Two of the most-recognized duelists here were now facing off. Holloway has made the Top 8 of three Shonen Jump Championships so far, but has yet to win one. Flores has only made it once, but took home the gold when he did. Both competitors were undefeated at this point.

Flores won the roll and started with Graceful Charity. He quickly selected two cards to discard (Dekoichi the Battlechanted Locomotive and UFO Turtle), and set a card to each zone. “Pass.”

Holloway set a card to each zone and passed back. Flores flip summoned his set Magician of Faith, took back Graceful, and activated it. Once again, he took the opportunity to discard another Machine to his graveyard, this time getting rid of Dekoichi and an Overload Fusion. He flipped his set Jar of Greed next, drawing another card, and set to thinking about his hand. He set a monster, set a spell or trap card, and invited Holloway to draw for his turn.

He did, wordlessly, and then ended his turn. Flores turned Magician of Faith to defense position and passed right back. Holloway also passed, and Flores hesitated a moment before activating Giant Trunade. “No response,” announced Holloway, and his back row card was returned to his hand. He was left with a set monster.

“Future and Overload?” he asked. Flores nodded, and activated Future Fusion to send nine Machines from his deck to his graveyard. He then activated Overload Fusion, removed twelve Machines from his graveyard and one from the field (his set UFO Turtle) to bring out Chimeratech Overdragon! Magician of Faith was destroyed by Chimeratech, and Dimension Fusion brought back Jinzo, two Cyber Dragon, and Cyber Phoenix to Flores’s field! He attacked with the Chimeratech, hitting Mystic Tomato, and Holloway opted not to pull a monster with its effect: Flores only had 7800 ATK on the field spread across his remaining four monsters, so Holloway made the play that would keep him alive provided Flores couldn’t cause an additional 200 damage.

But Flores could. He revealed Limiter Removal from his hand, activated it, and Holloway scooped.

Ivan Flores takes the first duel!

“So, Jason, what do you think of the deck?” asked Flores with a devilish grin.

“What do you think when anybody beats you with an OTK?” replied Holloway, all business. “I’m just thinking about how to beat you for the next two.”

“That’s what I like to hear,” said Flores as each duelist shuffled his opponent’s deck.

The second duel began. Holloway set a monster, set a card to his spell and trap zone and ended. Flores activated Future Fusion and started dumping Machines from his graveyard. “Oh man, OTK again?” Holloway reeled as Flores counted out eleven Machines and sent them to the graveyard. But Flores didn’t have game then and there — he set a card to each zone and ended, a baffling decision.

It left Holloway to flip summon his set Dekoichi the Battlechanted Locomotive, nabbing an extra draw for its effect. He then tributed it for Zaborg the Thunder Monarch, destroying Flores’s set Cyber Phoenix! Holloway opted not to attack, unwilling to give Flores a clear field to swing into if Flores had a defensive trap.

Flores did some math on his calculator, and then activated Heavy Storm, losing his own Future Fusion and Enemy Controller to destroy Holloway’s set Sakuretsu Armor. He activated Graceful Charity, pitched Overload Fusion and UFO Turtle, and revealed Dimension Fusion and Overload Fusion! Overload Fusion brought out a massive Chimeratech Overdragon, Dimension Fusion brought back a horde of Machines, and it was all over! There was nothing Holloway could do.