MnM take first and third place in the ESL Hearthstone Premiership

Dom Sacco, Senior Editor

Last Updated: 08/01/2018

UK esports organisation MnM Gaming have got off to a great start in 2018.
They finished on top in the ESL UK & Ireland Premiership finals on the weekend, with MnM players Ben “BigBen” Chapman (left) and Alister “Mysterious” Kerridge (right) finishing in first place and third place respectively.
A mention should also be given to Digital Warfare, who came close to picking up their first ESL Prem victory.
Their player – Kieran “Toastmonster” Kane – beat Mysterious (who reaches his one-year anniversary with MnM this month) 3-1 in the lower bracket final, and went on to beat BigBen in the first best-of-five final.
But after the bracket reset, Toastmonster was defeated by BigBen 3-1 in the grand final.
It was a solid weekend for UK Hearthstone, with the ESL Hearthstone attracting more than 10,000 viewers.

On clinching the victory, Big Ben and MnM Gaming said:

I’ve been close so many times, but to finally have a trophy means so much to me. I couldn’t have done this without my teammate @Mysterious_HS who came 3rd, this was a team win. There are too many people to thank, but know I appreciate it. Except even more in 2018 pic.twitter.com/teKtvJLTDu

— Ben Chapman (@BigBenHS) 7 January 2018

We couldn’t have asked for anyone else to represent us.@BigBenHS wins the #ESLPrem Autumn Finals. It doesn’t stop there as it couldn’t be without the help and effort of @Mysterious_HS who finished 3rd.

Hard work, dedication and 2 podium finishes. Thank you.#ForTheFlamepic.twitter.com/WOhSs9rlbt
— MnM™ Gaming (@MnMGamingUK) 7 January 2018

Couldn’t be happier with Ben and Mysterious as our Hearthstone players in our first venture into the scene.

Its not said a lot but let’s make make esports sustainable. Its not just about winning and growing, but as an economics major it’s about sustainability for me.
Come 2018 pic.twitter.com/JvqDXczWsv
— KalKal (@KalKalCS) 6 January 2018

Toastmonster added:

Super proud of my results today, had some very tough turns and even a missed lethal because I went too late with Lyra animations. 2-0 and guaranteed 3rd place is the most I could have asked for for my first time on stage!

— Kieran Kane (@ToastmonsterHS) 6 January 2018

The full standings can be seen below (image courtesy of ESL UK’s website):

 
Header image source: MnM Twitter

Dom Sacco, Senior Editor

Dom is an award-winning writer and finalist of the Esports Journalist of the Year 2023 award. He has almost two decades of experience in journalism, and left Esports News UK in June 2025. As a long-time gamer having first picked up the NES controller in the late '80s, he has written for a range of publications including GamesTM, Nintendo Official Magazine, industry publication MCV and others. He also previously worked as head of content for the British Esports Federation.

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