The Night We Shocked the World: Remembering TNC’s Miracle at TI6
On August 10, 2016, TNC (then TnC Gaming) pulled off THE MIRACLE AT TI6, or what many still call the greatest upset in Dota 2 history. In the lower bracket of The International 2016, held at KeyArena in Seattle, the Filipino underdogs swept two-time Major champions OG 2–0, sending them packing and vaulting themselves into the Top 8—but more importantly, into esports legend.
OG arrived with a decorated roster—Miracle-, n0tail, Cr1t-, Fly, MoonMeander—familiar from Frankfurt and Manila Majors, yet surprisingly knocked into the lower bracket by MVP Phoenix.
Meanwhile, TNC had just fought their way through qualifiers and entered the main event with minimal fanfare but maximum heart. TNC’s roster was a mix of rising local stars and seasoned leadership: Raven, Kuku, Sam_H, Tims, and veteran captain DeMoN. They weren’t the most decorated five in the tournament, but they played with the urgency of men who knew this might be their only shot.
Game 1: Phantom Lancer burns the house down
OG’s draft—Medusa + Drow Ranger supported by Void and Enchantress—seemed formidable. But TNC’s answer—Lifestealer, Phantom Lancer, Axe—emphasized raw aggression and split-pressure.
Despite all of OG’s early control—tower pressure, net worth lead—TNC weathered the storm. Kuku’s Phantom Lancer tested OG’s patience; Sam_H’s Axe and DeMoN’s Vengeful Spirit found clutch openings; and a pivotal smoke gank turned the tides.
By the 55-minute mark, a decisive 22–5 comeback run sealed Game 1 for TNC.
Game 2: Huskar, Chronospheres, and Divine Rapier drama
OG tried to retaliate through Ember Spirit, Tiny, and Wisp, but TNC responded with raw Filipino flair: Huskar + Drow Ranger, anchored by Faceless Void and backed by Dazzle and Venge.
Though OG raced ahead—raiding lanes, pressuring towers—TNC’s resolve never wavered. Sam_H’s clutch Chronospheres, Raven’s silences, and the Huskar-Drow core eventually ground them back into the fight.
The moment of ultimate drama came when Miracle grabbed a Divine Rapier, a hail-Mary attachment. But TNC weathered it. Another perfect Chronosphere and a cooldown silence from Drow shattered OG’s final defense—ending the series in just under an hour.
What unfolded wasn’t merely a statistical upset.
The Miracle at TI6
Then-caster Marlon “Lon” Marcelo, who is now executive director of Philippine Esports Organization or PESO, and Aldrin Paulo “Dunoo” Pangan, proclaimed the feat as the greatest upset in Dota history.
The shock was so severe that the esports community hailed it as “The Miracle at TI6.”
TNC lost in the next bracket after that feat, but that hardly became the story. What the world remembered was not where they finished, but what they had slain. OG was not just any team—they were the two-time Major champions, the untouchable kings of the meta. For a squad that had barely made it past visa troubles, to send those giants home was enough to etch themselves into history.
The scoreboard showed elimination, but the headlines screamed miracle. In that moment, TNC became more than a Filipino team—they became the living proof that the world’s greatest stage was not reserved for pedigreed rosters and storied organizations. It could belong, even for a night, to those who dared to believe.
A Decade Later: Echoes of a Miracle
In 2025, the echoes of that legendary victory found new resonance. For the first time since 2019, a Filipino team has once again qualified for The International—Team Nemesis. The all-Filipino ensemble—Raven, Akashi, Mac, Jing, and Erice—rose from relative obscurity to conquer the Southeast Asian qualifiers, stunning heavy favorites Talon Esports in a dramatic 2–1 series. Their feat rekindles the Filipino flame on Dota’s grandest stage.
Led by Raven, the same veteran who once stood in TNC’s miracle run, Nemesis rekindles the flame lit ten years ago. The names are different. The venue will be different. But the spirit? The spirit is exactly the same.
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