Nexplay Evos head coach John Michael “Zico” Dizon clarified that the trash talks between him and Omega Esports head coach Jomie “Pakbet” Abalos were nothing but friendly banters between the two rival teams.
Talking to the members of the media after the NXPE’s 2-1 loss to Omega, Coach Zico even revealed that his ties with Coach Pakbet can be traced way back to MPL Season 5 when the two were still under the same banner.
And now that they both assume coaching positions from the opposing sides, the friendly banters between the two were inevitable especially on the question on who is the better coach between the two.
“’Yung trashtalkan namin ni Pakbet friendly lang iyon kasi magka team kami dati way back Season 5, naging magka-team kami tas ngayon since naging coach na rin kami pareho. Wala naman personalan sa trastokan na iyon, friendly lang talaga,” explained Zico.
The NXPE tactician however admitted that Pakbet got the better of him on their chess match during the first meeting of the two teams during the regular season.
“Nagkamali lang ako nung Game 1 sa Popol. Nung Game 2 nanalo kami while yung Game 1, one-sided, so alam nila na sa Popol lang kami nahirapan, kaya nung Game 3 nag prio sila ng Popol so iyon din yung tingin kong di ko nakita masyado,” he added.
With Omega getting its hands on the Selena and the Popol and Kupa, NXPE failed to put on the pressure on Kelra’s lane due to Omega’s vision game. In return, Kelra and the rest of Omega shut down NXPE’s gold lane as Donut on the Beatrix struggled with his farm.
“Gameplay namin kasi is patabain si Donut lang since nalugi na siya sa 1v1 tas sobrang daya rin kasi ng Popol kaya tingin ko yun din talaga yung naging adjustment nila from Game 1 to Game 3, maganda rin yung naging adjustment nila, nagkamali rin ako,” Coach Zico admitted.