Paul Wright has been on my radar since Round 2, playing to an X-1 record with a bizarre Dark World Beast deck packing Green Baboon, Defender of the Forest. His deck, built by a friend named Ricardo Gayton has utterly bewildered all of his opponents. A father of two, he plays for Team Impact and works as an auditor. This round he was up against Jake McNeely as both duelists fought for their survival in this weekend’s main event.
Gladiator Beasts versus Dark World Beasts — yet another surprising matchup here in Houston.
“Let’s see what this guy’s made of . . .” McNeely set a card to his back row.
“Water and food!” replied Wright with a jovial grin. He drew for his turn, set four cards to his back row, and McNeely cheerily shouted, “I know what this is!”
“Do you?” asked Wright with a grin, knowing McNeely did not know the matchup as well as he thought he did. Wright activated Card Destruction, discarded and summoned Goldd, Wu-Lord of Dark World, and attacked for 2300 damage. He set one more card to his back row and ended, nothing in his hand.
Next turn Wright activated Dust Tornado during his opponent’s standby phase, costing McNeely his set Heavy Storm. “Why would you do that?” McNeely was boggled, but stymied by Wright’s perfect read. He set a monster, set three cards to his back row and ended.
Wright summoned Card Trooper and activated it, flipping three cards off the top of his deck: Dark World Lightning, Berserk Gorilla, and Magic Cylinder, drawing a shocked response from McNeely. “What is this garbage?” McNeely was terribly confused. Card Trooper attacked and bounced off of Hoplomus. When Goldd attacked McNeely flipped Mirror Force! He brought out Gladiator Beast Bestiari with Hoplomus at the end of the battle phase and the target was chained: The Transmigration Prophecy. Wright sent Goldd and Dark World Lightning back to his own deck.
He flipped Skill Drain in main phase 2, but McNeely responded with Solemn Judgment! He now seemed to be back in control. “I end my turn, sir,” announced Wright, with three cards set in his back row. The duel stood at 6800 life points to 2850, with Wright leading.
McNeely drew and had three cards in hand, one spell or trap set, and Bestiari on the field. He checked his opponent’s graveyard: “I guess if you have Mirror Force that’s game.” He summoned Murmillo, attacked, and Wright flipped Mirror Force! “Nice call. You read it right.” McNeely had lost serious ground, and ended his turn by setting one card to his back row. Wright drew and now each duelist had one in-hand card and two back row cards set. Wright passed.
McNeely activated Premature Burial and targeted Rescue Cat, but Wright chained Skill Drain. Was that a misplay? Did he think Skill Drain would work against Rescue Cat, or was he just hoping to shut down the Gladiator Beasts that McNeely would bring out with his Test Tigers? McNeely tributed Rescue Cat and brought out his two Tigers.
McNeely flipped his set Gladiator Proving Ground, but Wright chained Dark Deal in response! His only in-hand card was Sillva, Warlord of Dark World, and he special summoned it! McNeely set his last card face down to his monster zone and lost his Test Tigers in the end phase. It was disastrous — a win would have been assured if the Proving Ground had gone off.
Wright sent Sillva to attack the face-down, which turned out to be Test Ape. It fetched Secutor for McNeely, and Wright set his last card to his back row. McNeely drew, set his draw to his back row, ended, and Sillva cleared out Secutor next turn. Wright normal summoned Nimble Momonga, attacked with Sillva, and destroyed McNeely’s Rescue Cat. Momonga then dropped McNeely to 1850 life points. “Go ahead.”
McNeely drew and passed. Wright activated Dark World Lightning next turn, blew away McNeely’s set Pulling the Rug and discarded Goldd to special summon it. He attacked and McNeely had Waboku set, but he scooped when he saw his next draw.
Paul Wright takes an awkward win over Jake McNeely, breaking things apart with a key activation of Dark Deal! Play moved to game 2.
McNeely opened with a set card to each zone. Wright activated Foolish Burial, plunked Green Baboon, Defender of the Forest into his graveyard, and summoned Drillroid! He set one spell or trap, attacked with Drillroid, hit Test Ape, then set another spell or trap.
He activated Dust Tornado in McNeely’s standby phase again. McNeely summoned Laquari, attacked Drillroid, and lost Laquari to Shrink in the damage step! McNeely passed with an open field.
Wright punished him for it next turn, summoning Berserk Gorilla and attacking for 3600 damage. McNeely only had 3700 life points remaining, and was watching his life in this tournament pass him by.
He summoned Gladiator Beast Bestiari, and then special summoned Test Tiger. He tributed the Tiger to send Bestiari back to his deck and brought out the copy of Gladiator Beast Octavius he had sided in. It destroyed Wright’s set Mirror Force! McNeely set a spell or trap, breathed a sigh of relief, and passed.
Wright summoned Giant Rat next turn. “Want to see my pro move?” He proceeded to turn Berserk Gorilla to defense mode, destroyed it with its own effect, and paid 1000 to bring up Green Baboon, a great play! He set his last in-hand card to his spell and trap zone, and sent Baboon to attack Octavius.
McNeely did some math before announcing if he had a response or not. He did. He tributed Octavius for Icarus Attack, targeting Green Baboon and Giant Rat for destruction! McNeely had bought himself a reprieve and only took 1600 damage from Drillroid.
McNeely summoned Rescue Cat, but Forced Back sent it back to his hand! He set a spell or trap, ended, and Wright pressed him with Drillroid again. McNeely was down to 500 life points and Wright set his last card to his back row.
Rescue Cat came down again, and this time Wright had no answer. McNeely brought out Test Tiger and Test Ape, but was in a tight spot — his hand was two traps, and his only remaining set card was Pot of Avarice. He needed to get to a Gladiator Beast, and the only way he would be able to do it would be if he could get a Gladiator into play. It looked impossible, but he activated Pot of Avarice anyway, and had to send all of his graveyard monsters back to his deck. His draws didn’t help him, and he quickly offered the handshake.
Paul Wright claims victory over Jake McNeely with his unique Dark World Beast deck, dominating with perfect draws, creative plays, and some great tech picks!