No team has been able to touch them. Team Liquid Philippines just closed the first round of the MPL PH Season 17 regular season with a flawless 7-0 record, and at this point, asking “Can anyone stop the Cavalry?” is starting to feel rhetorical.
Their final test of the opening round came against ONIC Philippines on April 19, and it wasn’t even close. Team Liquid took the series 2-0, extending a rivalry that has defined Philippine MLBB for years while making a very clear statement: this roster, even after major offseason changes, is the real deal.
How Team Liquid Swept ONIC PH
The Golden Rivalry lived up to its billing in terms of hype, but the scoreline told a one-sided story.
In Game 1, ONIC actually held an early advantage. K1NGKONG secured the 6-minute Turtle on Suyou, and Savero’s Granger landed a triple kill during a mid-lane clash around the 14th minute. For a while, it looked like the Super Family might become the first team to crack Team Liquid’s armor this season. But the Cavalry’s composure in high-pressure moments proved decisive yet again. KarlTzy locked in Fredrinn and won the crucial 20th-minute Lord fight, sparking a base siege that ONIC couldn’t survive. Sanji sealed the deal on Yve, unleashing Real World Manipulation to set up the finishing blow, while Sanford earned Game MVP honors on Freya with a strong 5/2/4 KDA line.
Game 2 was even more one-sided. KarlTzy switched to Suyou, secured an uncontested Lord, then picked up two kills during an 11th-minute team clash that broke the game wide open. Meanwhile, Teddy’s Claude focused on turret damage to close out the map. KarlTzy finished that game with a spotless 9/0/1 KDA and MVP honors, leaving zero doubt about who controls the pace in this league right now.
Why This 7-0 Run Is So Impressive
Team Liquid entered Season 17 surrounded by question marks. Oheb, their star gold laner, departed the team in a sudden and controversial move that eventually escalated into a legal dispute. The organization initially brought in Indonesian import AeronnShikii on loan from Team Liquid Indonesia, but administrative complications around his work permit meant he was never cleared to play. By the end of Week 1, AeronnShikii left the boot camp and returned to TLID without making a single appearance.
The Cavalry had to pivot fast. Daiki, a homegrown talent from the TL Academy system, stepped in as the starting gold laner for the opening weeks, and Teddyqt (Dave ViaΓ±a) was promoted from the academy roster to reinforce the gold lane rotation. Coach Aeon, formerly of Team SMG SG, took over as head coach with SN4P as his assistant.
Skeptics wondered if all this turbulence would disrupt the chemistry that delivered back-to-back MPL PH titles in Seasons 15 and 16 plus the MSC 2025 championship. Four weeks in, the answer is a resounding no. The core trio of KarlTzy, Sanford, and Sanji hasn’t just maintained its level. They look sharper. KarlTzy’s evolution from flashy assassin player into a utility-focused jungle general has given the Cavalry a tactical flexibility that opponents simply cannot match. Sanford continues to win EXP lane matchups that look unwinnable on paper, and Sanji’s mid-lane presence provides consistent burst damage and crowd control for jungle-mid rotations.
Jaypee at roamer ties it all together with veteran shot-calling, while Teddy and Daiki have shown they can hold their own in the gold lane despite the massive shoes left behind by Oheb. As Coach Aeon put it after the ONIC series: “There’s more than one way to win the game. It’s about how many of those we can master.”
MPL PH Season 17 Standings After Week 4
Here’s how the table looks after the first round of the double round-robin:
| Rank | Team | W-L | Notes |
| 1 | Team Liquid PH | 7-0 | Perfect first round |
| 2 | Team Falcons PH | 6-1 | Only loss to TLPH |
| 3 | ONIC Philippines | 4-3 | Solid rebound in Weeks 3-4 |
| 4 | Aurora Gaming PH | 3-4 | Upset loss to Smart Omega in Week 4 |
| 5 | Twisted Minds PH | 3-4 | Edges Aurora on game differential |
| 6 | AP.Bren | 2-5 | Barely inside the playoff zone |
| 7 | Smart Omega | 2-5 | Tied with AP.Bren, behind on H2H |
| 8 | TNC Pro Team | 1-6 | Deep in the elimination zone |
The top six teams advance to the Playoffs (May 27-31). Team Falcons PH at 6-1 look like the strongest challenger, with their only loss coming against Team Liquid in Week 2. ONIC Philippines sit in third and will be looking for revenge in the second round. Meanwhile, reigning M7 World Champions Aurora Gaming PH have stumbled to a surprising 3-4 record after getting reverse-swept by Smart Omega in Week 4.
At the bottom, TNC Pro Team and the cluster of 2-5 teams face real elimination pressure with seven matches left in the regular season.
What’s Next for the Cavalry
The second round kicks off on April 24 with a massive test: Aurora Gaming PH vs. Team Liquid PH at 5:00 PM PHT. It’s a rematch of the Season 17 opener (which Team Liquid won 2-1) and arguably the biggest game of the weekend.
Aurora will come in desperate for points after their shock loss to Smart Omega. Team Liquid will be hunting for something bigger: proving that their dominance isn’t just a first-round phenomenon.
If the Cavalry can keep this form through the second half, the conversation shifts from “Can they three-peat?” to “Can anyone make the Playoffs interesting?” Their path to MSC 2026 qualification already looks clear, but KarlTzy and crew have shown zero interest in coasting.
Seven down. Seven to go. And right now, no one in the Philippines has an answer for them.
