M5: Blacklist kicks off world title reclamation bid with rout of RRQ Akira

Blacklist International proved it is still a force to be reckoned with as it asserted dominance over Brazil's RRQ Akira with a clean 2-0 win to open its campaign in the M5 World Championship on Sunday at the EVM Convention Center.

Jungler Stepehen "Sensui" Castillo, showing no jitters in his first world stage appearance, secured the first lord for the Codebreakers before they decided to go for the tower lock en route to the win. The FIlipinos needed just 11 minutes to dispose of the visitors with an 8-1 kill spread.

Edward "Edward" Dapadap displayed no mercy on his Edith, unloading five kills and three assists while incurring no death to claim the MVP honor in the opener. 

RRQ, though, put up a better fight in Game 2 but by the 16:43-mark Blacklist had already taken down all of their turrets with roamer Renejay "Renejay" Barcase shining in his Estes pick, a signature hero of their former team captain Johnmar "OhMyV33nus" Villaluna. 

RRQ was able to take down the fourth lord but Kiel "Oheb" Soriano and Kenneth "Yue" Tadeo went on a killing spree at the opposing team's base late as Blacklist completed the sweep. 

Blacklist, who is looking to bag its second world title after winning the M3 edition in 2021, will seek to build on this momentum when it takes on wild card Team SMG of Malaysia on Monday at 8 p.m.

—Bea Micaller/JKC, GMA Integrated News