/aurora-gaming-stuns-team-falcons-to-clinch-first-ever-mpl-crown/story/) and the [Philippine Star](https://www.philstar.com/sports/2026/10/26/2565811/aurora-captures-elusive-mpl-crown-sets-sights-historic-m8-title-defense).

## How the series turned

Aurora drew first blood in Game 1, controlling the Turtle and Lord objectives through jungler Kyle "Koyl" Reyes while midlaner Kenneth "Yue" Tadeo piled up six kills and seven assists on Zhuxin in a 14-7 win built on an 8,000-gold lead. Team Falcons answered with two straight, as Michael "Kyle" Sayson's jungle invades, Salic "Hadji" Imam and Marco "Super Marco" Requitiano flipped the series to 2-1, [per ABS-CBN](https://www.abs-cbn.com/sports/esports/2026/10/25/mlbb-aurora-gaming-takes-down-team-falcons-to-clinch-mpl-philippines-season-18-crown-2136).

Then came the gamble that decided the championship. Aurora drafted Estes — a support hero — into the midlane for Yue in Game 4 and routed the Falcons 11-2 to level the series. In Game 5 the Northern Lights flexed the same pick to roamer Dylan "Light" Catipon, who dished 16 assists in a wild 21-17 win for match point. Falcons finally banned Estes in Game 6; Aurora simply won another way, with Nathanael "Nathzz" Estrologo starting favorable engagements and Jan "Domeng" Delmundo's Clint landing a late double kill to seal the crown.

## A strategy borrowed from champions

The Estes wrinkle is a page out of Blacklist International's old "Ultimate Bonding Experience" playbook — the same pick rivals were forced to ban throughout the M3 and M4 world finals. Yue said the idea came from watching Aurora's Turkish sister team run it at the MTC tournament: "I tried it in ranked and told the coaches it could work in our system as well — but only if the execution is perfect. Fortunately we got it right," [he told GMA News](https://www.gmanetwork.com/news/sports/othersports/1007222/estes-heals-old-wounds-as-aurora-gaming-exorcises-mpl-demons/story/).

Falcons roamer Rowgien "Owgwen" Unigo admitted the surprise broke their series plan: "That was the most difficult part — we were surprised by their picks, and they played them well and took advantage of our game."

## What it means

Delmundo was named Finals MVP after spearheading Aurora's three-game closeout. The title caps a brutal playoff run: Aurora fell to Falcons 3-2 in the upper-bracket final, then ended Team Liquid's three-season reign in a 4-3 lower-bracket final to earn the rematch.

Both finalists now head to Istanbul for the M8 World Championship — Aurora to defend the world title it already holds, and Falcons with a domestic silver and the knowledge that the Estes problem is still unsolved.

*Cover: PhilSports Arena — Hariboneagle927, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.*