Aurora beat Team Falcons 4-2 to win first MPL Philippines title in Season 18 grand final

Aurora Gaming Philippines are MPL Philippines champions for the first time. The reigning Mobile Legends: Bang Bang world champions beat Team Falcons PH 4-2 in the Season 18 grand final on Sunday, 25 October, at PhilSports Arena in Pasig City, ending a long wait for a domestic crown and taking revenge on the side that had pushed them into the lower bracket two days earlier.

How the final unfolded

Aurora struck first. In Game 1 they took all three Turtles, built a gold lead that peaked at around 4,000, and closed it out after Light's Atlas caught two Falcons players and Koyl's Suyou secured the Lord. Yue's Zhuxin finished 6-1-7.

Falcons then answered with two straight wins. A Saber pick helped them level the series in Game 2, with SuperMarco going 3-0-7 and Hadji active from the mid lane. Game 3 was a comeback for Falcons, built on a Lord take and a 4-versus-5 teamfight, which put them 2-1 up.

The series turned on an unusual draft. Aurora placed Estes in the mid lane for Yue in Game 4, and the support-style pick paid off as Yue went 0-0-9 to tie the series at 2-2. Aurora kept the same idea in Game 5, where Koyl's Harith landed a decisive triple kill and Domeng's Chou finished 9-1-10. Game 6 was the quickest of the night: Aurora wrapped it up in 11 minutes and 41 seconds, with Domeng's Clint picking up a double kill off Yue's support.

Domeng named Finals MVP

Jan "Domeng" Delmundo was named Finals MVP after a series in which he delivered in both of the closing games. The title-winning roster featured Nathanael "Nathzz" Estrologo, Kyle "Koyl" Reyes, Kenneth "Yue" Tadeo, Domeng and Dylan "Light" Catipon.

The long way round

Aurora reached the final through the lower bracket. They beat Team Liquid PH 3-1 in the upper bracket semi-finals on 22 October but lost the upper bracket final 3-2 to Falcons a day later. That sent them into a lower bracket final against Team Liquid PH on 24 October, which Aurora won 4-3 in a seven-game decider to knock out the defending champions and book a rematch with Falcons.

The title completes an unusual run of success. Aurora won the M7 World Championship in Jakarta in January 2026, sweeping Alter Ego 4-0 in the grand final, yet they had never won the Philippine league until Sunday. Earlier in Season 18 they were among the most doubted teams in the league after a three-match losing streak.

Two Philippine teams heading to M8

Both finalists have now qualified for the M8 World Championship, scheduled for Istanbul, Türkiye, in January 2027. Falcons PH secured their ticket on 23 October by winning the upper bracket final, while Aurora took the second Philippine slot by beating Team Liquid PH. Aurora will travel to Istanbul as defending world champions.

For Malaysian fans, attention now turns to MPL Malaysia Season 18, whose playoffs begin on Wednesday, 28 October, with the country's representatives at M8 still to be decided. The Philippine final was played at 5pm local time, which is the same as Malaysia time.

Key takeaways

• Aurora Gaming PH beat Team Falcons PH 4-2 on 25 October to win their first MPL Philippines title.
• Aurora came from 2-1 down, using a mid-lane Estes in Games 4 and 5 to swing the series.
• Domeng was named Finals MVP; Game 6 lasted just 11:41.
• Aurora and Falcons both represent the Philippines at M8 in Istanbul in January 2027.

FAQ

Who won MPL PH Season 18? Aurora Gaming PH won the title, beating Team Falcons PH 4-2 in the grand final at PhilSports Arena in Pasig City on 25 October 2026.

Who was the MPL PH Season 18 Finals MVP? Jan "Domeng" Delmundo was named Finals MVP, with standout games on Chou and Clint in Games 5 and 6.

Which Philippine teams qualified for M8? Team Falcons PH and Aurora Gaming PH both qualified for the M8 World Championship, set for Istanbul, Türkiye, in January 2027.

Sources: Daily Tribune, ALL-STAR Magazine, esports.gg, Wikipedia