How SRG's Historic 2025 MPL Malaysia Run Still Inspires MLBB Esports in 2026

As a professional Mobile Legends: Bang Bang player, I still rewatch the 2025 MPL Malaysia Season 15 playoffs whenever I need a reminder of what elite resilience looks like. In June 2025, Selangor Red Giants OG Esports (SRG) marched into the Grand Finals after defeating AERO Esports (AERO) and Homebois (HB) in the first phase of the playoffs. The defending champions were undefeated that season, and they stood one step away from a historic hat-trick of consecutive MPL Malaysia titles. They were already the only team with back-to-back domestic titles. That run did more than add another trophy to the cabinet; it set a new benchmark for Malaysian esports and proved that Southeast Asian teams can dominate on the global stage.

The Ticket to Riyadh and the Weight of History

SRG also claimed Malaysia's first of two tickets to the Mobile Legends: Bang Bang Mid Season Cup (MSC) at the 2025 Esports World Cup (EWC). That tournament, held in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, offered a life-changing USD 3,000,000 prize pool, roughly MYR 12,693,000. I remember the buzz in the community because SRG had already won MSC 2024 at the inaugural EWC. They became the first Malaysian team to secure top honours at a major MLBB esports tournament. When I think about pressure, I think about that legacy. Every opponent studies you. Every draft is dissected. Every mistake is amplified.

When asked about the qualities his team needed to succeed at MSC at EWC 25, SRG Coach Michael 'Arcadia' Bocado said: 'I think it's about being resilient, because going up on the international stage, every region has their best representatives. You really have to test your limit, not just when it comes to the mechanics, but mentally as well. Look at what we experienced last MSC [in the Grand Finals], where we had to go to a Game 7. So you really need to be prepared for whatever situations happen on the international stage.' That quote resonates with me as a player. Mechanics can be practiced, but mental resilience is forged in best-of-seven pressure cookers.

An Upper Bracket Finals to Remember: SRG vs HB

The Upper Bracket Finals between SRG and HB was the kind of series I show to young players who want to understand adaptation. HB carried their impressive Regular Season performance into the Playoffs by overcoming DX Soul (DXS) 3-2 in the Upper Bracket Semi Finals. Then they fell 2-3 to SRG in the Upper Bracket Finals. Even though HB lost, the Season 12 champions could be proud of stretching the MSC title holders to a full Best-Of-Five series.

I broke down the series like this:

• Games 1-2: SRG dominance. SRG started the stronger team and racked up a 2-0 advantage. Their Gold Laner, John 'Innocent' Vincent Banal, played a critical role with overwhelming damage in teamfights, first on Moskov, then on Wanwan.

• Games 3-4: HB adaptation. With SRG at match point and on the cusp of MSC qualification, HB shifted strategies to systematically target SRG's danger man. They took Innocent out before key moments, such as contests for neutral objectives. This strategy earned HB back-to-back victories.

• Game 5: The off-meta chess match. With the score tied at 2-2, HB drafted Minsitthar for Adam 'Melqt' Hamidun in the Gold Lane to challenge Innocent's Harith. SRG promptly countered with Odette in the Mid Lane. Odette has an ultimate whose overwhelming area-of-effect damage nullifies Minsitthar's ultimate, which requires the team to group up around him when used. Both Minsitthar and Odette were extremely off-meta picks and saw their debuts for both heroes that season. As a result, Innocent quickly outfarmed Melqt and seized victory for SRG.

That draft is why I love MLBB. It is not just about who has the fastest hands. It is about reading the opponent's win condition and dismantling it with a pick that nobody expects.

The Global Stage: Who Joins SRG in Riyadh?

SRG joined Team Liquid Philippines (TLPH) and ONIC Philippines (ONIC) on the MSC at EWC 25 Main Stage. TLPH defeated ONIC 4-3 to win MPL Philippines Season 15. Ultra Legends secured a spot on the Main Stage after crushing Team Falcons (FLCN) 4-1 in the MPL MENA Season 7 Grand Finals, with FLCN progressing to the Wild Card. In Eastern Europe and Central Asia (EECA), Team Spirit swept Virtus.pro 4-0 in the Grand Finals of MLBB Continental Championships (MCC) Season 5 to earn a Main Stage berth; Virtus.pro qualified to the Wild Card.

The second phase of the MPL Malaysia Season 15 Playoffs took place on 14 and 15 June. HB, AERO, and DXS each had one life left, having dropped to the Lower Bracket after each losing once. AERO and DXS kicked off Phase 2 with the Lower Bracket Semi Finals at 11:00 AM GMT+8 on 14 June. All eyes were on AERO's Muhammad 'Hazle' Praba Balakosa, the 18-year-old Indonesian hotshot on loan from RRQ Hoshi. The Jungler had previously scoffed at the quality of MPL Malaysia before his Upper Bracket Semi Finals clash against SRG, but he was forced to eat humble pie after their loss. I have seen that kind of confidence backfire many times. The winner advanced to the Lower Bracket Finals, where HB awaited. Played on 14 June at 4:00 PM GMT+8, the result determined which team earned a spot in the Grand Finals and the privilege of flying Malaysia's flag at the MSC at EWC 25 in Riyadh. The Grand Finals were played on 15 June at 2:30 PM GMT+8.

Malaysia's Leaders and the Bigger Picture

Fikri Rizal Mahruddin, Malaysia Esports Lead at MOONTON Games, said: 'MPL Malaysia is more competitive than ever before, with the top four teams in particular at a whole new level this season. Even though we can only have two representatives for Malaysia in Riyadh this year, I am proud to see our ecosystem as a whole grow as teams and brands invest to capture value. After all, we are one of the world's fastest-growing spectator sports, with plenty of upside still for the taking!' I feel that growth every time I scrim against newer teams. The level is rising.

Before the MPL Malaysia Season 15 Grand Finals, Malaysia's leaders and national sporting icons sent off Malaysia's representatives for the MSC at EWC 25. The national leaders in attendance included Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Rural and Regional Development, YAB Dato' Seri Dr. Zahid bin Hamidi, and Deputy Minister of Youth and Sports, YB Adam Adli. The Deputy Prime Minister participated in a closed-door meeting with MOONTON Games executives, delivered a public address, and hosted a press conference. Both have been fervent supporters of MLBB Esports. They attended the domestic league across multiple seasons, as well as the M6 World Championship in Malaysia last December, MLBB's flagship international tournament. That level of recognition matters. It tells young players that esports is not a niche hobby; it is a legitimate sporting career.

What I Take From It in 2026

Now, as I write this in 2026, I still study SRG's 2025 run. Their partnership with OG Esports blended SRG's deep sports infrastructure with OG's international esports pedigree. The resulting high-performance environment clearly took their world-class players and coaching staff to the next level. Fikri believed they would mount a historic title defence of not just MPL Malaysia, but of the MSC at EWC 25. Whether or not every prediction comes true, the blueprint is clear: build resilient players, embrace off-meta creativity, invest in coaching, and treat every international series like a Game 7.

For me, the greatest lesson is that dominance is not just about winning. It is about forcing your region to level up. SRG did that in 2025. In 2026, I want to be part of the next wave that does it again.