Hours after hoisting the BGMI International Cup (BMIC) 2026 trophy at The Dome in Mumbai, South Korean powerhouse Nongshim RedForce (NS RedForce) didn’t rush to the airport. Instead, the newly crowned champions made an impromptu midnight pilgrimage to the gaming mansion of India’s biggest mobile esports icon: Jonathan Amaral.
The full championship squad—XZY, TIZI, DokC, HyunBin, and Soez, alongside head coach Janchi—spent their final night in India trading war stories, swapping jerseys, and kicking back before catching their flight back to Seoul.
Jerseys Swapped, Lambos Checked, and EA FC on the Big Screen
The reception at Jonathan’s gaming house was pure hospitality. Fresh off three grueling days of competitive LAN play, both camps immediately traded team colors in a show of mutual respect:
- The Jersey Swap: The NS RedForce roster suited up in Team Apex Gaming’s signature orange jerseys, while Jonathan donned NS RedForce’s black-and-red championship jacket. One of the Korean stars proudly repped Jonathan’s personal #16 TAG jersey featuring the
#TAGonTOPbanner. - Controller Battles: With mobile screens powered down, the arena shifted to the living room. Jonathan took on the BMIC champions in high-stakes EA Sports FC friendlies on the massive projector.
- Garage Tour: Between matches, the players hit Jonathan’s famous garage to check out his custom silver Lamborghini.
“After winning BMIC, we were invited to Jonathan’s gaming house,” said NS RedForce head coach Janchi. “We are heading back to Korea with unforgettable memories. A massive thank you to all our friends in India who made this trip so special. We hope you will keep cheering for us!”
The Dominance Behind the Celebration
The midnight hangout capped off an unprecedented tournament run for NS RedForce, who completely blew the BMIC 2026 Grand Finals out of the water:
- Total Points: 233 points (an insurmountable 82-point lead over second-place DRX).
- Firepower Record: 148 total finishes—beating the next closest team by 49 eliminations.
- Tournament Highlights: 5 Chicken Dinners, including a tournament-record 28-point masterclass on Miramar in Match 12.
- Individual Accolades: Fragger XZY took home the Google Play MVP award, while HyunBin etched his name into the history books by claiming his second consecutive BMIC championship (having previously won BMIC 2025 and MVP with DRX in New Delhi before transferring).
- Rewards: ₹30 Lakhs INR and a direct seed into the PMGC 2026 Gauntlet / Challenge Stage.
Jonathan’s Transition: From Server King to Gracious Host
For Jonathan, hosting the champions marked a full-circle moment. After more than four years as the face of GodLike Esports, Jonathan parted ways with the organization in April 2026 to launch his own esports banner, Team Apex Gaming (TAG).
While TAG topped the BMSD 2026 Semifinals with a dominant 152 points, they narrowly missed the top-six cutoff in Hyderabad required to qualify for BMIC. Even without competing on the server at The Dome, Jonathan proved that the bridge between the Indian and international PUBG Mobile/BGMI scenes remains stronger than ever.