TOP 10: BLACKLIST INTERNATIONAL'S ALL-TIME GREATEST PLAYERS

A SAD DAY for MLBB fans who were inspired to 'Break The Code' and become 'Agents' tasked to accomplish each espionage mission, as Blacklist International announced their departure in the MLBB esports scene.

As one of the key bastions in the Philippine MLBB scene, Blacklist's legacy will forever echo across history, and to further contribute to the success of the org are the players who have inspired an entire nation. 

We look back at the greatest players to have ever donned the black-and-white (or even blue) jerseys.

PHOTO: Honda Beast

10.) HONDA BEAST

Roamers and tank/supports have always been the bread-and-butter of Blacklist International and one should look back at one of the OGs of the team, Reiniel "Honda Beast" Encisa. 

Many regard him as one of the most underrated Khufra players in the scene, and his clutch playoff performances back in Season 5 would heighten his impact with the team.

Besides being a trailblazer for Blacklist's tank/support players, he was also recognized for educating the community, similar to what Aniel "Master The Basics" Jiandani is doing right now on his YouTube channel. 

PHOTO: Blacklist International ILLUSTRATION: Abo Limos

9.) Renejay

What a way to revitalize one's career and this happened the moment Renejay "Renejay" Barcarse left Nexplay and switched allegiances to Blacklist International.

And it was no easy task as Renejay not only had to redeem himself, but also follow from the footsteps of the legendary Queen herself, Johnmar "OhMyV33nus" Villaluna.

Despite not winning trophies for Blacklist, Renejay was able to fulfill his task of bringing The Codebreakers to the next level as his arrival diversified their playstyle. The level of aggression he brings, contrasts the systematic approach that previous iterations of Blacklist were renowned for. 

Sadly though his tenure with the team was short, as after the resurgence he experienced back in M5, he took a break. Afterwards he joined Aurora. 

PHOTO: MPL PH, AP

8.) DEX STAR

Together with HONDA BEAST, Dexter "Dex Star" Alaba formed a dynamic duo for the Codebreakers during the early iterations of the team, and they managed to push for a playoff contention for the club.

His loyalty will forever be acknowledged as DEX STAR stayed with the team as an analyst and a backup player after Season 6, and his efforts from behind alongside Coach Kristoffer "BON CHAN" Ricaplaza produced one of the most revolutionary tactics in the MLBB scene: Ultimate Bonding Experience (UBE). 

7.) ESON

Mark "ESON" Gerardo was part of that championship core that gave Blacklist International its first MPL trophy back in Season 7, but then all of a sudden things started to change. 

With Salic "Hadji" Imam's arrival, ESON was relegated to the bench, but this didn't hinder his role as he soon became the benchmark for players who end up as a 6th man.

From behind the scenes, ESON proved to be a key catalyst for the Codebreakers, and eventually others such as Vincent "Pando" Unigo and Brian "Spider-Milez" Santos have followed into his footsteps, proving that a 6th man's role has a profound impact when used properly. 

PHOTO: MOONTON Games

6.) YUEEEEEEEEEE!

It can be argued that Kenneth "Yue" Tadeo is one of Blacklist's greatest ever players to have never won a trophy for the club, and he had numerous chances to finally claim the grandest prize of them all, only for the trophy to elude him. 

Yet despite his shortcomings, Yue was truly a magician in the midlane. He was the perfect response that Blacklist needed to adapt in the current era of midlaners who are more prone for ruthless aggression as seen from Gilang "SANZ" and Alston "Sanji" Pabico. 

Heck on his international appearances, Yue erupted in both MSC 2023 and M5 World Championship, which ultimately produced the 'YUEEEEEEE!' battlecry. 

PHOTO: MPL Philippines

5.) Oheb

Kiel "Oheb" Soriano's feisty remarks have definitely brought a different flavor inside Blacklist bootcamp, but that attitude alone even translated inside the Land of Dawn, most evident in Blacklist's M3 winning campaign.

Oheb's Beatrix masterclass molded him into the 'Filipino Sniper' and a finals MVP accolade that cemented his legacy as one of the best gold laners in the scene. 

Even as time goes by Oheb manages to adapt well and honed his individual skills, making him one of the most well-rounded players in the scene. 

PHOTO: MPL Philippines

4.) Hadji

His arrival marked a new beginning for the Codebreakers as the team needed a breath of fresh air given that teams were beginning to see the cracks in their gameplan after MSC 2021.

Hadji's ability to play various roam heroes in Season 8 pushed Blacklist to an enigmatic status in which teams struggled to find a loophole in their gameplan. And even when teams slowly adapted to their methods and discovered ways to pummel them, Blacklist stood tall, all thanks to the flexibility introduced by Wise and Hadji.

The constant switching of roles between OhMyV33nus and Hadji caused a massive headache for their opponents back in Season 8 and the M3 World Championship, forcing MOONTON to make significant changes in the patch to nerf this tactic.

But that alone wasn't enough to slow Hadji down as Blacklist still managed to find ways, until ECHO swept them in the M4 finale. 

PHOTO: Edward, Blacklist International

3.) Edward

Similar to HONDA BEAST and DEX STAR, Edward "Edward" Jay Dapadap was a part of the OG cast of Blacklist International, and his progression from an up-and-coming prospect to superstardom remains to be one of the best storylines in the scene.

Edward's evolution, combined with the fluidity from their gameplan, and OhMyV33nus' leadership have propelled Blacklist to numerous accolades.

And even when the Royal Duo left the scene, Edward's performances was still an unwavering spark. 

Three straight M-series appearances with the Codebreakers is no easy feat to accomplish and this has cemented Edward to be one of the best EXP laners in the scene, plus it can be argued that the level of consistency he has displayed inside the Land of Dawn is worthy of the GOAT status. 

2.) Wise

When Salic "Hadji" Imam arrived, there were questions if Danerie James "Wise" Del Rosario will keep his slot as the team's primary jungler especially with the notable criticisms centered on his playstyle back in MSC 2021. Could you imagine an alternate universe where Hadji became the main jungler for Blacklist?

Looking back, Blacklist made the right call of shrugging of the critics as Wise evolved the scene by introducing a new meta in the MLBB esports scene.

In a time when assassin and damage-oriented junglers were prominent, Wise broke the mold with the 'tank jungler' meta, a move that ultimately gave Blacklist numerous championship credentials. Give Wise whatever hero you could think off such as Fredrinn, Barats, and...wait what? A Valentina? and Blacklist could still deliver the coup de grace. 

It was so groundbreaking that others were forced to adapt into Wise' methods, and even the most stubborn of them all like Karl "KarlTzy" Nepomuceno slowly accepted the tank jungler revolution. 

PHOTO: Blacklist International, Kairi

HONORABLE MENTIONS:

- Owl and Dominic

Two important figures for Blacklist's Southeast Asian Games campaign, which pushed them to have promising careers, though their tenures were very brief. 

- Kairi/Fullclip

Another of Blacklist's promising prospects, proving that the team has a keen eye for potential. He was later traded to Onic Philippines in exchange for the V33Wise tandem, which became one of the greatest trades in MPL-PH history. 

- Sensui

A solid replacement for Wise and one of the most annoying retri-holders that would dampen the opposition's morale. 

PHOTO: MOONTON Games

1.) OhMyV33nus

Was there any doubt? The Queen's arrival completely changed Blacklist's fortunes. Gone were the days when Blacklist could only watch in awe as Bren Esports would command the scene with their dominance, as OhMyV33nus transformed a hopeful and aspiring team into a championship contender.

And they even went beyond as Blacklist is now a legendary franchise in the history of MLBB esports.

It was a perfect match to begin with, as Blacklist wasn't the only one aiming for a massive breakthrough as even OhMyV33nus herself was in desperate need of a resurgence. Under her leadership, Blacklist ended up building a dynasty that would carve a new patch in MLBB esports. 

What's even impressive is that V33nus established a championship-laden career even without using traditional or flashy roamers like Chou. All she had was her signature healers and sustain roamers, and most importantly her vast array of in-game knowledge, which can be argued is unrivaled. 

Truly one of the GOATs in the scene. 

2025-01-23T12:11:43Z