After months of heartbreak and visa rejections, Blacklist Rivalry can finally carry the Filipino flag in one of the most consequential esports tournaments of the year.
Blacklist Rivalry, the Dota 2 team of Blacklist International, secured their spot in the Riyadh Masters at the Esports World Cup by executing a stunning 2-1 reverse sweep against Talon Esports in the Southeast Asia closed qualifier’s lower bracket on Sunday, June 2.
The all-Filipino team, consisting of John Anthony “Natsumi” Vargas, Abed “Abed” Yusop, Kim Villafuerte “Gabbi” Santos, Timothy “TIMS” Randrup, and Jaunuel “Jaunuel” Arcilla, bounced back from a heavy Game 1 defeat to clinch victories in the final two games.
With their tournament life on the line, Abed delivered a standout performance on Shadow Fiend in Game 2, posting an 18-1-14 KDA to equalize the series. Gabbi supported with a 7-2-23 KDA on Mars, while Natsumi contributed a 13-4-11 tally on Chaos Knight.
Undeterred by their initial loss, Blacklist took control early in Game 2 with a decisive three-man pickoff at the 15-minute mark. They maintained their dominance, closing the game at the 50-minute mark with a 40-16 kill score.
Carrying the momentum into Game 3, Blacklist showed relentless aggression. Abed’s Pangolier and Gabbi’s Centaur Warrunner overwhelmed Talon, with a perfect engagement at the 25-minute mark sealing a commanding 29-11 victory.
Abed ended Game 3 with an impeccable 7-0-17 KDA, while Natsumi, playing Troll Warlord, added a 9-3-13 line, ensuring a flawless finish.
Blacklist’s qualifier journey saw them rebound from a 2-0 loss to Bleed Esports, sweeping IHC Esports, Neon Esports, and fellow Filipino team TNC Predator before facing Talon Esports in the lower bracket finals.
Blacklist, along with Aurora, will represent SEA at the Riyadh Masters in July, competing for the top share of the $5,000,000 prize pool.
