WHEN IT comes to the Mobile Legends: Bang Bang esports scene, there is no doubt that Carlito “Ribo” Ribo Jr. dominates the conversation when talking about the game's GOATs.
And who can blame them? Just take a look at his accomplishments: An MSC trophy back in 2018, a Finals MVP, two MPL trophies, a gold medal in the Southeast Asian Games, and to culminate his career, an M2 World Championship ring.
Sounds like a hefty, award-winning resume huh?
There is, however, a strong case for Johnmar “OhMyV33nus” Villaluna to take over his spot. Recently, the Blacklist team captain won the gold medal in the Southeast Asia Games, which adds to his current list of accolades which have been overflowing since MPL-PH Season 7.

Comparing their accomplishments
While looking at their list of accolades it can be argued that Ribo trumps V33nus in this category as we take a look at what they’ve accomplished so far in their careers.
RIBO:
MPL-PH Season 1 Champion
MPL-PH Season 6 Champion
MSC 2018 Champion
M2 World Champion
2019 Southeast Asian Games Gold Medalist
Finals MVP, MPL-PH Season 1
OHMYV33NUS:
MPL-PH Season 7 Champion
MPL-PH Season 8 Champion
M3 World Champion
2021 Southeast Asian Games Gold Medalist
Fans would often pull this list out as proof that Ribo is the undeniable GOAT in their perspective.
However, if there’s one thing I learned in basketball, it's that the number of titles can be a deceiving stat. For example, Bill Russell won 11 NBA championships, the most of any NBA legend, but fans don’t call him the GOAT. Michael Jordan is, even though he only won six trophies.
One important that tips the scales in Jordan's favor is that the NBA only featured 9 teams during Russell’s era, while MJ had to deal with 28 contenders.
We can apply this to the Ribo and V33nus argument.
Not to discredit Ribo, as he definitely deserved his awards, especially after dominating the entire playoffs with Aether Main, but it can be argued that his very first trophies back in 2018 happened in an era when the MLBB scene was still at its infancy stage.
This was confirmed by both Setsuna “Akosi Dogie” Ignacio and Ribo in their 2021 series of documentary shorts entitled “Legacies”. The two veterans confirmed that Aether Main was the only team that had a bootcamp and compensation while the other teams were still scrambling in terms of resources.
Meanwhile, V33nus accomplished his feats in an era where teams were blessed with resources.
And for those who think that V33nus’ lack of individual accolades will pull him down, perhaps this next segment could convince you more about his greatest of all time qualities.

Assessing their strengths
Beside their accomplishments, we also have to consider their major assets. Upon assessing their careers, both have varying specialties in the competitive MLBB scene.
Let’s start with Ribo, whose his biggest strength lies in his flexibility. Throughout his career, the Doctor has played across numerous positions.
We’ve seen him masterfully deploy the support role with his Akai and Chou, leading to his Finals MVP award in Season 1. Plus, he could be a lethal damage dealer as seen with his Aurora, Kimmy, and Kagura picks.
And on some occasions, Ribo can be a brute force presence with his Uranus.
With his wide hero pool, Ribo has eased the burden of coaches, as he can be effectively deployed across multiple positions.
Now, can V33nus match what he has done? Obviously not, as his career has always been centered on the support role. So far the only shift he had was transitioning to midlane while his teammate Salic “Hadji” Imam took over as the primary roamer, which isn’t as overbearing as adjusting from core to support and vice versa.
However, the limited role in V33nus’ playstyle isn’t a weakness. Just look at how teams have tried to deal with him... and the numerous times teams have tried the so-called “Hack-a-V33nus” strategy and failed.
While V33nus doesn’t boast the fluid roles of Ribo, he ultimately usurps Ribo in one aspect: his shotcalling, as fans and pro players alike agree that his tactical prowess is unrivaled in the scene.
Need proof? Take a look at the crunch time plays he executed against RRQ in the MPL: Invitational semifinals? Or how about the 10th minute play against the Indonesian superstar lineup in the recently concluded Southeast Asian Games?
Ultimately, his shotcalling became the cornerstone of the success of his teams. His leadership was able to bag his teammates, Edward “Edward’ Jay Dapadap, Salic “Hadji” Imam, and Kiel “Oheb” Soriano the MVP accolades.
Then of course, we can’t forget what happened in the SEA Games, where he was able to bring both Kyle Dominic “Dominic” Soto and Lee Howard “Owl” Gonzales — two players who have never played in a LAN event — to the next level.
How ironic that a player who makes his team better with his leadership doesn’t bag any individual trophy. Yet amid the lack of individual hardware, one can never ignore the lasting impression left by the MPL’s Queen.
And speaking of lasting impressions…
Their legacies
In terms of overall impact? There is no doubt that both have already left a legendary, Hall of Fame-level mark.
If it weren’t for Ribo, the MLBB scene wouldn’t be where it is right now. Sure, Dogie would be the one who revitalized the scene with his nonstop content, but Ribo has also inspired a new generation of esports athletes.
He was there from the beginning, enduring the hardships of being a professional player at the early stages of the game’s esports ecosystem.
And as he progressed, he made MLBB fans believe that there is a future in the MLBB scene.
In the same way, V33nus has paved the way for LGBTQ+ gamers to have an open space in an industry dominated by males.
They've even impacted the meta.
When Ribo won the Finals MVP award in Season 1 with his support play, MLBB fans realized the importance of the unheralded support role.
Then, I still can’t forget those times back in Season 3 when fans would mock Rafaela and Estes users in classic and ranked games. Then along comes V33nus, who came in as a rookie in Season 4 and shook the entire scene with his Rafaela and Estes picks.
Now these critics were silenced.
Conclusion
Upon analyzing their careers under the microscope, there is no doubt that both have cemented themselves in the GOAT discussions. Indeed, we can never deny the numerous accomplishments that Ribo has in his arsenal, but we also cannot ignore what V33nus brings to the table.
In fact, arguing who should be the GOAT reminds me of those old days of arguing about Michael Jordan vs. Magic Johnson. And when we look back at Ribo's and OhMyV33nus' careers, we can frame their greatness through the lens of this debate. Similar to Jordan, Ribo is the player that relies on his explosive skills to make his mark... while V33nus would portray the Magic Johnson role of making his teammates better.
Now to answer the question, is V33nus capable of usurping Ribo? Based on the points I’ve mentioned earlier, specifically in his leadership role, the answer is yes! But I would also understand why some fans would remain loyal to the Doctor, given his impressive mechanical skills, his overflowing trophy cabinet, and possibly some sense of nostalgia.
But if V33nus wants to end the debate, he needs to win another World Championship and an MPL trophy and this outcome isn’t far-fetched given the ongoing Blacklist International dynasty under the Queen’s reign.
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