Nathzz’s Return Wouldn’t Have Been Possible Without Light Guiding Him Home

Time flies, and so much can happen in just one year.

Nathanael “Nathzz” Estrologo went from serving customers at a Taco Bell in the United States to lifting a championship trophy with Aurora Gaming upon his return to the Philippines.

Winning another MPL championship after four years was already a fitting homecoming, and qualifying for his first-ever M-Series appearance made it even sweeter.

But none of it might have happened if his former teammate, Dylan “Light” Catipon, had not vouched for him.

Talent and determination can take you far, but sometimes, all it takes is someone who believes in you to open doors to opportunities you never imagined. For Nathzz, that person was Light.

He Shall Return, And He Did
Nathzz migrated to the United States with his family in 2024, bidding farewell to the MPL stage midway through MPL Philippines Season 14.

“This might be my last journey for now with RSG Philippines because of personal reasons. I hope to see you guys soon, this is not a goodbye, just see you later,” Nathzz said at the time.

A few months later, in early 2025, RSG PH officially disbanded.

While his former teammates continued pursuing their professional careers, Nathzz stepped away from the life he had known for years and embraced a different kind of grind.

Just a year before his triumphant return, he was working as a Target employee in Abington, Massachusetts, scanning shelves, picking out items ordered online by customers, and neatly packing them for curbside pickup.

His days at Target, however, were only part of the work he took on while building a life in the United States.

Nathzz also worked at Taco Bell, stationed behind the drive-thru window, greeting customers through a headset and handing out burritos and tacos.

At times, he would help assemble orders behind the counter, spending his shifts constantly on his feet. When understaffed crews needed extra help, his responsibilities could even extend to cleaning the shop late into the night.

It was a far cry from the life he once had as a professional player. Yet, even as he took on a different path, his connection to competitive MLBB never completely faded.

He eventually competed for Alpha7 North at the MSC 2026 in Paris, where his performance caught the attention of someone who knew exactly what he could bring to a team.

That someone was Light.

When Everything Aligned
As Aurora began searching for a replacement for retiring EXP laner Edward Jay “Edward” Dapadap, Nathzz emerged as their top candidate, with Light, his former teammate at RSG PH, among those consulted about the potential signing.

“It started kasi noong MSC. Noong time na ‘yun naghi-hint na si Edward na magte-take a break na siya. Kami naman, naghahanap kami ng replacement which is Nathzz ‘yung no. 1 candidate noong time na ‘yun,” Light told ALL-STAR.

“Sila naman ‘yung nagbigay ng choice nung una. Tinanong nila sa akin kung ok ba si Nathzz. Ang sabi ko ok naman siya, reliable naman siya. Eventually, ok naman din sila and nanghingi sila ng input ko,” he added.

Without hesitation, Light vouched for his former teammate, believing Nathzz was more than capable of taking over the EXP lane role Edward had left behind.

Returning to the MPL, however, came with its own set of challenges. Replacing a two-time world champion and one of the league’s most recognizable EXP laners came with enormous expectations, especially for someone who had spent the past year adjusting to an entirely different life.

But Nathzz gradually found his footing.

Despite the early adjustments and challenges, he made his presence felt throughout the season, eventually earning the Comeback Player of the Season award.

For someone who had never expected to find himself back in the Philippines’ most competitive MLBB league, the recognition meant even more.

“Grateful kasi galing akong US and hindi ko talaga ine-expect kasi galing ako sa less competitive region. Di ko talaga in-expect kasi buong season adjusting ako sa Pilipinas,” Nathzz said.

What began with a former teammate’s vote of confidence eventually led Nathzz back to the MPL stage, where he proved that he still belonged among the league’s best.

Let Light Guide You Home
When brotherhood runs deep, time and distance mean little.

Circumstances may have taken Nathzz and Light down different paths, but their bond remained the same.

Now reunited under the same banner, the two are once again chasing a shared dream, this time with the M8 World Championship waiting on the horizon.

Before his return, Nathzz could only look back fondly on the memories he made competing in the MPL. In one of his posts last year, he reflected on those moments as he embraced a new chapter of his life in the United States.

Now, he has an entirely different set of memories to cherish, none perhaps sweeter than lifting the MPL Philippines Season 18 championship trophy.

And this time, he does not have to chase that dream alone.

Having Light by his side gives Nathzz not only a familiar face to lean on but also a teammate who shares the same ambitions on the international stage.

In fact, Nathzz once admitted feeling a little envious, in the best way possible, when he saw his former RSG teammates Light and Cedrix “Demonkite” Caranto lift the M7 World Championship trophy earlier this year.

Having just returned to the Philippines, he could only hope to experience that same feeling someday.

Now, he has the opportunity to turn that dream into reality at M8.

When ALL-STAR asked Light about Nathzz’s ambition to capture the world championship title in his first M-Series appearance, he made it clear that he would do everything he could to help him achieve it.

“Kami nag-champion kami ng world na kaming 2 pero ‘yung 3 hindi pa. Gusto ko lang din na maranasan nila ‘yun. As kakampi nila, gagawin ko ‘yung best ko para ma-achieve ‘yun ng kasama naman sila,” Light told ALL-STAR in an exclusive interview.

For Nathzz, hearing those words from someone he had shared so much of his professional journey with meant a lot.

But he also understood that promises alone would not be enough to make their shared ambition come true.

“Sobrang saya lang, coming from Light, alam ko naman na tutuparin niya ‘yun. Pero I know na kailangan pa rin to put effort into it pa rin. Hindi lang tayo pwede magsabi ng ganito ganyan, kailangan mo talaga lagyan ng effort tapos isa puso mo ‘yung passion sa paglalaro para makamit ‘yung mga bagay na ‘yun,” Nathzz told ALL-STAR.

“Kapag ginawa mo kasi ‘yun, maabot at maabot mo talaga ‘yun. Thankful talaga ako kay Light kasi siya talaga ‘yung pinagkuhanan ko ng lakas kasi siya ‘yung teammate ko dati,” he added.

Their reunion is already a story of its own. Two former teammates who once shared the RSG PH jersey have found their way back to each other, carrying different experiences but holding on to the same championship aspirations.

For Nathzz, the journey back to the MPL was never simply about returning to the stage. It was about rediscovering a dream he once had to set aside, finding his place again, and proving that a detour does not necessarily mean the end of the road.

And perhaps that is what makes this homecoming even more meaningful.

Sometimes, finding your way home takes more than determination. Sometimes, it takes someone who never stops believing that you belong there.

And now, together, Nathzz and Light have another dream to chase.