We’ve managed to make it halfway through the tournament without featuring a Gladiator Beast mirror match, so if we’re going to have to do one eventually, why not make it star studded? Shane Scurry and Jessy Samek have both won Jumps in the past, and now they’re meeting once again on the biggest stage in the States. Before starting, Shane wanted to send a shout out to Marc Glass, since it’s his birthday today. Jessy had a shout out to give as well to his girlfriend Teresa. He won the opening roll and started with Gladiator Beast Laquari and two spell or trap cards before passing. Shane drew and set a monster and three spell or trap cards before ending his turn. Jessy considered setting Gladiator Beast Murmillo, but opted instead to attack, knowing that if Shane had Waboku, he’d win out in the tag battle. Shane tributed the attack target, Sangan, to Crush Card Virus, but all Jessy lost was Laquari. He revealed an all-monster hand of Sangan, D.D. Crow, Spirit Reaper, and Murmillo, and Shane fetched Test Tiger with his Sangan’s effect. Jessy set a monster and passed.

Shane made a face at his next draw and checked his down cards before activating Cold Wave at the start of Main Phase 1. Jessy chained Mind Crush on Test Tiger, and Shane chained Solemn Judgment! Jessy had his own Solemn, and Shane couldn’t chain his set Phoenix Wing Wind Blast due to spell speed. Murmillo came down for Shane and attacked Jessy’s Sangan, fetching a Test Tiger for Jessy. Shane cycled out Murmillo for Laquari and passed to Jessy, who summoned Murmillo and sent it back for another one with Test Tiger. Laquari fell to the effect and Jessy cycled out for Bestiari to destroy Shane’s un-chainable Phoenix Wing Wind Blast! Shane had no plays next turn, and Jessy revealed his draw one last time to Shane—a Morphing Jar—before summoning Spirit Reaper and stripping Shane of a Test Tiger. Shane was down on life points, and a turn later he was scooping up! A risky play of Cold Wave and Solemn Judgment set Shane up for a loss as Jessy breezes through the first game despite being under the influence of Crush Card Virus.

Both players dove into their side decks for whatever mirror match tech they may have brought with them, and soon they were shuffling up for the second game. Shane started the second game with Elemental Hero Prisma and revealed Gyzarus to send a Bestiari to the graveyard. Prisma gained the name, and Shane set three spell or trap cards. Jessy had a Prisma of his own, and he summoned it, activating its effect to reveal Gyzarus and send a Bestiari to the graveyard. Jessy attempted to trade his Gyzarus for Shane’s, but Book of Moon kept Shane’s Hero on the board. Jessy had one last set card to play before passing, and Shane once again turned his Prisma into a Bestiari before throwing down Test Tiger and activating it to send Prisma back for Darius. Darius went for Bestiari, and Jessy wanted to use Bottomless Trap Hole on Darius, but Solemn Judgment put a stop to that. He then wanted to hit the Bestiari with D.D. Crow, but it was too late by then, and Shane was able to summon Gyzarus! Gyzarus eliminated Jessy’s set Prisma and swung directly before tagging out for two copies of Laquari. Jessy activated Premature Burial on Prisma and activated it to turn it into a Laquari before setting Bestiari and trying a contact Fusion. Solemn Judgment negated the summon, and it looked like Jessy was going to be out of luck. He set a spell or trap and passed.

Shane was up, but his battle phase was foiled by Threatening Roar. Jessy had a Soul Taker and a Reinforcement of the Army, and he used them to keep Shane from keeping lethal damage on the field in addition to fetching him an Elemental Hero Prisma. Shane put down a Prisma and swung to reduce Jessy to 1300 life points. Test Tiger was the only way to save the day, but he drew into Solemn Judgment instead! He set it, forcing Shane into trying to play for Gyzarus. He did, but Solemn Judgment negated the summon! It was all for naught though, as Brain Control let Shane steal Prisma to take the game anyways! Shane comes back from a game 1 thrashing to force a third game!

Jessy was up first for the final game, and he started off with Neo-Spacian Grand Mole and a set Mind Crush. Gladiator Proving Ground came down for Shane to bring Laquari to his hand, but Mind Crush stripped it from his hand! Shane made the same face as he did back in game 1 and then activated Premature Burial to pull back the Laquari. Laquari and the Mole bounced back to their respective hands, and Shane passed. Mole came back for 900 damage next turn and it was again reinforced by a set card. Shane summoned Laquari, but it fell into a Bottomless Trap Hole, causing Shane to pass with an open field. He took another 900 points of Mole beats next turn, and the Mole got yet another back-row card to help it out. Gladiator Beast Secutor came down, and Shane used Test Tiger to turn it into Murmillo and destroy the pesky Grand Mole! Murmillo was destroyed on the attack by Mirror Force though, and Shane passed with nothing once again.

Jessy wasn’t about to give up that Mole, however, and Premature Burial brought it back for another 900 next turn in addition to setting a spell or trap card. Shane put down a monster in defense mode in addition to a spell or trap, and Jessy finally drew into a Gladiator Beast monster! Test Tiger came down for Jessy, and he activated it to target Darius. Shane chained Crush Card Virus—tributing D.D. Crow—but Jessy’s set My Body as a Shield forced the effect of Test Tiger! Darius became Secutor, and Jessy swung directly with Mole and Secutor before bringing out two copies of Laquari at the end of the battle phase. All the Gladiator Beasts tagged out for a contact fusion to form Gladiator Beast Gyzarus, and Jessy finished with Swords of Revealing Light, keeping one card in Hand for Heraklinos’ effect. Shane was in a tight spot, and he threw down Mystical Space Typhoon to destroy Premature Burial. Jessy allowed it and his Mole was gone. I caught a glimpse of Mind Control in Shane’s hand. If he could force Jessy to ditch that last card in hand, he might be able to get something through! He dropped Mind Control, and Jessy pitched Test Tiger to negate it. Did Shane have another in hand?

Apparently not, but he did have Rescue Cat, and he summoned it, activating its effect to pull Neo-Spacian Dark Panther and Test Tiger! Test Tiger copied Gladiator Beast Heraklinos’s name, and Tiger sent it back to get Darius in defense mode! Darius brought Murmillo along with it and Shane set a spell or trap. It wasn’t a particularly effective move, but it was better than losing, and Jessy whacked Darius next turn—sending Murmillo back to the deck with the other Beast’s demise. Shane set a monster, and play was back to Jessy. He summoned Hoplomus, but Solemn Judgment blocked the summon. Heraklinos attacked and destroyed the Murmillo that Shane had just redrawn, and Shane looked at his final card with disdain. It was Swords of Revealing Light, but there was no way it was going to resolve thanks to Heraklinos. Shane extended the handshake.

Jessy Samek moves on, alive at 5-1, while Shane needs some serious tiebreakers and four more wins to have shot at Day 2!