Veteran MLBB players Salic “Hadji” Imam and Kiel “Kielvj” Cruzem made impressive starts with their new teams in the opening weekend of MPL Philippines Season 17.
Hadji shined in his debut for Team Falcons, helping them pull off a 2–1 reverse sweep over Onic Philippines. After losing Game 1, he powered Game 2 with strong plays and in the decider, his triple kill and a quick Lord capture sealed the victory. The win marked a fresh beginning for Hadji after his journey through several teams following his exit from Blacklist International.
Meanwhile, Kielvj made his return to the Philippine scene with AP. Bren, contributing to their back‑to‑back victories against Smart Omega and TNC Pro Team. AP. Bren’s strong start — with two straight wins — nearly matches their total wins from last season and shows a much improved performance early in the campaign
