Reigning world champion ECHO and defending MPL Philippines winner Blacklist International will figure in an early clash in the MPL Philippines Season 11 opening day on February 17, Friday.
Bannered by Karl “KarlTzy” Nepomuceno, Benedict “Bennyqt” Gonzales, and Sanford “Sanford” Vinuya, ECHO will go up against a Blacklist International squad, which features the 1-2 punch of Johnmar “OhMyV33NUS” Villaluna and Danerie “Wise” Del Rosario, that is still reeling from a heart-wrenching loss to the same team in the M4 World Championship.
ECHO, after losing to the Tier One-backed squad in the Season 10 finale, finally got over the hump in the recent edition of the world stage and edged Blacklist International to claim the Philippines’ third consecutive world title.
They became the first world champion to not win an MPL title while also denying the M3 World Champion a historic back-to-back.
The ECHO-Blacklist International will open the festivities at 4:00 PM.
TNC and Nexplay EVOS, who both missed the Season 10 playoffs, will hit the ground running at 6:00 PM.
TNC has yet to announce its lineup for Season 11 but NXPE will enter a new era after the reported departure of John Paul “H2wo” Salonga. Also out for Nexplay EVOS is Renejay “RENEJAY” Barcarse.
