From Ranked to Riyadh: Ultra Legends’ improbable run to MSC at EWC 2025
Photo from Mobile Legends Esports
From Ranked to Riyadh: Ultra Legends’ improbable run to MSC at EWC 2025
MANILA – The Esports World Cup is fast approaching, and the brightest lights in the gaming world are set to converge in Riyadh. From global giants like Team Liquid, T1, and Natus Vincere to rising powerhouses such as Team Falcons and LOUD, the world’s biggest esports clubs are ready for battle.
But while these legacy names dominate headlines, one Mobile Legends: Bang Bang squad has captured hearts across the MENA region—not with flash, but with fire.
Ultra Legends, an Egypt-based MLBB team, stunned the field with their Cinderella run to the MSC at EWC 2025. From ranked queues to regional champions, the underdogs defied both in-game odds and real-world challenges to earn their seat on the global stage.
A team built from friendship and fire
Before becoming MPL MENA Season 7 champions, Ultra Legends were just a group of high-ranked MLBB players grinding games for fun.
“One of us, he is called Throwboy, he selected the players, and we just want to try ranked games,” said EXP laner Mostafa Alhassan “DarkLord” Mahmoud. “We just keep practicing, playing scrims, and joining local tournaments.”
They nearly cracked the MPL MENA scene in Season 4, only to fall short against Geekay Esports in the finals. But with Throwboy returning from a stint with Team Occupy, a retooled Ultra Legends roster made another run.
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This iteration brought in roamers Mahmoud “RiseCrim” Rawash, formerly of RA’AD, and “Jersy” from Axe. DarkLord, jungler “Dora”, midlaners Omar “Quanok” Ali and “Elshadow Omar,” gold laner Mahmoud Alhassan “Pharaoh” Mahmoud, and coaches Hussien “Drew” Mohamed and “Restart” all joined them from free agency.
From the bottom to the top
Ultra Legends made it past the qualifiers as Egypt’s top team and stormed through the league, finishing first in the regular season with 15 points and a 5-2 record. In the playoffs, they beat regional heavyweights—including Team Falcons in a 4-1 grand finals victory.
“We really don’t care about that. We just focused on our gameplay. And we beat them many times before the MPL MENA in practice. So we just believed in ourselves,” DarkLord said of their rivals’ superior resources and imports.
For RiseCrim, who was hailed the season’s Finals MVP, Ultra Legends’ secret was never about money—it was always about unity.
“We play together as a family, not as a team. We love and care about each other, and if someone did a mistake we don’t focus on the mistake,” said the roamer. “We just encourage him so we still maintain our focus on the game, not on the mistakes that we do. I think that is special.”
Clutching in the car: how real-life struggles didn’t stop the dream
Ultra Legends didn’t just overcome stronger lineups. They overcame power outages, poor connections, and the unpredictable realities of life in Egypt.
In one now-viral moment, DarkLord and Pharaoh were forced to play a critical lower bracket final match against Twisted Minds—inside a car.
“We were in a draft pick, me and Pharaoh, then it cut off,” said DarkLord, referring to a blackout in their area. “Luckily we’re in the draft so we went in the car and we just moved until we find a place with good mobile data. So we just stayed in the car and played the game.”
“It was a nervous situation for everyone, so I told them to not focus on the ms (latency) or the outside things and just focus on the game so we can win,” RiseCrim added.
Such issues aren’t new for Ultra Legends. Some of their players routinely switch locations just to get electricity or stable signal. Despite securing their MSC spot, they still have limited practice time.
“We are not practicing for now because we have three three guys who are studying medicine,” RiseCrim revealed. “They have a lot of exams. That’s why we don’t play that much until they finish their exams.”
“It’s hard because all the teams are practicing but we should respect that they are playing and studying at the same time. It’s not easy to practice while they are studying and having exams.”
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DarkLord echoed the sentiment. “It’s really difficult to compensate time between both of them. Today, we have played in MPL MENA as we have free time to practice and play. We have exam this month, but once we finished it we will have time (to practice) for MSC.”
Facing the giants
The Egyptian underdogs are headed to Riyadh for their first time on the biggest stage of all.
“We really feel excited about the MSC,” DarkLord said. “We will just have fun and focus on the game play. We hope we can do our best in this tournament.”
RiseCrim, who has experience in offline events, is also hyped. “I’m really excited and I want to compete with these good teams. I know I will gain more experience, and this would be good for me and for all of the team.”
He singled out two opponents he’s looking forward to: “Onic or Team Liquid. They are super good and we want to gain some experience from them. It will be a good challenge and I know it will be hard, but we are ready for it.”
Equal playing field
For Ultra Legends, the stage may be bigger, but the game remains the same.
“I guess you don’t need much things to compete with the pro league or good teams. You just believe in yourself. Everyone is equal. They have hands, you have hands. They have phones, you have phones, you can compete with them,” said RiseCrim.
“Don’t focus on the things they have like a lot of salary, a lot of equipment that you don’t have. This is wrong. You just believe in yourself, focus on yourself and your team and as Dark said, don’t blame each other. If you put this goal in front of your eyes, you will see it and you will believe in it. So, just if you believe in your dreams, you will achieve it.”
They may have already captured Egypt’s hearts, but Ultra Legends have one more goal.
“We really wanted to have the support from our fans in Egypt,” DarkLord said. “We already have seen the playoff watch parties where many people attending this, supporting us. We will not fail them, we want them to keep supporting us and we will do our best.”
Legends already
As the Esports World Cup draws near, Ultra Legends stand as one of the event’s most compelling stories.
While global powerhouses like T1, LOUD, and Team Liquid are expected to contend for titles, the Egyptian squad enters Riyadh as a symbol of perseverance, having overcome logistical challenges, academic commitments, and regional disparities to earn their spot on the international stage.
Their run to the MSC is not just a triumph within the game. It reflects the growing accessibility of esports, where skill and teamwork can bridge gaps in infrastructure and resources. Whether or not Ultra Legends make a deep run in Riyadh, their presence alone marks a significant step forward for MENA representation and for smaller esports communities worldwide aiming to leave a mark on the global scene.
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