HISTORY remembers the bold—and only a few were bolder than Blacklist International, who built a dynasty by defying the conventional with its iconic UBE (Ultimate Bonding Experience) strategy.
Don’t let the playful name fool you — UBE was a strategic masterpiece that helped Blacklist claim the M3 World Championship, elevate Filipino pride in esports, and reshape the competitive landscape of Mobile Legends: Bang Bang (MLBB).
For a strategy that held so much power and influence, how did it come together? And why was it called the “UBE strategy” in the first place?
The Birth of UBE strategy
When Kairi “Kairi” Rayosdelsol moved to ONIC Philippines in exchange for Johnmar “OhMyV33nus” Villaluna and Danerie “Wise” Del Rosario ahead of MPL Philippines Season 7 (2021), it became a defining trade that reshaped Blacklist’s destiny.
Coach Kristoffer “Bon Chan” Ricaplaza warmly welcomed the VeeWise duo to Blacklist. They came off a tough Season 6 campaign after falling short in the third-place match against Execration, and back-to-back grand finals appearances in Seasons 4 and 5 where the MPL crown remained elusive.
He also took Kiel “Oheb” Soriano under his wing, now known as the Filipino Sniper, whose journey began when he ran away from home to pursue esports dreams with amateur team Amihan Esports before being discovered by Blacklist.
The VeeWise pair and Oheb became teammates with Blacklist International's mainstays Edward “Edward” Dapadap and Mark “ESON” Gerardo. Ohmyv33nus originally played the mage role in Season 7, then later shifted to the roamer role in the succeeding seasons.
“Noong panahon na ‘yun, na-excite ako, and at the same time, medyo hindi ko talaga alam kung anong feeling ng meron kang mga star player na back-to-back na nakarating ng finals, at meron ka rin super rookie na magaling sa pindutan,” Bon Chan said in an exclusive interview with Spin.ph.
The year 2021 also saw esports take a major hit as the pandemic shut down LAN tournaments filled with roaring fans. But for Blacklist, being confined to its bootcamp became the perfect ingredient that forged an unbreakable bond.
“Noong panahon kasi na ‘yun, pandemic. So wala kami ganoong nakakasalamuha and always nandoon lang talaga kami sa bootcamp. Doon siguro mas tumatag or mas gumanda ‘yung chemistry dahil ang pinaka-bonding na namin noon, lalabas lang kami para mag-fishball. Sobrang higpit sa mga mall, ‘yun lang ang mga nagiging bonding namin dati,” Bon Chan shared, describing their simple yet meaningful team moments.
Bringing together players with nothing to lose but everything to prove, Blacklist developed chemistry through countless challenges and misunderstandings — just like any team learning to unite different personalities.
“Sa una, makikita mo na nagki-click sila, nagbo-bonding nang masaya. Pero kapag nakaranas na ‘yan ng mga pagkatalo, minsan isa-isa puputok ‘yung mga players na ‘yan. Gaya noong history ni Oheb and Edward na nag-away,” Bon Chan recalled with a laugh.
“Ngayon, tinatawanan na lang nila ‘yun every time na naaalala nila. Marami pang ibang pangyayari hanggang sa nakuha namin ‘yung hinahanap namin na tipla. Magkasunod-sunod ‘yung panalo sa practice, and eventually sa mga mini tournaments like Juicy Legends,” he added.
With diverse personalities, playstyles, and hero preferences, Bon Chan took a daring path in Season 7 — choosing to defy the assassin meta instead of forcing his players to adapt — leaving other teams puzzled by how it worked.
“Dumating sa point na during scrims, sobrang pinag-aagawan kami ng mga team na mag-set ng practice namin. Kasi kakaiba ‘yung ginagawa namin compared sa typical meta noong panahon na ‘yun,” Bon Chan explained, referring to Blacklist’s trademark use of utility junglers and healer-support heroes led by the VeeWise duo.
Salic “Hadji” Imam later joined Blacklist International in Season 8, coming from Smart Omega, becoming part of the team’s iconic “Main 5” lineup as mid laner.
The rest was history. Blacklist defeated Execration in a grueling best-of-seven series to claim the MPL PH Season 7 title, bested ONIC PH in Season 8 and M3 World Championship, and won gold medal in 31st Southeast Asian Games.
Blacklist International’s achievements are nothing short of legendary, but the M3 Championship Estes skin remains their most celebrated milestone in MLBB history.
When the VeeWise duo took a break in Season 9 (2022), Blacklist endured a lackluster campaign, missing the playoffs after their dominant year. But their return in Season 10 reignited the Blacklist dynasty.
How “Kids Next Door” Inspired the “UBE” Acronym
No one can describe the origin of the term “UBE strategy” better than the man who coined it — MLBB caster and expert Caisam “Wolf” Nopueto.
The famous term was born from a witty moment on the casting desk, when Manjean “Manjean” Faldas said “ultimate bonding” during a Blacklist vs. Bren Esports match in Season 7 Week 5 Day 1, and Wolf cleverly added “experience.”
“Lumaki kasi kami sa Kids Next Door, and diba lahat ginagawan nila ng acronym like Battle Ready Armor. Me and Manjean, mahilig kami sa acronyms. He called it ‘ultimate bonding’ kasi prior to that may interview tapos sinabi nila na ‘maganda kasi yung bonding namin.’ So na-mention namin na ‘yung ginagawa nila dito is ‘ultimate bonding’ kasi they're running around the map na magkakasama,” Wolf explained to Spin.ph.
Who would’ve thought that “UBE” wasn’t only inspired by Blacklist’s unity — but also by a nostalgic nod to the 2000s animated show Codename: Kids Next Door?
“Nung sinabi ni Manjean ‘yung ‘ultimate bonding,’ kinumpleto ko na lang kasi nga lumaki kami sa Kids Next Door,” Wolf added.
Did Wolf and his fellow casters really plan to make it a thing? It turns out, the term was never planned — it simply became part of MLBB’s oral history.
“Noong una namin nabanggit yung ‘ultimate bonding experience,’ hindi namin sinabi sa sarili namin na ‘yun na itawag namin doon. I think it took two or three more weeks bago namin tinawag na UBE, but it became so natural,” Wolf recalled.
“If I remember correctly, na-mention siya ni Midnight sa isang solo analysis. Tapos after noon, another caster said it. Paulit-ulit na hanggang sa eventually napasa siya,” he added.
Looking back after coining one of the most iconic terms in MLBB history, Wolf felt nothing but gratitude.
“I don't take full credit din naman. To be fair, it feels so good kasi natural siya. Hindi namin na-expect na it will blow up like that. So, very thankful,” Wolf expressed.
The Cultural Impact of UBE strategy
Why did Blacklist International’s reign last so long? And why did it take only a few teams like Execration in MSC 2021 and ECHO Philippines in Season 11 and the M4 World Championship to crack the code?
Many opponents tried to replicate Blacklist’s hero picks and movements, but mirroring the same synergy proved nearly impossible.
“When you first try to copy the UBE, you’d think it’s easy because it doesn’t look flashy, but when you’re there — I’ve seen teams try this — it’s so difficult. It needs a lot of reps. Maraming teams na similar ‘yung heroes na ginamit, but they cannot actually copy UBE,” Wolf explained.
From Wolf’s analytical view, Bon Chan made a bold move to defy the prevailing meta, creating a system that countered the strongest strategies of its time.
“They invented a meta that counters the meta. Ginawa nila ‘yun para matalo ‘yung mga sikat na meta, which makes a lot of sense. Noon, funnel ‘yung malakas, at dine-sign ‘yung UBE para talunin ‘yung strongest meta. Kaya siya naging matibay — it stood the test of time because it was designed that way,” Wolf said.
“Beyond just the strategy na magkakasama, UBE to me, it's a Filipino special. We can call it Filipino pride. Second, during its prime, sobrang lakas niya. Sobrang nag i-improve siya so hindi siya one-time thing lang. It eventually became very successful na napa-champion niya ang isang team. Kaya for me, UBE is one of the proudest Filipino movements. It's gonna be written in history kasi ang taas cultural impact niya,” Wolf added.
Even today, the essence of UBE remains alive in the MPL Philippines and across MLBB’s global scene.
The “Lord Dance,” a play popularized by Blacklist, still resonates in both professional play and ranked matches.
“Aside from being very strong, people remember it kasi it gave us the ‘Lord Dance’ or long lane and slow push,” Wolf said.
“Ang daming in-introduce ng UBE sa game — to the point na necessary na siyang aralin ng mga teams. Parang on its path to being the best strategy, it also invented plays that were once magical but are now essential. That’s why you always look back,” he added.
Simply put, Blacklist’s Lord Dance revolves around letting the EXP laner - in this case Edward -push freely to force a defense then swiftly return to action in the Lord pit. Once one enemy retreats, Blacklist takes advantage of the numbers to secure the Lord.
The Legacy Lives On
Now in the MPL Philippines Season 16, the game has long evolved, and the meta constantly shifts, yet the UBE strategy remains a touchstone in MLBB history.
It defined an era. Blacklist’s dynasty is remembered not only for its titles but also for introducing a system that changed how the game is played.
It set a legacy. New fans today study UBE the way basketball fans would analyze the Triangle Offense.
Ultimately, UBE’s legacy lies not only in what it achieved, but in what it taught — that unity can be the ultimate weapon.
UBE stands as proof that talent, discipline, and belief in each other can shape an entire esport’s history.
For Bon Chan, it’s a symbol of coaching excellence. For Wolf, it’s one of his proudest moments behind the casting desk. And for fans, it’s a time capsule of nostalgia that takes them back to the golden era of Blacklist dominance.
Even though the Blacklist International “Main 5” lineup has long gone separate ways, their legacy continues to inspire future generations of MLBB players.
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