As one of the best-known streamers and Dota pros in the Philippines scene, Kim “Gabbi” Santos is definitely no stranger to drama with fellow players. And recently, he’s taken his knack for controversy to his own team, Blacklist International, adding another chapter to his bad reputation.
In a recent live stream on Kick, Gabbi revealed to his fans that he had departed from Blacklist following a physical altercation with a teammate, who allegedly punched him in the face. While Gabbi refrained from mentioning a name, many have noticed his stream session title, “Nasa Loob Ang Kulo” (Calm on the Outside, But Seething Within), which may hint at Abed “Abed” Yusop.
Gabbi recounted that the incident took place a few days ago while he was taking a break from content creation and watching an NBA game. He described that the punch came out of nowhere, initially thinking it was a joke. However, the situation quickly escalated as the aggressor’s actions turned serious.
Later, he shared the incident with former Blacklist player Carlo “Kuku” Palad, revealing about potential replacements for his position and making it clear he had no intention of returning to Blacklist.
Gabbi did not provide a detailed story for the altercation, however, internet speculation suggests it might have stemmed from a pub match where Gabbi cracked a sensitive joke about Abed’s physical condition. A replay from the game shows that around the 11th minute, Abed responded to a witty move by Gabbi, who avoided his Templar Assassin. Surprisingly, Gabbi responded with question marks and the words “L BUNGAL” (English: L TOOTHLESS) in all-chat.
Initially, fans thought it was just another one of Gabbi’s jokes, given his reputation as an internet troll. However, it turned out to be serious, as Blacklist management has announced that they are conducting a review of the incident involving the players.
On Facebook, the organization posted: “We are aware of the incident between two of our players in our Dota 2 squad. We ask for everyone’s patience as we work through this situation, as it is a private and personal matter. We are currently reviewing the situation further before we take any appropriate action.”
Despite Gabbi’s claim of free agency, Blacklist has yet to officially change the 25-year-old player’s status. There is also the possibility that Blacklist may take disciplinary action against Abed if the claims are verified.
Gabbi’s latest feud comes as no surprise, given his history of clashing with other pro Dota players over his trolling gesture. Three months ago, Nuengnara “23savage” Teeramahanon challenged Gabbi to a boxing match following an offensive joke regarding the former’s physical condition.
