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Lakad Matatag no more: TNC set to release all-Filipino roster into free agency on September 15

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Kennedy Caacbay, ABS-CBN News

<p>In a move that stunned the local esports community, TNC Predator, arguably the country&#x27;s best all-Filipino Dota 2 team as of the moment, will release its full roster on Sept. 15, the organization announced Monday.</p><p>In a Facebook post, TNC announced that Kim &quot;Gabbi&quot; Villafuerte, Armel Paul &quot;Armel&quot; Tabios, Jun &quot;Bok&quot; Kanehara, Timothy &quot;Tims&quot; Randrup, and Marvin &quot;Boomy&quot; Rushton will be free agents starting Wednesday.</p><div><script src="https://connect.facebook.net/en_US/sdk.js#xfbml=1&amp;version=v2.5" async="" type="text/javascript"></script></div><div class="fb-post" data-href="https://www.facebook.com/TNCProTeamDota2/posts/4443612565721022" data-width="auto"> </div><p>TNC&#x27;s last appearance was at the Southeast Asian qualifiers of The International 10 (TI10).</p><p>The International is the biggest annual tournament in Dota 2, which will take place this year on Oct. 7-17 in Romania, with a $40 million record prize pool.</p><p>They were a game short of qualifying into TI10, with the all-Filipino team gaining a 2-0 lead in a best-of-five series versus Fnatic in the grand finals. However, they lost the next three games, suffering an agonizing reverse sweep, 3-2.</p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/sports/07/04/21/ph-teams-absent-in-ti10-fall-short-in-qualifiers">PH teams absent in TI10, fall short in qualifiers</a></li></ul><p>No all-Pinoy team will join the prestigious TI10 as a result.</p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/sports/08/19/21/kuku-palad-arrives-in-bucharest-for-the-international">T1 Pinoy captain Kuku Palad arrives in Bucharest for DOTA 2’s The International</a></li></ul><p>TNC also experienced heartbreak at the WePlay Animajor that took place in June this year.</p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/sports/06/12/21/dota-2-evil-geniuses-abed-eliminate-tnc-predator-in-weplay-animajor">DOTA 2: Evil Geniuses, Abed eliminate TNC Predator in WePlay AniMajor</a></li></ul><p>North American team Evil Geniuses, with a Pinoy player named Abed &quot;Abed&quot; Yusop, eliminated them at the 7-8th place in the Dota 2 Major.</p><p>These losses prompted them to take a break at the professional scene. The management initially announced on July 26 that they will &quot;recharge and realign for the next TI season,&quot; with Pinoy fans hoping that they will indeed bounce back from the defeats.</p><div><script src="https://connect.facebook.net/en_US/sdk.js#xfbml=1&amp;version=v2.5" async="" type="text/javascript"></script></div><div class="fb-post" data-href="https://www.facebook.com/TNCProTeamDota2/posts/4294010997347847" data-width="auto"> </div><p>However, months later, TNC decided to let go of its full roster.</p><p>TNC says the management and the players have &quot;come to an agreement that this would be the best decision moving forward.&quot;</p><p>Mid player Armel says &quot;[it&#x27;s] been truly an honor to be part of this org,&quot; and he has &quot;grown as a player &amp; as an individual,&quot; thanking TNC for its contribution to his journey as a professional player.</p><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">4 YRS of ups &amp; down with the team, its been truly an honor to be part of this org. I&#x27;ve grown as a player &amp; as an individual. Wherever I&#x27;ll go, I will always use what they taught me. Thank you TNC and my teammates for everything! <a href="https://t.co/yXr5zFTV3T">https://t.co/yXr5zFTV3T</a></p>— Armel Tabios (@armeldoto) <a href="https://twitter.com/armeldoto/status/1437340012589162500?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 13, 2021</a></blockquote><div><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charSet="utf-8" type="text/javascript"></script></div><p>Position 4 ace player Tims also thanked TNC Predator in a tweet.</p><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">Thankyousomuch <a href="https://twitter.com/TNCPredator?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@TNCPredator</a> <a href="https://t.co/h7OvloKf6c">https://t.co/h7OvloKf6c</a></p>— TIMS (@TimsDOTA) <a href="https://twitter.com/TimsDOTA/status/1437331679262035969?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 13, 2021</a></blockquote><div><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charSet="utf-8" type="text/javascript"></script></div><p>Their carry player, Gabbi, also thanked the team, posting several pictures of him with the team&#x27;s accomplishments.</p><p>&quot;Everything has been a lesson learned,&quot; he said.</p><div><script src="https://connect.facebook.net/en_US/sdk.js#xfbml=1&amp;version=v2.5" async="" type="text/javascript"></script></div><div class="fb-post" data-href="https://www.facebook.com/gabbidota/posts/4612360915443132" data-width="auto"> </div><p>An exclusive interview regarding the roster release will be televised on TNC Pro Team&#x27;s official Facebook page on Tuesday, Sept. 14, at 5 p.m.</p><p>Please embed on [TNC Pro Team&#x27;s official Facebook page]: https://www.facebook.com/TNCProTeamDota2/</p><p><strong>ROSTER:</strong><br/>Kim &quot;Gabbi&quot; Villafuerte<br/>Armel Paul &quot;Armel&quot; Tabios<br/>Jun &quot;Bok&quot; Kanehara <br/>Timothy &quot;Tims&quot; Randrup <br/>Marvin &quot;Boomy&quot; Rushton</p>

TNC Predator, arguably the country's best Dota 2 team as of the moment, will release its all-Filipino roster on Sept. 15.

Lakad Matatag no more: TNC set to release all-Filipino roster into free agency on September 15

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Lakad Matatag no more: TNC set to release all-Filipino roster into free agency on September 15

Kennedy Caacbay,

ABS-CBN News

Published Sep 13, 2021 08:05 PM PHT

|

Updated Sep 13, 2021 08:26 PM PHT

Read More:

Dota 2

gaming

TNC Predator

esports

The International

WePlay AniMajor

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