MANILA—Onic PH and Blacklist International won a second straight game in the Mobile Legends: Bang Bang Professional League Saturday night, while defending world champions Bren Esports lost their opening game against Echo PH, which bounced back from a loss Friday night.

Onic earned their latest win by defeating Smart Omega 2-1, which was starting its campaign without Southeast Asia championship MVP Grant "Kelra" Duane Pillas, who is currently facing a 2-week suspension over remarks made a few weeks back.

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After Omega took Game 2 to tie, Onic became the more dominant team, even as the game lapsed a late-game stage that was more advantageous for an Omega squad that had taken in Execration's entire lineup months ago.

Echo, meanwhile, won via 2-0 sweep over a Bren squad that was looking forward to starting its campaign to qualify for the M3 World Championship.

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Echo quickly took Game 1, leaving Bren poised to level the series. But a pick-off, which allowed Jaymark Aaron "Hadess" Tomas Lazaro's Roger to eke out a maniac and help wipe out the defending world champions' lineup, and pave the way for Echo to rally and win.

Nexplay had a good early game, taking the turtle thrice. But it took their vintage UBE (Ultimate Bonding Experience) strategy care of Blacklist to turn things around and get the first game advantage.

Blacklist was poised to sweep, but Nexplay put out a good counter in the late game to force a decider.

After a long Game 3, however, it was Blacklist that came out on top, after stopping a surprise Alucard pick on the side of Nexplay Esports.