At a glance, Team Liquid PH’s (TLPH) 2025 run looks almost unreal. One by one, the squad dominated every major event. The results with each tournament remain the same, with the Cavalry lifting the trophy. And with that, the team is on its way to finish the year with a Golden Road. What’s standing in its way is the M7 World Championship, the pinnacle of Mobile Legends: Bang Bang (MLBB) esports. 

But this dominance did not happen overnight. It was the result of lessons learned from its shaky 2024 campaign. To truly understand how TLPH reached this peak, it’s worth looking back at the steps, struggles, and turning points that shaped its flawless run.

MPL PH Season 15: The Roster Revamped That Changed Everything, or Did It?

‍

TLPH (known as Liquid ECHO at that time) kicked off 2024 with a solid championship finish in MPL PH Season 13. However, the Cavalry Express ran out of steam after its opening season. MSC 2024 saw them finish 3rd-4th place, then closed the year with a 5th-6th finish in MPL PH Season 14. 

It was painfully clear that the ol’ reliable synergy was falling apart. Something needed to be done, and they did. Frederic “Bennyqt” Gonzales had long been one of TLPH’s most reliable pillars. He’s a top-tier Gold Laner whose consistency carried the team through countless fights. But as the meta evolved, consistency alone was no longer enough. The team needed someone willing to take the long shots, a true closer, the kind of “Filipino Sniper” who could turn a single opening into a game-ending moment. That search led to a difficult decision: parting ways with Bennyqt and ushering in M3 World Championship Finals MVP awardee Kiel “Oheb” Q. Soriano, a move that would ultimately redefine the team’s identity.

For me I'm proud that the team improved a lot in mindset inside and outside of the game.
‍
- Head Coach Rodel "Ar Sy" B.Cruz

But did it change the identity of TLPH? Hardly. It was still the same snowballing squad that can be unstoppable when given the chance. Only this time, the team’s marksman hero pool is much more diverse. You’ll see Oheb spamming the hero Granger. But when push comes to shove, he can switch up the flavor with Harith, Claude, and even unorthodox picks like Ruby and Alice. 

The improvement was obvious during MPL PH Season 16, the opening event of 2025 for the team. They dominated the competition with only ONIC PH being their kryptonite. Even so, the team was able to overcome it in the grand finals, finishing with a 4-3 score. The message was clear: TLPH is back. 

MSC 2025: The Crowning of the GOAT, KarlTzy

‍

TLPH may have proven their mettle on their home ground by winning the MPL PH season, but the real test is always the big international events. At MSC 2025, TL PH would have a chance to truly prove themselves by dethroning the defending Malaysian champions, SRG.OG. Both teams showed why they stood above the rest of the field as favorites, each one tearing through the bracket without dropping a single series. It could not have been clearer: the MSC Grand Finals would crown the kings of MLBB.

When it mattered most, TLPH didn’t just take the crown, they made their claim to the throne undeniable. The Cavalry Express steamrolled with a 4-1 victory over SRG.OG. More than just a title, the team proved that their dominance extends beyond the domestic stage and helped propel Team Liquid to a second place finish at EWC.

For me the team’s maturity and consistency are the things I'm proudest of. They learned how to win not just on pure skill but through adaptability, a win-as-one mindset, and bytrusting in themselves and their whole team.
‍
-Strategic Coach Archie "Tictac" Reyes

When it came to the players, the significance was immense too. The fans and wider MLBB community had held Karl "KarlTzy" Nepomuceno to be the GOAT of MLBB before the event, but his MSC win cemented the GOAT status so much that even he finally gave in and embraced it. But the journey for KarlTzy and TLPH does not end here: He and the team have a chance to become the face MLBB esports, if they can keep this train on its tracks…

MPL PH Season 16: A Final That Ended Before It Truly Began

‍

For as good as TLPH have proven to be, there are no guarantees in MLBB. The remainder of the MPL PH Season showed that TLPH could not take anything for granted — Aurora Gaming PH entered the season as the undisputed kings with a dominant 13-1 regular-season record that positioned them as clear favorites. When Aurora PH cinched an Upper Bracket Final victory over Team Liquid PH, it only reinforced the narrative that the Cavalry Express had finally run out of steam. 

However, Team Liquid PH still had a lower bracket to work through, and so they laid tracks down and took the long road back to the Lower Bracket Final. There, the squad dismantled TNC Pro Team in a convincing 4-1 win and earned them the rematch against the season’s favorite. 

What I’m proudest of for our TLPH roster is their shift from raw potential to true competitive maturity. What stood out wasn’t just the results, but how they played the game. We grew as a team without losing the hunger — becoming not just mechanically better, but more united. That foundation we created is more valuable than any trophy, as it’s what sustains our team’s long-term success.
‍
- Mitch Liwanag, Head of Esports Philippines

What followed, however, was completely unexpected. Instead of the intense, seven-game war fans had anticipated, the Grand Finals turned anticlimactic. Team Liquid PH flipped the script entirely, delivering a ruthless 4-0 sweep that left Aurora and the MLBB world stunned. TLPH became a two-time MPL PH champion and is one step closer to achieving a Golden Road this year. All they have to do now is win the M7 World Championship, scheduled to start on January 20, 2026. They are in good position, pushed forward by a year of momentum, but there are still no guarantees; the longer that any team stays golden, the more that every other squad longs to beat them. This crown is as heavy as any other, and now that they are one step away from a golden age, it’s up to TLPH to prove they can handle the weight. 

‍