RRQ Kaito outlasts Echo Proud to cop MDL crown

MANILA, Philippines – There's a new champion in the Mobile Legends Bang Bang Development League (MDL) Philippines after RRQ Kaito defeated back-to-back champions Echo Proud, 3-2, in the Season 3 grand finals — the league's first offline final — at the Shooting Gallery Studios over the weekend.

It had been an incredible run for the Kingdom as they went on a nine-game winning streak during the regular season. They then swept Blacklist Academy in the semifinals to keep their record intact heading into the grand finals.

Defending champions Echo Proud, however, fought from the bottom half of the standings, finishing the regular season in fifth place but managed to book their ticket to the Grand Finals by sweeping ONIC Arsenals and second seed Omega Neos.

In the grand finals, RRQ Kaito took a quick opening game, but Echo Proud regrouped and answered back with a win in Game 2, then propelled themselves to match point after a dominant Game 3 win in just 11 minutes.

In Game 4, it seemed that Echo Proud was on the brink of their third straight MDL title, but the eagerness to end the game quickly cost them as RRQ Kaito mounted a base defense thanks to goldlaner Cymond "Cy" Torres to force a decider.

With the global ban rule in place, RRQ Kaito once again outdrafted Echo Proud in Game 5, leading to a quick victory to claim their first MDL title.

The win in the grand finals saw RRQ Kaito with a perfect season run, winning all eleven of their matches in MDL Philippines Season 3, a feat their sister team from Brazil RRQ Akira had done back in 2022, winning all 14 games in the regular season and the three match-ups in the playoffs during the MPL Brazil Season 3.