MPL PH crown shines at its brightest as Aurora Gaming PH claims first title

• Aurora Gaming MLBB

After opening the regular season with three straight series losses, Aurora Gaming PH fought its way back to the top, defeating Team Falcons PH, 4-2, in the MPL Philippines Season 18 grand final on October 25.

Aurora PH entered the season with a refreshed lineup with Kyle “Koyl” Reyes and Nathanael “Nathzz” Estrologo joining Kenneth “Yue” Tadeo, Dylan “Light” Catipon, and Jan Dominic “Domeng” Del Mundo. The team took time to find its rhythm, but finished the regular season strong, winning nine of its last 11 matches and placing fourth with a 9-5 record. The playoffs brought no easy route to the title. Aurora PH edged Omega Esports in a five-game opener, then upset top seed Team Liquid PH, 3-1. Falcons sent Aurora PH to the lower bracket with a 3-2 win in the upper-bracket final, but Aurora PH stayed alive by beating Liquid in another seven-game series.

The grand final was just as hard fought. Aurora PH won the opener, only for Falcons to take the next two games and move within two wins of the title. Down 1-2, Aurora PH changed the look of its draft with unconventional pick Estes, that was only picked once the whole tournament.

Yue took the healer in the mid lane in Game 4, helping Aurora PH keep its footing in teamfights and tie the series. Aurora PH picked Estes again in Game 5, this time for Light, and moved ahead, 3-2.

Aurora PH needed just 11 minutes and 41 seconds to finish the job in Game 6 and claim its first MPL PH crown. Domeng’s Clint found room to farm in the gold lane against Super Marco’s Miya, reaching Sky Piercer at the six-minute mark. That early power spike helped fuel Aurora’s title-clinching push, where Domeng scored a game deciding double kill after Yue’s Zhuxin used Lantern Flare to set up the fight.

The Clint win added to Domeng’s perfect record on the hero: at least seven wins in seven tracked Season 18 games. He also delivered an outstanding 9/1/10 performance on Chou in Game 5 that led to a comeback and force the series to championship point.

The championship is Aurora PH’s first in MPL PH since joining the league in 2024. After a difficult regular-season start and a long road through the playoffs, the team ended its season on top.

Aurora PH and Falcons will both represent the Philippines at the M8 World Championship in January 2027.