KarlTzy Says He Doesn’t Care About Losing His G.O.A.T. Status
Greatness is often measured by trophies won, records broken, and moments etched into history—but even the greatest of all time stumble sometimes.
After years of cementing himself as perhaps the most decorated player in MLBB history, Karl “KarlTzy” Nepomuceno once again found himself at the center of a debate—not because of another historic triumph, but after a painful defeat that fell short of the lofty expectations placed upon him.
KarlTzy may be the face of a defending champion carrying everything to lose, but he has never allowed others to define his legacy—even if it means losing the G.O.A.T. title attached to his name.
Even the greatest falls sometimes
Team Liquid PH’s reign as MSC champion came to an end at the 2026 MLBB Mid-Season Cup (MSC) in Paris, France, after a shocking defeat to Peru’s Entity7. The loss ended the Cavalry’s bid for back-to-back MSC titles with a winless run and a 13th–16th place finish.
For many fans, the result reignited the online debate: did this setback make KarlTzy less of a G.O.A.T?
The conversation grew even louder during MSC 2026 after sports commentator Raynday referred to KarlTzy as a “self-proclaimed” G.O.A.T. during the broadcast, a remark that drew criticism from members of the MLBB community.
He later clarified on X that he was referring to KarlTzy embracing the title after Team Liquid PH’s MSC 2025 triumph.
“Yup! It was worded in a confusing way. That self proclaimed was just referencing that he accepted the title after MSC25, not that he originated it by calling himself the GOAT. ‘After MSC25 he has also proclaimed himself the goat and accepted the title’ is another way to say it,” Raynday wrote.
For the two-time world champion, however, the answer has always been simple.
“Personally, I don’t really care if they take it away from me. Feel free to take away the GOAT status from me. I don’t really care. I just wanna win and bounce back,” KarlTzy said in an exclusive interview with ALL-STAR Magazine when asked about the discussions surrounding his G.O.A.T. status.
Yet beneath that indifference toward public opinion was the frustration of a champion who believed his team was capable of much more.
Shortly after Team Liquid PH’s elimination, KarlTzy took time to write a message on social media and apologized to the team’s supporters, promising that the squad would return stronger.
“Sorry sa lahat ng sumuporta guys! Sorry di made-defend ‘yung MSC sa akin ‘tong run na ‘to thank you din sa lahat ng sumuporta guys! Kita kits sa mga next tourna, babawi kami,” KarlTzy wrote on Facebook following Team Liquid PH’s elimination last Saturday.
The loss was a difficult chapter for a team that entered MSC 2026 carrying the weight of expectations after conquering the previous edition in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Everything has changed
Only a few tournaments have turned expectations upside down quite like MSC 2026.
Powerhouse organizations stumbled, established contenders struggled to keep pace, and an underdog from South America emerged as one of the tournament’s biggest stories.
Peru’s Entity7, a team many overlooked before the competition began, ultimately sent the defending champions home in one of the tournament’s biggest upsets.
But beyond the shocking results, MSC 2026 exposed a deeper challenge for even the world’s best teams: adapting to a game that had suddenly changed beneath them.
“My biggest learning in this tournament is, I think, adapting fast to the meta because all of us have the same amount of preparation time and the same amount of practice time, and I feel like we’re left behind,” he explained.
KarlTzy was once hailed as a young prodigy for his fearless approach with assassin heroes, earning the nickname “Young G.O.A.T.” during his rise to prominence.
His mastery of mechanically demanding heroes like Lancelot eventually became part of his identity, even earning him his M2 World Championship skin.
But as the meta evolved, the jungle role shifted, forcing him to specialize in utility junglers—a transition that he admitted made returning to assassin-heavy playstyles more difficult.
“Ang tingin ko ‘yung pagkukulang ko ay ‘yung pag a-assassin ko. Nakita ko ‘yung pag a-assassin ng ibang players, sobrang gagaling talaga,” he admitted.
“Nasanay din talaga ‘yung team namin na utility junglers ginagamit. Kaya every tournament talaga need namin mag-adjust.”
Team Liquid PH was not alone in struggling with the shift. Other favorites, including Selangor Red Giants, also fell victim to the rapidly changing meta, proving that adaptation—not experience alone—became the defining challenge of MSC 2026.
“Sobrang laki talaga ng changes, hindi lang sa heroes kundi sa playstyle din. Parang bumalik siya ng last five seasons ng ML pero may mga bagong heroes kaya siguro nag sa-struggle talaga ‘yung mga team and hindi pa namin nafi-figure out,” KarlTzy explained.
The pursuit continues
KarlTzy does not need another title to validate what he has already achieved.
He does not chase titles because they define him. He chases them because the hunger for greatness that created his legacy still burns bright.
And perhaps that is what separates champions from legends—not the ability to stay on top forever, but the courage to fight their way back when they fall.
