Coach Arcadia Sees a New MLBB World Order 

Selangor Red Giants survived a stern test from Turkey’s Aurora Gaming, edging out a 3–2 victory in the Upper Bracket Quarterfinals of the M7 World Championship. But for SRG’s head coach Michael Angelo Bocado, better known as Coach Arcadia, the narrow win meant Mobile Legends: Bang Bang esports is entering a new era.

With league champions like Indonesia’s ONIC Esports and Philippines’ Team Liquid now fighting through the lower bracket, Arcadia believes M7 is making one thing clear: the gap between regions is rapidly closing.

“It just shows that in this tournament, there are many regions that are getting stronger,” Arcadia said. “You can see it in how Aurora Gaming really gave us a hard time in our match. Props to them and to how they evolved during this tournament. We can see at M7 that all regions have really stepped up,” Coach Arcadia told ALL-STAR in an exclusive interview. 

For years, MLBB’s global narrative revolved around the Philippines–Indonesia rivalry. But Arcadia thinks that storyline may no longer fully capture the competitive reality.

“In the last Mid Season Cup, it was SRG versus TLPH,” he said. “You really can’t say who are rivals anymore because all other regions are strong now.”

SRG’s rise has also reshaped how fans perceive Malaysia’s place on the world stage. Still, Arcadia was quick to deflect individual credit, pointing instead to a broader ecosystem of Filipino talent shaping teams beyond their home region.

“It’s not just me. It’s all about the Filipino talents, in general,” he said. “The coaches, the players, and the knowledge they are able to share with their teams, that’s the biggest factor in how other regions have evolved.”

That sentiment echoed earlier comments from Team Liquid Philippines head coach Rodel Cruz, aka Coach Arsy, who highlighted the impact of Filipino imports in accelerating regional growth, particularly in Malaysia. Arcadia agreed, emphasizing that what Filipinos bring goes beyond drafts and mechanics.

“I totally agree with that,” he said. “It’s not just the technical knowledge that we impart, but also the culture and mindset. Filipinos have a unique mindset when it comes to MLBB esports and they are able to bring that mindset to whatever team they join, that’s why everyone is able to adopt that kind of mentality of being very fierce and competitive.”

As M7 continues to dismantle old hierarchies, SRG’s five-game battle against Turkey’s Aurora Gaming stands as a reminder: dominance is no longer just between Indonesia and the Philippines in MLBB esports. 

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