Before he became one of EECA’s most consistent Mobile Legends: Bang Bang contenders, Kemiran “Sunset Lover” Kochkarov lived a very different life — one defined not by draft strategies or rotations, but by wrestling mats, medals, and the kind of discipline only combat sports can carve into a young athlete.
He never imagined that the same rigor that pushed him through grueling wrestling camps would one day carry him to MLBB’s biggest stages. Yet when he talks about his past, everything feels connected: the routine, the discipline, the sacrifices, even the strict household that demanded nothing short of commitment.
“At first my parents signed me up for wrestling and I liked it, and the sport itself taught me discipline and how to treat what I do seriously,” he said. “I was brought up quite strictly in this regard. I had a daily routine: study–training–sleep. That built my discipline, I liked it, and at the very least I wanted my parents to be proud of me, so I tried my best from a young age.”
He remembers the training more than the triumphs — there is no single match that he clings to, no defining moment on the mat that overshadows the rest. “Unfortunately, I can’t really point to one particular match that still sticks with me. For me it was more about the whole experience in wrestling and the discipline it gave me, rather than one specific moment.”
It was discipline, not destiny, that made him an athlete. And discipline would ultimately lead him somewhere unexpected.
The turning point was surprisingly simple. After stepping away from wrestling to focus on his studies abroad, he stumbled onto a YouTube ad. It featured a game that looked strangely familiar. “I first found out about MLBB from an ad on YouTube. Before that I played Dota, but for some reasons I stopped. Then I saw the MLBB ad and thought, ‘Oh, this game looks like Dota, I should try it,’ and I liked it.”
That curiosity took him far — all the way to M1 in Malaysia. It was his first taste of the esports stage, and instantly, he knew he wanted more. “The game became esports for me when we went to M1 in Malaysia – I really liked the feeling of the tournament, the competition and the atmosphere, so I decided to become an esports player.”
But the decision came with its own risks. He left behind years of wrestling, years of routine, and years of expectations.
“The decision was quite spontaneous,” he admitted. “There were a few serious reasons, and one of the main ones was my studies, because I decided to go to another country to study, and that’s why I left wrestling behind.”
His parents — strict, practical, and accustomed to the stability of traditional sports — did not approve at first. “No, at the beginning my parents didn’t support me, they were actually against it. But over time, with my wins, I proved that it’s not ‘just a game’, but something bigger and important for me. Now they are some of my biggest fans.”
Their support grew as his career did. Today, Sunset Lover has become one of EECA’s most recognizable names, a perennial finisher who has carved out a reputation for consistency under pressure and unwavering mental strength. He approaches every tournament with the same mentality he learned as a young wrestler — a mindset forged through repetition, discipline, and structure.
“My mindset now is that I’m not afraid of the stage, and that I have to win — I want to beat everyone,” he said.
“To me, the main difference is that now I’m in a team game, so team chemistry and interaction are very important. But it’s similar in the way I approach the tournament: daily practice and constant preparation. Eat well, go to bed on time, stay fresh during practice and official matches, put sports as the first priority and give yourself to it completely.”
From the outside, esports looks nothing like wrestling. But for Sunset Lover, the parallels are obvious. The stage is different, the arena quieter, the competition digital — but the demands are the same. The discipline he carried from his youth continues to shape every aspect of his career.
“All this discipline and responsibility that was instilled in me from a young age made me who I am today.”
He studies the meta with the same intensity he once used to break down opponents’ grappling styles. He treats scrims like training sessions, official matches like tournaments, and every defeat as another chance to sharpen his edge. “Study the meta, watch your opponents’ games and stay confident in yourself,” he said — a simple philosophy, but one rooted in years of athletic maturity.
There are moments when he wonders how different life would be had he stayed on the mats, continuing his climb as a young wrestling standout. “Yes, I thought about it — my life would be completely different. But I’m happy with how everything turned out.”
From wrestling halls to esports arenas, from strict routines to global tournaments, Sunset Lover has lived more than one life. And each step — even the unplanned ones — brought him closer to where he stands today: a competitor with the confidence of a fighter, the discipline of an athlete, and the hunger of someone who has never feared starting over.
His advice for anyone hoping to follow a similar path is simple, honest, and lived: choose what you love.
“Choose something you really like. If you want to achieve something in what you’ve chosen, be ready to give yourself fully to it and not regret a single minute of your time. Sport is like that: you won’t have much time to hang out with friends or relax in TikTok — it’s important to train and step on this path with full responsibility.” said Sunset Lover.
For all his consistency in the EECA region, for all his strong finishes and international appearances, Sunset Lover’s greatest triumph may be something deeper — the journey of an athlete who rebuilt himself not once, but twice, and found success both times through resolve, discipline, and an unbreakable will to compete.
