For Aurora EXP Laner Edward, his team still has another level to rise to as they aim for the MPL PH Season 15 title and a spot in MSC 2025.
The Philippines remains arguably the most competitive scene in all of Mobile Legends: Bang Bang (MLBB) esports, and the action is set to heat up once again as the MLBB Professional League (MPL) Philippines Season 15 kicks off on 28 May.
After a dominant showing in the Regular Season, 
Aurora Gaming will be starting in the upper bracket semifinals. The team are also a huge favourite to be among the two representatives for the Philippines in this year's MLBB Mid Season Cup (MSC), hosted as part of the Esports World Cup 2025, as they need to win just two series in order to reach the grand finals.
But for Aurora EXP Laner 
Edward Jay “Edward” Dapadap, the team still has plenty of room to grow even if they were one of the Top 2 teams during the Regular Season. In an exclusive interview with GosuGamers, Edward shared his thoughts on the upcoming MPL Philippines Season 15 Playoffs and a potential run in MSC 2025.
“We're not at our full potential yet. I think we're still struggling, because we were not able to sweep other teams [in the Regular Season]. And ONIC PH almost caught up to us in terms of net games, because almost all their wins were 2-0 and ours were 2-1. So, somehow, getting to the upper bracket for us became a bit more difficult because of the net game where it's all 2-1, 2-0. So, I think we still need to improve for this coming Playoffs.”
Aurora finished the Regular Season with a 12-2 match record, tied with rivals 
Team Liquid PH. However, Team Liquid PH claimed the league's top seed by virtue of having a 26-8 game record, four games clear of Aurora's 25-11 standing. Aurora also narrowly avoided losing their upper bracket semifinal berth to 
ONIC Philippines, who finished with a 24-10 game record and a 11-3 match record.
For Edward, Aurora's Regular Season results showcased what the team needs to improve on the most: successfully closing out a series.
As such, Aurora's EXP Laner said they are focusing internally to improve their drafts and in-game execution. Aside from their domestic results, Aurora are also looking into their performance in international matches to identify points for improvement. The foundation for a world-beater is already there, and Edward thinks they just need to hone everything in order to reach that level.
"Our mistakes in the [MPL PH] Regular Season, when we almost clinched the 2-0 but didn’t pull it off in the end; I think those were also a lesson for us. Like, just chill in the game. [So our focus is] more on the internal stuff, like in the game itself, in our draft and execution. So, that's really what we're focusing and improving on.
We also lost a lot of international matches. So, the learnings are enough. Now, we're at the point where we’re going for the title and the MSC. We're just learning. So, we're just going to reflect or apply what we've learned from our international matches."
The MPL PH Playoff gauntlet
With so many strong teams in MPL Philippines and only two slots in MSC 2025 available, the upcoming Playoffs will surely be a bloodbath. And while Aurora have the luxury of not having to go through the Play-Ins, reaching the grand finals and securing a spot in MSC 2025 is far from being a guarantee.
Edward says his team are ready and prepared for whichever opponent comes their way. But if you ask him which team, between ONIC PH or 
Twisted Minds PH, will make it out of the Play-Ins to face Aurora in the upper bracket semifinals, Edward thinks it will be the team that almost snatched the second seed away from them.
“Between ONIC PH and Twisted Minds PH, I think Coach Bon will somehow be able to beat them. But I think ONIC PH will still win in the end. It's a best-of-five, I think they'll be able to adjust. But if I have to choose between both teams, I think it will be ONIC PH. I think they will give us a good fight. It will be redemption for us, because they beat us in the last round.”
Of course, Edward thinks that they will defeat ONIC PH and advance to the upper bracket finals, where a highly-anticipated matchup with rivals Team Liquid PH likely awaits them. While Team Liquid PH is the only team this season to have a winning record versus Aurora, Edward is confident this potential Playoff showdown will have a different result.
“I don't think there will be too many surprises this time around. They won’t have much left up their sleeves because it will be the second round. Of course, in the first round, almost every team will give their all to win. So I think our match-up will be head-to-head. It'll be even, it'll just depend on the execution. So I think it'll be a good matchup if we're able to face Team Liquid PH in the upper bracket.”
Aurora and Team Liquid PH are arguably the most evenly-matched teams in terms of skill in the entire league. For Edward, one thing could end up swinging such a close matchup: which team will come up with the better drafts and strategies? And in a best-of-five series, which team can make the right adjustments faster? As one of the teams with the biggest hero pools in the entire scene, Edward thinks Aurora will have what it takes to claim victory.
"It'll just depend on the new strats and the new heroes. I think we have the most unique heroes in the MPL. I think if we can master the two or three strats that we've been practicing, I think we'll be able to make it to the grand finals.
Like the Esmeralda pick, it's a debut pick that people didn't expect. Team Falcons PH used it against us in our last match. So, I think if it's sudden, or if you don't fight it a lot in scrims, or if you don't have a lot of stats on it, it means you haven't fought a hero for a long time. So, I think the new heroes will have a big impact. Like a cheese strat or a debut pick."
Looking ahead to MSC 2025
While Aurora's focus remains squarely on the MPL Philippines Season 15 Playoffs, Edward admits that he has thought ahead to a potential run in MSC 2025. Given the team's lackluster international results of late, Aurora are looking to play their best against the top teams of other regions.
But if you ask Edward if there's one particular team he wants to face off in this year's MSC, it will be another Team Liquid roster: 
Team Liquid ID. While he admits it's a bit of a grudge match after Team Liquid ID knocked them out of the M6 World Championship last year, Edward assures it's just “for thrill and fun."
With that said, Aurora's EXP Laner is eager to face any Indonesian team in MSC 2025. The Philippines and Indonesia, as the two strongest leagues in all of MLBB, have a long-standing rivalry. If any Filipino team wants to win an international event, they are likely need to go through an Indonesian team first, and vice versa.
“I want to face TL ID because we lost to them in M6. Just for thrill and fun. Other than that, nothing. It's up to them, the opponents in Indonesia are all really close. Like their upper bracket has six or five teams that are close. So, it's hard to know who's upper bracket or who can qualify from them. Because their stats are so close.”
The gravity of the national rivalry between the Philippines and Indonesia is not lost on Edward. Even if Filipino teams have won the last five MLBB world championships, they can't sit on their laurels, as Indonesia and other regions are always catching up. If you ask any Filipino MLBB fan which country is better, they will surely fire back with the Philippines immediately. While Edward admits it's a question that has gotten even more difficult to answer over time, he thinks the Philippines will still triumph.
“It's hard to answer that question, but I think it's still the Philippines. Because if you think about it,
Team Falcons PH qualified for the SEA Games, and then their matches in MPL were all closely matched. So it's like the strength of PH teams is really close, it's like the Filipino teams have more up their sleeves.”
Team Falcons PHBut for all this talk about national rivalries, Edward admits his team's motivation for qualifying for MSC 2025 is largely personal. It's about moving past their loss in M6, proving they can be a dominant force not just in the domestic leagues, but also against international competition. And, of course, it's about getting the lion's share of MSC 2025's massive US$3 million prize pool.
"For me and for us as a team, it's like redemption, because we had a lot of mistakes in our international matches. So if we win the MSC we can forget everything. Like, to win is a way to erase everything or forget the mistakes you made.
I think we'll still be able to get through, regardless if the [MPL PH] finals reaches a game five or not. I think my teammates, even the coaching staff, are really passionate about the MSC title and the prize. It's life-changing. That's what motivates us."
