The narrative of ONIC eliminated from M7 has no longer been mere speculation circulating on social media. After ONIC has failed to maintain momentum in the M7 Knockout Stage, the worst-case scenario has started to loom over the Sky Kings’ campaign. A decisive 0–2 loss to Alter Ego in the upper bracket has forced ONIC into the lower bracket, a high-pressure path with zero margin for error.

The situation has felt even heavier because ONIC’s first opponent in the lower bracket has not been an ordinary team. They have been scheduled to face Team Liquid PH (TLPH), the Philippine representative who has also dropped from the upper bracket after a narrow 1–2 defeat against Aurora PH. This has meant that one of two giants—the MPL Indonesia champion or the MPL Philippines champion—has been destined to exit the M7 World Championship earlier than expected.

As a result, the ONIC eliminated from M7 storyline has grown louder among fans and analysts. ONIC’s overall performance throughout this M Series has been viewed as underwhelming. Their trademark aggression, disciplined macro play, and superior teamfight execution have not appeared consistently. On the other hand, TLPH has arrived as the tournament’s first seed, armed with proven experience and hardened tournament mentality.

However, amid the pressure, the door has not been fully closed. ONIC eliminated from M7 may have been a real possibility, but it has not been inevitable. There have still been gaps to exploit, paths to take, and concrete ways for ONIC to silence TLPH in the lower bracket and keep their M7 hopes alive.

ONIC Eliminated from M7 Must Be Avoided, Here Are Three Ways to Defeat TLPH

ONIC’s drop to the lower bracket has marked a critical turning point that has defined the direction of their M7 journey. One misstep, and ONIC eliminated from M7 will have turned into a harsh reality. Against a structurally solid team like TLPH, ONIC has been required to perform close to perfection. Here are three key factors that could have made the difference.

1. Lutpii Has Needed to Fix His Performance

One of the biggest talking points surrounding ONIC’s M7 run so far has been the contribution of their EXP laner, Lutpii. Throughout the tournament, Lutpii has not looked like the best version of himself. He has often fallen behind in tempo, arrived late to teamfights, or failed to function as the frontliner the team has needed.

Against TLPH, this issue cannot have been allowed to persist. Sanford, TLPH’s EXP laner, has been widely recognized as one of the most consistent and disciplined EXP laners in the world. The Lutpii versus Sanford matchup on Thursday, January 22, 2026, has been one of the decisive factors in determining whether ONIC eliminated from M7 would become reality or whether a comeback could be sparked.

Lutpii has had to go all-in—not only in terms of individual mechanics, but also hero selection, teamfight timing, and decisiveness. If he has managed to at least contain Sanford and prevent him from dominating the map, ONIC’s overall game plan would have opened up. Without significant improvement in the EXP lane, ONIC eliminated from M7 would have been extremely difficult to avoid.

2. Do Not Force a Fighter Gold Lane

ONIC’s experimentation with a Fighter Gold Lane throughout M7 has become one of the most debated topics of the tournament. Skylar has indeed shown impressive growth when piloting non-marksman heroes. However, against a team of TLPH’s caliber, this approach has risked backfiring.

Skylar has been a classic late-game carrier. His ability to take over matches in the late phase has been one of ONIC’s greatest strengths. Against TLPH, a marksman-versus-marksman battle has been almost guaranteed, especially if TLPH’s Gold Lane has been given sufficient farming space. In this context, forcing a Fighter Gold Lane could have removed ONIC’s primary win condition.

If ONIC has continued to insist on experimentation, the ONIC eliminated from M7 narrative would have only grown stronger. Against the tournament’s top seed, a pragmatic approach has been far more necessary. Picking Skylar’s comfort marksman heroes, building a clear teamfight composition, and securing reliable late-game scaling would have been essential. In a do-or-die series like this, stability has mattered far more than draft surprises.

3. Avoid Unnecessary Extra Movements

During the series against Alter Ego, ONIC has repeatedly made plays that could be categorized as over-commitment. These have included forcing teamfights without clear advantages, chasing kills without objective value, or opening the map without adequate vision. Such small mistakes may have seemed trivial, but at the M7 level, even the slightest error can have been fatal.

Facing TLPH—a team known for punishing opponents’ mistakes with ruthless efficiency—ONIC has needed to play much cleaner. Macro decisions, objective control, and rotations have had to be executed with high precision. There has been no room for “extra movements” driven purely by instinct.

If ONIC has managed to stay composed, play patiently, and only take fights with clear advantages, their chances of survival would have increased dramatically. Conversely, if the same over-commitment patterns have reappeared, ONIC eliminated from M7 would have been almost unavoidable.

Enormous Pressure, But Not the End

The lower bracket match against TLPH has not been merely a test of mechanical skill. It has been a test of mentality, maturity, and adaptability under extreme pressure. ONIC eliminated from M7 has stood as a genuine threat, but it has also had the potential to become fuel for resurgence.

Ironically, the fact that either the MPL ID champion or the MPL PH champion has had to exit early has only amplified the intensity of this clash. ONIC has carried Indonesia’s hopes, while TLPH has represented the long-standing dominance of the Philippines on the global stage. This collision of powerhouses has been one of the most decisive matches of M7.

If ONIC has learned from defeat, refined the smallest details, and returned to their identity as a disciplined and efficient team, the opportunity to silence TLPH would have remained open. But if the same issues have resurfaced, ONIC eliminated from M7 would have been recorded as one of the tournament’s biggest upsets.

In the end, everything has been decided in-game. The lower bracket has offered no second chances. For ONIC, this has been the ultimate proving ground: rise and continue the dream, or fall sooner than expected. And at this point, ONIC eliminated from M7 has truly been tested—whether as destiny, or as a threat that could still have been denied.