Making his debut in MPL Philippines Season 11, John "Irrad" Abarquez wasted no time in showing why he belongs in the big leagues.
The young pro delivered an electrifying performance as the jungle player for RSG Slate Philippines in Week 8, knocking Nexplay EVOS out of playoff contention with a 2-0 victory and helping RSG solidify their position at the fourth spot in the regular season standings.
Irrad's mechanical prowess was on full display as he dazzled in front of the M4 World Champions ECHO.
Despite eventually succumbing to defeat, Irrad's outstanding numbers in his first season with the Raiders included an average of 4.60 kills, 6.40 assists, and 725 gold per minute, with only 3.67 deaths.
For his impressive performance, Irrad was awarded the Razer-Gold Player of the Week for Week 8 and will receive a Razer Blackshark V2 courtesy of Razer Gold.
When asked about his feelings on reuniting with his teammates and getting the chance to play again in the pros, the stoic RSG jungler remained humble despite his mesmerizing performance, stating, "It's just normal because last season I knew I was just a reserve player and was given the chance to play. What I feel now is just the same as before, it's just that I know the ambiance of the stage now, so I can play better."
He also mentioned that his experience in the MDL (Mobile Legends Development League) motivated him to perform even better, saying, "I was more motivated to step up my game."
The 19-year-old pro edged out other notable players such as ECHO's Tristan "Yawi" Cabrera and Alston "Sanji" Pabico, as well as ONIC Philippines' EXP Laner Nowee "Ryota" Macasa, to win the weekly citation awarded by the media covering the MPL Philippines, as well as the league's broadcasters and operations team.
