“The Asian meta is coming to MENA”: Coach Behave and Lawtrick open up about their MPL MENA Fall Split 2023 journey

Team Falcons will embark on a new journey in the MLBB pro scene as the Mobile Legends Bang Bang Professional League Middle East and North Africa (MPL MENA) Fall Split 2023 kicks off. Coach Behave, a popular name in the circuit, along with Lawtrick, an extremely skilled Gold Laner of the team, conversed with reporters in the previous week about the formation of the team, their expectations from the tournament, and more.

Since the qualifiers for MPL MENA are completed, and fans wait to see their favorite stars from the MLBB pro circuit back in action, here are some answers given by them during the interview.

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Coach Behave is excited to bring Team Falcons to the international stage by winning the MPL MENA Fall Split 2023

Q. Being the debutants in the MLBB esports scene, Team Falcons’ roster is relatively new. Can you share the story behind the formation of the organization?

Team Falcons joins MPL MENA Regular Season. (Image via Moonton Games)

Coach Behave: So, as you have said, Team Falcons is relatively new in the MLBB scene, but it is composed of veteran players. So they have me, they have Lawtrick, and they have Goodnight. And we also have Lio and Super playing for us, who is actually one of the best players from MPL MENA, I think, because I was watching MENA last season. So, yeah, I think Falcons is new, but Falcons is also a team to watch out for.

Lawtrick: Coach Behave and Goodnight just recruit me. I don't know about the others.

Coach Behave: Actually, Falcons was announced maybe a week before the roster lock. And actually, me and Lawtrick are teammates before. Then I was about to join the MPL Cambodian team. But the night before confirmation with the team, I got a message from Lio like Lio asks me to join him and his team. And he also said that Goodnight is part of the team.

And I also wanted to bring Lawtrick. When I heard that this is Falcons' first MPL season, I had this kind of interest, like, What if I can help this team become a champion and bring them to the international stage like that? So this would be interesting for a first-timer in MPL MENA. That's why it got me thinking. Then to this Cambodian team, I said sorry sir, I regret to decline your offer because I am joining Team Falcons. So that's why I said yes to Lio. So that's the story behind me and Lawtrick joining the Falcons.

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Q. With the winner of Rookie of the Season at the MPL MENA Spring Split 2023, the coach, and one of the best players from the champions of MPL MY Season 11, Team Falcons looks like they have a perfect blend of experience and youth. So, what are your aspirations for MPL MENA Fall Split 2023?

Goodnight will play for Team Falcons this season. (Image via Moonton Games)

Coach Behave: I think from my experience itself, maybe what other teams can see from Falcons (players’ performances) they can use against us. Maybe we can use it (players’ experience on their previous teams) against them, and so it's a win-win situation for the whole region. So what they can see from Falcons this season, maybe it will level up the gameplay of the MPL MENA region. The Asian meta is coming to MENA.

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Q. With the engaging gameplay that the MOBA title offers, these tournaments always keep us, the viewers, on the edge of our seats. How do you adjust yourselves to sudden strategic changes if and when required?

Coach Behave: Actually, adjustments to the gameplay—for example, the patch notes are coming, but we already know what will happen because, as a team, or as a coach, we also play on one server. During the patch notes, we already try some mechanics like what if we do this, what if we do that. So actually, the adjustment is, for example, that we can adjust with two to three hours of practice, but execution will matter.

For example, three to four days to maybe a week for the execution because we do understand that the Mobile Legends game is also a continuous learning process. The meta is just repeating itself. It is just the addition of Items and Emblems, but the meta is not really changing. That's why sometimes it's kinda like oh, this is new, but no, it's really not. It's just a matter of if you can adjust quickly if you are really familiar with the game.

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Q. (Before this question, Coach Behave claimed while answering another reporter that no one can go up against Lawtrick in the MPL MENA. So, our follow-up to the player was) What qualities do you have that set you apart from the other players? And why does Coach Behave have such confidence in your abilities?

Lawtrick: I think because he is always watching me. I think I play very aggressive and good. That's all.

Coach Behave: As Lawtrick said, compared to last season from TODAK, he improved a lot today. Because I watch him play from time to time, he is more aggressive compared to the previous season. So he knows how to play safer right now, and he also knows how to become aggressive.

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Q. Given that you have been part of the champion’s squad of MPL MY Season 11 as a player and the coach, what insights have you gathered from your time together? Can the fans expect any particular changes in your gameplay in the upcoming tournament?

Coach Behave: For me, actually, nothing really changed except for maybe the Hero pool because it keeps on adding every day from time to time. So insights we got from the previous season, maybe it's just the experience on how we deal with negative things because actually, inside the team are more stressful sometimes.

So maybe we gain some experience on how you adjust to negative things from time to time. Just like that. Maybe one more thing is handling the pressure. Because we're coming to the bigger fan base so I think we're very prepared for the pressure right now a lot (laughs).

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Q. Moonton Games is constantly working closely with its partners to boost the esports scene in MLBB. They organize a lot of tournaments in different countries as well as on international stages. With such honest efforts, what do you think about the esports potential in MPL MENA after a successful Spring Split 2023? Also, with so many participating nations in this particular tournament, how do you feel about the level of competition in MPL MENA Fall 2023?

Team Occupy won the MPL MENA Spring Split after a nail-biting final against Okami esports. (Image via Moonton Games)

Coach Behave: Just like every other competition, MPL MENA is young or new in the MLBB scene. So eventually, from time to time, they will improve a lot. So maybe this season will be impactful because of our arrival because it's not just about me, Lawtrick, and Goodnight.

I have also heard that some Filipinos will be participating in MENA. I hope we get along so we can help the MPL MENA region boost itself so it becomes bigger in the upcoming season.

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Q. Team Falcons is starting their journey in the MLBB esports scene with the MPL MENA Fall Split. A lot of eyes will be watching your performance closely. Does this add any extra pressure? How do you plan to counter it?

Coach Behave: With my experience in the Southeast Asian MPL stage, I can say that the pressure will depend on our preparation. If we come up on stage prepared both physically and mentally, I don’t think the pressure will be our enemy as long as we maintain good discipline.

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Q) Finally, since many fans of the organization will also be waiting to support you in this new venture, what message do you want to send to your fans?

Coach Behave: To the fans of Team Falcons, thank you for supporting us in this new venture. I am looking forward to winning another title for the team.

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After the initial success of the first few seasons of the tournament, MPL MENA is back again, with the top MLBB teams of the Middle Eastern and North African regions fighting to grab most of the $200,000 prize pool. The qualifiers for MPL MENA concluded on August 20, 2023, and now the fans are waiting to see the top teams of the MLBB pro scene in action.

Team Falcons, having accepted the organizer's invitation, will join the qualified teams in the Regular Season of the tournament, starting on September 8, 2023.