Predator Gaming brought together top Dota 2 teams to kick off the Predator League Philippine Finals. This LAN event featured Team Nemesis, Interactive Philippines, Execration, and Kukuys, who earned their spots through qualifying rounds last September.
The crowd was packed at the SM North EDSA Annex as fans watched the remaining teams compete for three exclusive spots at the APAC Finals in India early next year, along with a share of the PhP 500,000 prize pool. After a tough Grand Final between Kukuys and defending champions Execration that went into the night, Kukuys emerged victorious with a 3-2 score.
A Duel Between Titans
The Grand Finals for Dota 2 pitted the long-standing squad Execration against the new team Kukuys, who are brimming with talent. Execration brought back players like Justine ‘Tino’ Grimaldo and Bryle ‘cml’ Alvizo, who helped them win the Philippine Finals last year. However, winning again was going to be a tall order against the star power of captain Carlo ‘Kuku’ Palad, Armel Tabios, and Djardel ‘DJ’ Mampusti. An impressive 12-0-16 performance by Mark ‘Bob’ Urbina’s Slardar opened the floodgates for Execration in Game 1. A strong draft and laning stage helped Execration in Game 2. Despite the questionable fountain dive by Jinn ‘Palos’ Lamatao, Execration still easily secured the win by pure economic advantage.
With Kukuys looking to prevent a sweep, substitute player Charles ‘lewis’ Santos and his Ursa kept his team’s hopes alive alongside DJ’s MVP performance on his Hoodwink during the 45-minute slugfest. Kuku has always been a fan of unorthodox drafts, and he proved his mettle with two unusual carry picks to finish the series. Execration was blindsided by the Batrider and Bristleback from lewis and Kukuys executed the reverse sweep. Kukuys denied Execration the back-to-back Philippine Championship, thanks to the drafting and leadership of Kuku as they lifted the Predator Shield in front of an ecstatic crowd.
Battle for Third
Team Nemesis faced Interactive Philippines for the final spot in India at the Battle for Third Place. Team Nemesis showcased star player Marc Polo ‘Raven’ Fausto, who brings years of international Dota 2 experience. Interactive Philippines was clearly the underdog in their matchup but is not without a fight. Hard support player James ‘Erice’ Guerra leads a young team with something to prove. However, the young squad was overwhelmed by the experience and star power of Team Nemesis. Raven was in top form, averaging 10 kills and 12 assists in the series.
Repping the Philippines in India
Kukuys, Execration, and Team Nemesis booked their ticket to the Asia Pacific Predator League 2026 Grand Finals in India to duke it out against the region’s best, along with the winners of the VALORANT Philippine Finals.
