After Cignal Ultra disbanded following their fall in MPL Philippines Season 4, Angelo “Pheww” Arcangel was left without a team for the upcoming season. However, everything changed after a stint with SIBOL in the 30th Southeast Asian Games.
Pheww, along with Karl “KarlTzy” Nepomuceno and Allan “Lusty” Castromayor, was recruited by his national team teammate CJ “Ribo” Ribo to join him and Mico “Coco” Sampang to start Bren Esports’ rebuilding for MPL Philippines Season 5.
In a recruitment coup never seen before, Ribo managed to get the three to say yes, forming one of the most star-studded squads to ever grace the MPL PH stage.
Following a failed debut campaign in Season 5, the team managed to get things done in Season 6, winning their first title before eventually ruling the M2 World Championship.
However, their dominant run proved to be short-lived as they barely missed the playoffs in Season 7 and eventually floundered in the next. This forced the team to revamp its roster, with Ribo and KarlTzy leaving in Season 8, and Lusty departing after Season 9.
Pheww, though, stayed.
Despite the uncertainties and, of course, the pile of losses, Pheww remained loyal. He found a new family that placed their entire faith in him after the first one got ripped apart and wanted to keep it, despite it all.
“Tingin ko na kasi sa kanila parang pamilya na kahit na ups and downs.
“Ilang beses laglag, nagtitiwala pa rin sila sa akin, may mga times din na feel ko sobrang hina ko na eh nagtitiwala pa rin sila sa akin, kaya gusto ko rin talaga mag-stay sa kanila,” said the 24-year-old former world champion.
On Sunday night, all the doubts and sacrifices finally paid off for Pheww, who hoisted his third MPL PH title after helping AP Bren capture the MPL Philippines Season 12 title following a 4-1 win over Blacklist International in the grand finals at the EVM Convention Center.
“Sobrang saya ko na nakakuha ulit ako ng championship, lalo na sa mga kakampi ko. Sobrang proud ako sa kanila na nakakuha na rin sila ng championship,” he said.
At the end of it all, Pheww was not just happy for himself; he was ecstatic to see his new family finally get what they deserved – the recognition, the championship, and the once-in-a-lifetime chance of fighting for a world title.
