Filipino jungler Karl “KarlTzy” Nepomuceno. Photo from MPL Philippines
Karl “KarlTzy” Nepomuceno was phenomenal in his Paquito — the Manny Pacquiao-inspired hero — as Sibol dismantled Kazakhstan, 2-0, to complete a flawless group-stage campaign in the Mobile Legends: Bang Bang esports event of the 20th Asian Games Aichi-Nagoya 2026 on Tuesday at Aichi Sky Expo.
Coming off a commanding 14-minute victory in Game 1, the Philippines saved its most devastating punches for the second game, with Nepomuceno taking center stage on his feared Paquito.
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Nepomuceno unleashed an impressive performance on the hero patterned after the Filipino boxing icon and eight-division world champion as Sibol, which is supported by the Philippine Sports Commission and the Philippine Olympic Committee, shifted into another gear in Game 2.
“Masaya po, pero ’di pa rin kami magpapakampante kasi ’yung next namin na makakalaban is Indonesia, kaya need talaga namin mas galingan pa,” said the Team Liquid PH star.
With the Lord on their side and the Philippines needing the final blows to put Kazakhstan away, Nepomuceno stepped into their base and unleashed a furious flurry of punches, turning the Kazakhs into a punching bag en route to a stunning Savage that wiped out all five enemy heroes.
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The onslaught paved the way for a lopsided 20-4 victory in just 11 minutes, with Sibol building a staggering 13,000-gold lead to put the finishing touches on its sweep of Kazakhstan and punch its ticket to the quarterfinals.
Nepomuceno finished with 12 kills and five assists against just one death in Game 2.
Sibol, which is also supported by Smart, Cignal, TV5, and Arena Social, first swept Jordan, 2-0, before following the same script against Kazakhstan to rule Group C with a perfect 2-0 record.
The Philippines is set for a quarterfinal showdown with arch rival Indonesia on Wednesday.