So this was it. For Bryan Rockenbach, this match was his second surprising Finals appearance in just two weeks. For Theerasak Poonsombat, it was hopefully the end of a two and a half year quest.
Either T was about to win his first long-awaited Shonen Jump Championship, or Bryan Rockenbach was about to cement himself as a star. The duel began quickly.
T won the roll, and Rockenbach refused his final cut. T opened with a set card to each zone, plus a set Trap Dustshoot to reveal Rockenbach’s hand: Brain Control, Heavy Storm, Ring of Destruction, Card Trooper, Sakuretsu Armor, and Sangan. T sent Sangan back to his opponent’s deck and Rockenbach summoned Trooper, sending Pot of Avarice, Mystical Space Typhoon, and Confiscation to the graveyard to boost its ATK. Trooper attacked to destroy T’s set Sangan, and he used its effect to search for Card Trooper. A set spell or trap ended Rockenbach’s turn.
Cyber Dragon was special summoned by T. He shuffled his hand: Premature Burial, Megamorph, Giant Trunade, and Trooper. He did some math, and then activated Trunade, bouncing Rockenbach’s set card and his own Torrential Tribute. He summoned Card Trooper, sent Cyber Phoenix, Nobleman of Crossout, and Scapegoat to his graveyard for its effect, then counted again. He activated Premature Burial, brought back Cyber Phoenix, and attacked with everything to bring Rockenbach down to 3200 life points. T had 7200 remaining and ended with nothing set.
Rockenbach looked at his hand dejectedly. “I’ll scoop.” He revealed Brain Control, Book of Moon, Sakuretsu Armor, Ring of Destruction, Heavy Storm, and Mobius the Frost Monarch. “A bunch of targeting stuff, Heavy Storm, and Mobius,” he narrated. Nothing but dead cards.
Theerasak Poonsombat sweeps the first duel in just two turns, as a hapless Bryan Rockenbach is forced to concede!
Side decking and shuffling was extensive, with Poonsombat finishing before Rockenbach. Rockenbach again declined the final cut, and announced that he would go first.
He began the duel with a set monster, followed shortly thereafter by a spell or trap card. T special summoned Cyber Dragon, normal summoned Cyber Phoenix, and then activated Nobleman of Crossout! It removed Rockenbach’s set Dekoichi the Battlechanted Locomotive from the field, two more from his deck, and T lost all three from his deck as well. Cyber Dragon attacked directly, then Phoenix, lowering Rockenbach to 4700 life points. T ended with two set spell or trap cards.
One was Trap Dustshoot, and it revealed Rockenbach’s hand: Morphing Jar, Limiter Removal, Premature Burial, Thestalos the Firestorm Monarch, and Call of the Haunted. Morphing Jar was shuffled back, cutting off Call and Premature and leaving Rockenbach to set one spell or trap to end. “That was really good,” he admitted.
“Enter battle,” announced T. Cyber Dragon and Cyber Phoenix attacked again, dropping Rockenbach to 1400 life points. T set a monster and ended. “Your turn.”
Rockenbach set a monster, then another spell or trap. “Your turn.”
T turned his Cyber Phoenix to defense, turning off its negation effect. He then activated Heavy Storm! Rockenbach had no response, and T chained Ring of Destruction to destroy his own Cyber Dragon for game. It was over in mere minutes.
After two and a half years and nine Shonen Jump Top 8’s, Theerasak Poonsombat is a Shonen Jump Champion!