By: Jan Marcus Montevirgen
Edward “Edward” Dapadap is brimming with confidence as he aims to reclaim his world championship title at the upcoming M6 World Championship, following two consecutive near-misses.
After heartbreaking losses in the M4 and M5 World Championships, where he and his former team, Blacklist International, secured second and third place, respectively, Edward is determined that this time, his new team, Aurora, will rise to the occasion.
Having earned a spot at this year’s world championship during MPL Season 14, Edward made history as the second Filipino player to qualify for four consecutive M-series appearances. Hadji also achieved the feat from M2 to M5.
Aurora secured their spot after a dominant 4-2 victory over Falcons AP.Bren in the lower bracket finals, solidifying Edward’s place on the world stage once again.
With Aurora’s consistent performance throughout MPL Season 14, the 20-year-old EXP laner is optimistic about his team’s chances at the upcoming M6 World Championship, guided by Aurora’s Country Lead, Rada Scars.
“Based sa scrims namin tsaka sa performance noong Season 14, kayang-kaya talaga. Basta ma-activate lang kami ni Boss Rada. Pero hindi naman kami nagre-rely kay Boss Rada, self-awareness na lang din sa sarili kung paano yung routine namin, kung paano mag-activate sa sarili, yung performance namin mapunta sa peak ulit tulad noong Season 14,” Edward shared in an exclusive interview with Tiebreaker Times.
“Kahit ako hindi ko inexpect na magpe-peak yung performance namin kase yung regular season namin parang 50-50,” he added.
After a heartbreaking 3-4 loss to Fnatic ONIC Philippines in the MPL Season 14 grand finals on October 20, Aurora quickly bounced back. The team found their rhythm in the ESL Snapdragon Pro Series Season 6 APAC – Open Finals, becoming the first team to qualify for the Challenge Season on November 9. This tournament has since served as an important training ground as they prepare for the M6 World Championship.
“Fresh kami noong Season 14 that time, yung performance namin parang peak noong time na yon, nasama pa ng ESL kumbaga parang tuloy-tuloy kami eh. Kumbaga parang naging training ground na rin namin yung ESL para sa paparating na M6,” he said.
In less than a year, Aurora has proven to be a formidable force, despite being a newly-formed team. Their rapid rise has only fueled the Hall of Legends inductee’s belief that they will continue to carry the torch for the Philippines’ dominance in the MLBB scene, especially on the world stage.
“Sa mga napanood namin na mga grand finals sa iba’t-ibang MPL region, parang kayang-kaya talaga [ma-defend yung title]. Sobrang confident ako,” Edward concluded.
