Mike Green is one of the older duelists here today. At age 37, he traveled here this weekend from nearby Dayton, Ohio playing an innovative Gladiator Beast deck. He’s one of the best Gladiator players here this weekend, and he’s running some great tech. My favorite? The Shallow Grave. He uses it to bring back Bestiari when Prisma sends it to the graveyard, and since Gyzarus blows away cards for free anyway, the drawback of special summoning a monster for your opponent is mitigated. It combos really well with Mind Control too, since Green can just take his opponent’s monster.
His opponent is also playing Gladiator Beasts. Philip Culver, 17, traveled here from Springdale, Arkansas and has also achieved an undefeated record. This is the first Gladiator Beast mirror match we’re featuring today, and it should be a good one.
Green opened with a set monster and a set spell or trap. “That’s not very good,” he remarked. “Go ahead.” Culver had the Elemental Hero Prisma + Test Tiger combo, but opted not to play it yet. Instead, he just set a monster and ended. That left Green free to flip summon Gladiator Beast Murmillo, and he followed it up with Gladiator Beast Darius. Darius attacked Culver’s face-down Sangan, sending him to his deck to retrieve Neo-Spacian Grand Mole. Murmillo then made a direct attack.
“I’ll tag out Murmillo, get Laquari. Then I’ll tag out Darius, and bring out Hoplomus in defense.” He set a second spell or trap and ended — did he know he was playing a Gladiator Beast mirror match? The Hoplomus might become a liability down the line.
Culver activated Heavy Storm, but Green negated it with Solemn Judgment. Culver summoned Elemental Hero Prisma, activated its effect to send Gladiator Beast Bestiari to the graveyard from his deck, and Culver activated Premature Burial to bring back Bestiari. Green chained Book of Moon though, turning Prisma face down and robbing it of its Gladiator Beast name! It was a great move that would keep Culver from getting to Gyzarus this turn. He’d clearly tried to hold his Test Tiger for later, and it had hurt him in the short term.
“I’ll attack Hoplomus,” Culver stated, pressing Bestiari forward. “I’ll tag it out for Murmillo, destroying Hoplomus.” Murmillo came out in attack position. Culver then special summoned Test Tiger, sent Murmillo back to pull it again, and eliminated Laquari. He ended with one set spell or trap.
Next turn Green summoned another Hoplomus, then tagged it out with Test Tiger. He brought out Bestiari, targeted his opponent’s set spell or trap, and Culver lost Mind Crush! Green activated Premature Burial next, special summoning Laquari to contact Fuse for Gyzarus! Gyzarus blew away Culver’s Murmillo and face-down Prisma, then tagged out to special summon Laquari and Hoplomus. He set his last card to his back row and ended.
Culver drew, and had Reinforcement of the Army, Dimensional Prison, and Neo-Spacian Grand Mole. He summoned the Mole, attacked Laquari to bounce it away, then set both of his cards to the spell and trap zone. Next turn Hoplomus attacked into the Prison and Green set another monster. When Grand Mole attacked it on the turn that followed, Green flipped Mirror Force. Culver flipped Reinforcement of the Army in main phase 2, fetched Elemental Hero Stratos, and passed with an open field.
Green flip summoned Gladiator Beast Laquari, attacked to drop Culver to 1300 life points, and then tagged out for Gladiator Beast Darius. Green targeted his only option, Hoplomus, with Darius’ effect, but was stopped short by D.D. Crow. He set one more card, Bottomless Trap Hole, and ended.
Culver summoned Elemental Hero Stratos next turn, but when Green flipped Bottomless he knew it was over. “You got it,” he admitted, scooping up his cards and moving to his side deck.
Mike Green captures the first duel with a sharp Book of Moon play and some creative tactics! Both players brought in their mirror match cards from their side decks.
Culver opened game 2 with a set card to each zone. “Go ahead.” Green summoned Neo-Spacian Grand Mole, but Culver flipped Torrential Tribute and revealed his face-down Sangan! It got him Spirit Reaper, and once the field had been wiped Green set one card to his back row. Reaper attacked next turn, but Green responded with Enemy Controller to destroy it. Culver set one card to his back row and ended.
“I’ll summon Murmillo,” announced Green. It attacked, struck for 800 damage, and then tagged out to Bestiari. Bestiari destroyed Culver’s Mystical Space Typhoon and Green set another back row card. Next turn Culver destroyed Bestiari with Smashing Ground, then set a card to each zone.
Premature Burial came down from Green’s hand, targeting Bestiari, but Culver had D.D. Crow to stop it again. Green ended, Culver passed, and Green set two cards to his spell and trap zone. Culver searched his deck for Elemental Hero Stratos with Reinforcement of the Army, searched his deck for Prisma with Stratos’ effect, then lost Stratos to Bottomless Trap Hole. Culver ended, Green played a third spell or trap again, and play was back to Culver.
He summoned Elemental Hero Prisma, used its effect with priority to send Bestiari to the ‘yard, and then lost his field to Torrential Tribute. He lost his set Test Tiger. Green set another spell or trap, passed, Culver set two cards to his back row, ended, and next turn Green summoned Bestiari. He tagged it out with Test Tiger, brought it back to destroy Dimensional Prison, then attacked. Culver flipped another Dimensional Prison, but Green chained Solemn Judgment to win out on the chain! Bestiari hit directly, tagged out for Laquari, and Green ended his turn.
Culver paid 800 life points next turn for Gladiator Beast Laquari, attacked with it, and Green flipped Waboku! Culver tagged out, sending Laquari back to his opponent’s deck but special summoning Darius from his. Darius brought up his Bestiari and Culver contact Fused both of them for Gladiator Beast Gyzarus — Green responded with Solemn Judgment! He had one card in hand to Culver’s set spell or trap and two cards in hand. Culver set one more to his back row and Green drew for his turn.
His topdeck was a monster and he set it. Next turn Culver played Monster Reborn, targeted, and when Green flipped Solemn Judgment Culver had one to answer back! Green scooped immediately.
Philip Culver fights back, asserting himself with a dominant win and pressing this match to a third duel!
“I’ll go first,” announced Green. He set a card to each zone to get things started. Culver summoned Neo-Spacian Grand Mole, attacked, and bounced away the set monster. He then set three spell or trap cards and flipped Trap Dustshoot. It revealed a hand of Test Tiger, D.D. Crow, Elemental Hero Prisma, Mind Control, Spirit Reaper, and a trap that wasn’t revealed long enough for this reporter to identify. Green played on, setting a second spell or trap to match his opponent’s. “Go ahead.” Play was back to Culver.
He summoned Grand Mole again, and struck for 900 damage. “Go.” Green summoned Elemental Hero Prisma, used its effect with priority, and Culver activated Bottomless Trap Hole on the chain. Bestiari was sent to Green’s graveyard and Prisma was removed from play. Culver summoned Bestiari, Green blocked it with Book of Moon, and Grand Mole dropped him to 6200 life points. “You can go ahead.”
Green activated Heavy Storm! Culver flipped Solemn Judgment, but Green chained a Solemn to negate Culver’s, and Culver was robbed of his Mirror Force! Green then took Bestiari with Mind Control, special summoned Test Tiger, tributed it to send Bestiari back to his opponent’s deck, and special summoned Darius. Darius brought back his own Bestiari, both Gladiator Beasts tagged out and Gyzarus blew away Neo-Spacian Grand Mole! Gyzarus attacked for 2400 damage, and Green tagged Gyzarus out for two Laquari. Culver was holding Brain Control, and Green set a spell or trap. The duel hung in the balance of that one card.
Culver summoned Prisma, and used priority to send Bestiari to his graveyard — Green chained Bottomless Trap Hole, but Culver activated Brain Control to take one Laquari, then special summoned Test Tiger! He sent Laquari back to his opponent’s deck, brought out Murmillo to destroy the other Laquari, and then swung for 800 damage. Culver tagged out Murmillo for Laquari and ended, with Laquari now his only remaining card.
Green drew to two cards in hand, summoned D.D. Crow, tributed it for Enemy Controller and took Laquari! Laquari swung for game, drawing the match to a close!
Mike Green takes a 2-1 victory in an intensely close match, moving on with a 6-0 record! Three more wins and he’ll be a shoe-in for Day 2.