THE M5 WORLD Championship is finally over and the storylines, combined with the nonstop thrills and action have indeed amplified its overall prestige.
The grand finals even garnered 5 million peak viewers, surpassing the previous record of 4.2 million peak viewers from the M4 World Championship bout between Blacklist International and RRQ Hoshi.
Ultimately this proved that M5 was indeed 'better than great,' a statement echoed by these individuals who have made leaps and bounds in this M-series event.
Roam - Owgwen (AP.Bren)
Nicky "Kiboy" Pontonuwu was at the top of his game the moment he won the finals MVP back in MSC 2023 and given his recent duel against Rowgien "Owgwen" Unigo in their upper bracket bout, perhaps he could once again replicate his top tier performances in the finale.
But that never materialized as Owgwen stepped up and nerfed his presence, which caused a domino effect where Kairi "Kairi" Rayosdelsol likewise struggled.
However it wasn't only in the finale where Owgwen shined as his four MVP trophies in the knockout stages proved that he was also integral in AP.Bren's ascencion, with his showing against Blacklist International in the lower bracket as one of his masterpieces.
Honorable Mention/s: Renejay "Renejay" Barcarse (Blacklist International), Kiboy (Onic Esports), Allen Jedric "Baloyskie" Baloy (Geek Fam)
Midlane - GILAK Sanz (Onic Esports)
One may get annoyed with his nonstop TP-ing, but Gilang "Sanz" has indeed lived up to his nickname as 'Gilak Sanz (Crazy Sanz).'
In the group stages, it can be argued that Sanz was blessed in an environment where he can easily feast his foes, highlighted by his overbloated statline where his overall KDA reached 28 kills, 1 death, and 43 assists.
But Sanz proved that he can also perform especially against elite level competition, most evident in the matches against Blacklist International and AP.Bren.
Against the Codebreakers, Sanz had one of the best duels in his career against Kenneth "Yue" Tadeo as both midlaners became human highlight films.
Then in the finals against AP.Bren, Sanz managed to produce a solid outing with his Novaria and Faramis, which ultimately made him the team's saving grace.
And even in a tournament filled with jaw-dropping midlaners, Sanz managed to prove his prowess, against the likes of Kemiran "SunsetLover" Kochkarov and Angelo Kyle "Pheww" Arcangel.
Honorable Mention/s: Yue (Blacklist International), Pheww (AP.Bren), Sunset Lover (Deus Vult), Ahmet "Rosa" Batir (Fire Flux Esports), Valent "Aboy" Putra (Geek Fam)
EXP Lane - KidBomba (Deus Vult)
It may seem criminal to not list David Charles "FlapTzy" Canon as the best EXP laner especially after securing the finals MVP award, but one can never deny the impact that Mathaios "KidBomba" Chatzilakos left.
He became the lovable underdog who wanted to prove that Deus Vult deserved to have their names echoed in the tournament, very similar to what Michael "MobaZane" Cosgun displayed back in the M3 World Championship.
However it's not only his charm to the community that made him into a breakout star as he has likewise performed well when the need arises.
One can assess how he managed to create space for his teammates against Fire Flux Esports and how he rallied his team and overcame a 0-2 deficit against See You Soon.
Given what he has shown, there's no denying that the kid's future is as bright as the sun.
Honorable Mention/s: FlapTzy (AP.Bren), Luke "Luke" Valentinus (Geek Fam), Edward "Edward" Dapadap (Blacklist International)
Jungler - KyleTzy (AP.Bren)
Kyle "KyleTzy" Sayson may not be a star-studded, house of highlights spectacle in the M5 World Championship, however he did prove his mastery with various jungler setups, making him one of the most consistent players in the scene.
Because of what he delivers inside the Land of Dawn, he isn't a priority target unlike his rivals Kairi "Kairi" Rayosdelsol and Stephen "Sensui" Castillo.
And given the fluidity he offers, Bren manages to bring their gameplan to the next level, highlighted in the finale where KyleTzy's stable presence was a cog in denying the Sky Kings of Indonesia.
Honorable Mention/s: Kairi (Onic Esports), Sensui (Blacklist International), Michael "MP The King" Endino (See You Soon)
Gold Lane - The Filipino Sniper, Oheb (Blacklist International)
Kiel "Oheb" Soriano has been on the receiving end of criticisms from the community especially with ECHO PH viewing him as the kryptonite in the M4 World Championship finale.
This was echoed by his demotion to the MDL, which suggests that he has been on a decline after a spectacular M3 World Championship outing.
However the M5 proved that the Filipino Sniper is back and has shown some glimpses of improvement. Gone were the days when Oheb could easily be sniped off, as he has developed his ability to outrun and outplay his opponents, a trait that his rival Duane "Kelra" Pillas is renowned for.
And with players like Renejay and Stephen "Sensui" Castillo who have diversified the Codebreakers' gameplan, Oheb manages to bring his game to the next level.
Honorable Mention/s: Calvin "CW" Winata (Onic Esports), Marco "Super Marco" Requitiano (AP.Bren), Mark "Markyyyyy" Capacio (Geek Fam)
Coach - Flysolo (Deus Vult)
No one would've expected a European team to mount a top four finish in the M5 World Championship, but Deus Vult defied the odds and proved that the region deserves their spotlight.
And they managed to do so with style as seen from KidBomba's mind games, Sunset Lover's miraculous defensive plays, and Stanislav "SAWO" Reshnyak's damage build Diggie.
Combine all of that with the Filipino charm from the Carl Vincent "Carvi" Tinio, and Deus Vult suddenly became the unsung heroes who the community wishes to succeed.
But none of these would've been possible without the guidance from Coach Kenneth "Flysolo" Coloma, who sacrificed a lot and sweared his oath to the Dark Knights.
Honorable Mention/s: Francis "Ducky" Glindro (AP.Bren), Ervan "Ervan" Pratama (Geek Fam)
Analyst - Vren (AP.Bren)
If there was one individual who was responsible for Kairi's struggles in the grand finale, the fingers should be pointed at Coach Vrendon "Vren" Pesebre.
His draft completely thwarted Onic's gameplan to the point where Coach Paul Denver "Yeb" Miranda had to conduct a trial-and-error session regarding Kairi's heropool.
Coach Yeb managed to find the proper formula through the Joy, Baxia, and Guinevere picks, yet Vren was able to adapt and look for other loopholes to exploit.
Removing Joy in the equation was key, but it was also Bren's last picks that also shaped the series as Flap unleashed a full barrage courtesy of Vren's decision to utilize Thamuz and Khaleed.
However, it wasn't only in the finals where Vren delivered a masterclass as he likewise exhibited his tactical ingenuity against Blacklist International and See You Soon with his Odette pick.
Perhaps the org should consider switching their name to AP.Vren or Vren Esports.
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