MLBB M6 World Championship: SEA Teams Dominate Group Stage in Jakarta
The M6 World Championship is living up to the hype, and it's Southeast Asia's finest who are setting the pace. Held at the Indonesia Arena in Jakarta before a raucous crowd of over 10,000 fans, the group stage has concluded with three SEA teams — ONIC Philippines, Blacklist International, and RRQ Hoshi — finishing atop their respective groups without dropping a single series.
ONIC PH entered M6 as the betting favorites after their dominant MPL Philippines Season 14 campaign, and they've done nothing to change that perception. Jungler Kairi has been in imperious form, recording the highest KDA of any player in the group stage at 8.7. His Fanny and Ling continue to be near-permanent bans against ONIC PH, forcing opponents into uncomfortable draft concessions that the rest of the roster ruthlessly exploits. Gold laner Kelra has been equally impressive, with his Beatrix play drawing comparisons to his legendary M4 finals performance.
Blacklist International's resurgence has been one of the tournament's feel-good stories. After a disappointing M5 where they fell in the quarterfinals, the UBE strategy pioneers returned to their roots under coach BON CHAN. The team's signature ultimate-based playstyle has evolved — it's more flexible now, incorporating split-push elements that make their late-game teamfighting even more dangerous. OHEB and Wise have both looked rejuvenated, and the partnership with new roamer Jaymark has added a layer of aggression that previous iterations lacked.
RRQ Hoshi carries the weight of Indonesian expectations on home soil, and so far they've shouldered it admirably. The Jakarta crowd has been their sixth player, erupting with every successful gank and objective secure. R7, the team's veteran midlaner, delivered a masterclass in the group stage finale against Turkish representatives, going 9-0-11 on Valentina in a 14-minute stomp that sent the arena into delirium.
The bracket stage is where M6 gets serious. ONIC PH and Blacklist are on the same side of the upper bracket, meaning a semifinal clash between the two Philippine juggernauts is on the cards — a matchup that could effectively be the real final. RRQ Hoshi sits on the opposite side, with a likely quarterfinal against European dark horses Team Liquid, who showed improved form in the group stage.
The non-SEA contingent has struggled to keep pace. Chinese representatives Weibo Gaming showed flashes of brilliance but were undone by inconsistent laning phases. Brazilian squad Vivo Keyd earned respect with their scrappy playstyle but ultimately finished 1-2 in their group. The gap between SEA and the rest of the world in MLBB remains significant.
Moonton announced that M6 viewership has already broken records, with the group stage averaging 4.1 million concurrent viewers across all platforms — a 28% increase over M5. Indonesian viewership alone accounts for nearly half that figure, underscoring the host nation's passion for the game.
The bracket stage begins this weekend, with all matches broadcast live on the MPL official YouTube channel, Nimo TV, and TikTok. The grand final is scheduled for April 6, and if the group stage is any indication, a SEA team will almost certainly be lifting the trophy. The only question is which one.