South Korea’s Hanwha Life Esports drew first blood against China’s Bilibili Gaming in the MSI 2026 Upper Bracket Final, winning the opening match of the best-of-5 series in 43 minutes. It was also, unfortunately for HLE, the last game they won.
BLG responded by taking the next three matches in a row, closing out the series 3-1 and advancing to the MSI 2026 Grand Final. HLE, meanwhile, drops to the lower bracket, their tournament life still intact but their path to a championship considerably steeper.
What happened on the Rift
The 43-minute first game was a full macro battle, the kind of slow-burn strategic contest that League of Legends fans associate with the South Korean LCK style. HLE controlled the pace, managed objectives, and eventually converted their lead into a win.
BLG’s adjustment across games two through four tells the real story of this series. The Chinese LPL squad, known for aggressive, high-tempo play, recalibrated and found answers to whatever HLE was running. Three consecutive losses in a best-of-5 is not a fluke.
