Rivals-turned-allies Blacklist International, WeTrnd unite for the flag in Honor of Kings Nation Clash run

KUALA LUMPUR — The Philippines may have fallen short of another international title, but representatives Blacklist International and WeTrnd Esports made sure to display what true unity and Filipino pride look like on the global stage during the Honor of Kings Nation Clash late last month in Malaysia.

In the local scene, Blacklist International and WeTrnd are rivals with the former ruling the Philippines Kings League (PKL) Fall 2025.

But on the international stage, the two clubs set aside rivalry to banner the flag as the country's bets in the inaugural Nation Clash, which featured top teams in Malaysia, Indonesia, and the Philippines.

"Hindi lang kasi 'yung org namin ‘yung nire-represent namin dito, pati ‘yung Philippines so ayaw naming talagang mapunta sa last spot sa tournament na ‘to," Blacklist International head coach Gerald "Tgee" Gelacio said.

"Hindi lang kami ‘yung dinadala namin, kundi pati ‘yung buong bansa."

Unlike in the previous HOK tournaments, the Nation Clash launched a unique format that saw two representatives from each country join forces in the playoffs, where a best-of-seven relay was introduced.

HOK also implemented a global pick-and-ban rule, where a hero can no longer be used by the same side for the rest of the match once it has been selected.

With the complex tournament format, Blacklist International and WeTrnd Esports made sure to come prepared, sharing they engaged in multiple scrimmages before the Nation Clash to make sure the communication and chemistry are present.

"Bago kami mag-tournament dito, nagpa-practice kami together sa scrim and nag-uusap kami ng mga strategies kasi magkaiba kami ng play style e," Tgee added.

"And ‘yun ‘yung maganda dito sa KNC, kasi hindi kami nagpapatong or nag-overlap ng mga heroes so nagagamit namin nang maayos ‘yung mga position na nilalaro namin."

However, Team Philippines absorbed a 4-0 sweep loss in the finals after Malaysia's Homebois BSE and Alpha Gaming imposed their will in a lopsided affair to deliver another international title for the host country. 

Still, Blacklist will use this experience for its impending campaign at the Honor of Kings International Championship that the Philippines will host later this month alongside other Pinoy squads Boom Esports, Elevate and ACT Esports Club.

—JKC, GMA Integrated News