Three years ago a legend was made, as a rising star delivered on his promise to score a Shonen Jump Championship win for what was then a rookie team with few credentials: Team Overdose. Three long years have passed since Anthony Alvarado’s explosive victory, and today, we return to the place where it all began: Charlotte, North Carolina!

It’s been just two weeks since Cesar Gonzalez’s second Championship win in Seattle, and today marks the last in a string of high-profile tournaments. After today, we’ll have to wait four more weeks before Shonen Jump action returns in Chicago. As a result, this event will set trends and dictate the pace of play in major tournaments for the next month.

The player meeting has not yet begun, but already Teleport Dark Armed Dragon is the deck to beat—no surprise there. Top players like Jerry Wang, Chris Bowling, and many more are still on the floor right now, trying to outwit one another by finding new tech. Everything from Necroface to De-Synchro is seeing speculation, and everybody in contention here today knows that in the biggest mirror match of the format, every tiny advantage counts.

At the same time, most players are expecting big representation from Lightsworn, as that deck continues to gain more and more momentum in Regional qualifiers. The previous builds of Lightsworn seem to have reached their plateau, and innovation will be necessary if Lightsworn are to finally break into the title gold spotlight. Will today be the day that Garoth, Jain, Lyla, and all the rest finally make it to the top? That seems to be the biggest question on the minds of competitors here this morning.

The future of Gladiator Beasts remains murky, with no clear answer emerging quite yet. The number of duelists playing the deck is impossible to divine, and judging the quality of the builds present here today is equally impossible pre-event. Eric Ing’s Day 2 build from Seattle has breathed new potential into the once-mighty archetype, but will other duelists follow his lead? Many of this game’s greatest players agree: the right Gladiator build could become a dominant force. But few of those duelists are willing to make the first step themselves—will a daring newcomer deliver what the pros won’t?

A lot of star competitors are here today, but perhaps the most celebrated is the champ himself—Anthony Alvarado! Three years have passed and life is different: now married and the father of a little girl, a lot of things have changed for Anthony. But one thing remains a constant: his will to win. The Champion has come to defend his title, and his story is just one of hundreds that have led competitors to this tournament.

Welcome to the last Shonen Jump Championship for four weeks. Welcome to Shonen Jump Championship Charlotte!