By: Jan Marcus Montevirgen
As Fnatic ONIC Philippines stands just one win away from advancing to the Knockout Stage of the M6 World Championship, head coach Anthony “Ynot” Senedrin shared his immense pride in the team’s remarkable performance so far.
This pivotal moment came after FNOP’s dominant victory over CFU Gaming (Cambodia) on Day 2 of the Swiss Stage on Thursday, improving their record to 2-0.
“Sobrang proud, and I think the other day bago noong unang laban namin, paulit-ulit sinabi ko sa kanila na mahirap paniwalaan na parang kailan lang nagkita-kita kami sa bootcamp for the first time tapos ayon sabay-sabay kaming nakapag-Malaysia,” Ynot said in an exclusive interview with Tiebreaker Times.
The 36-year-old seasoned coach also reflected on the privilege of continuing the legacy left behind by Filipino teams that have dominated the Mobile Legends: Bang Bang (MLBB) World Championships.
The Philippines has been a powerhouse on the global stage since M2 in 2021, when Bren Esports (now Falcons AP.Bren) captured the nation’s first M-series title in a legendary seven-game showdown against the Burmese Ghouls.
That triumph sparked a golden era for Philippine MLBB, with Filipino teams claiming the next three championships.
At M3, ONIC Philippines and Blacklist International clashed in an all-Filipino final, with Blacklist prevailing in a commanding 4-0 sweep.
M4 saw Blacklist return to the grand finals, but ECHO took center stage, seizing the crown in another dominant 4-0 performance.
By M5, FCAP dramatically secured their second M-series title, defeating ONIC Indonesia (now Fnatic ONIC Indonesia) in a thrilling seven-game series, 4-3.
“Nakakatuwa to have a privilege in defending yung mga pinaghirapan like Bren, Liquid, Blacklist, definitely. It’s just us trying to do our best na sana ma-carry on din namin yung greatness na pinasa nila. Hopefully, kayanin namin hanggang dulo,” Ynot said.
This year also marks Ynot’s second appearance in the prestigious tournament. His first was during M2, when he led Smart Omega to a strong 5th-6th place finish, though the team fell short of the ultimate goal.
As Fnatic ONIC Philippines continues to thrive at the M6 World Championship, Ynot stressed the vital role of Filipino fans in their campaign.
“We went in here knowing na nagtulungan kami as a team, and sa mga fans, sa mga tao dyan sa Pilipinas, sana patuloy na masuportahan niyo kami,” he concluded.
