K1NGKONG Comes to Terms With ONIC PH’s Cruel Fate in MPL PH Season 18

Blank stares, somber expressions, and deafening silence filled the room as ONIC Philippines saw its MPL Philippines Season 18 campaign come to an end at the hands of Team Liquid PH.

Cruel as it may seem, every journey eventually reaches its end. But for King “K1NGKONG” Perez, it presented him with a bitter pill hard to swallow: ONIC PH had been left behind.

Unlike last season’s heartbreaking elimination, when K1NGKONG struggled to hold back his tears, the star jungler appeared relatively composed in the aftermath of another disappointing playoff exit.

A Different Reality; Falling Behind
But beneath that composure was a realization he could no longer ignore.

“It’s more of a realization na naiwan kami ng mga team sa mga bagong META,” K1NGKONG told ALL-STAR.

The admission offered a glimpse into how the star jungler viewed ONIC PH’s struggles, recognizing that the competition had seemingly moved ahead while his team struggled to keep pace.

It was a stark contrast to how K1NGKONG viewed the team’s chances last season, when he believed ONIC PH was a legitimate contender despite undergoing significant roster changes.

K1NGKONG admitted that he remained confident in ONIC PH’s championship chances even after the departure of Duane “Kelra” Pillas, who was traded for Indonesian import Clayton “Savero” Kuswanto back in Season 17.

Although Savero initially struggled to adjust to the Philippine scene, he eventually proved himself as a gold laner capable of competing with the best.

Fast forward to Season 18, ONIC PH entered the playoffs as the No. 3 seed after putting together a respectable regular-season campaign.

However, its strong showing in the regular season did little to guarantee success when the stakes were higher.

The Gap at the Top
The Super Fam opened its playoff campaign with a grueling 3-2 victory over TNC Pro Team, but its road to the Immortality Cup quickly turned into a nightmare.

ONIC PH suffered back-to-back 0-3 defeats against Team Falcons PH and Team Liquid PH, ending its championship aspirations and leaving the team with another fourth-place finish.

For K1NGKONG, the results reflected a much bigger problem than simply falling short in the playoffs.

Despite having opportunities to prove itself against the league’s top contenders, ONIC PH failed to secure a victory against either Team Falcons PH or Team Liquid PH throughout the season, exposing the gap between the Super Fam and the league’s strongest squads.

Its struggles against Team Liquid PH were particularly frustrating, as the Super Fam had gone an entire year without defeating the defending champions.

The defeat against Team Falcons PH was particularly damaging, as the 0-3 sweep sent ONIC PH crashing into the lower bracket.

Team Liquid PH would eventually deliver the final blow, ending ONIC’s Season 18 campaign with another clean sweep.

Despite being considered one of the contenders capable of conquering MPL Philippines Season 18, ONIC PH settled for fourth place.

Through Every High and Low
Still, amid another disappointing end to their championship aspirations, the Super Fam had one constant to lean on: its loyal supporters.

K1NGKONG acknowledged that the fans remained one of the team’s biggest sources of motivation, especially during difficult moments when victories became harder to come by.

“Yung mga fans talaga namin ‘yung nagpu-push sa amin. Kailangan namin gawin ‘yung best namin para mabigyan sila ng magandang laban,” K1NGKONG said.

He also expressed his gratitude to the supporters who continued to stand behind the team despite its shortcomings.

“Lagi kayo naniniwala and gusto ko lang sabihin na super grateful naming lahat sa inyo. Lalo na sa mga effort niyo, sa pagbigay ng time para suportahan kami. Kita-kits next season,” he added.

For K1NGKONG and ONIC PH, the road back to the top will require more than another playoff appearance. With the competition continuing to evolve, the Super Fam must find a way to keep pace with the league’s best if it hopes to reclaim its place among the title contenders.