Unprecedented. That’s the only word that can describe today’s Top 16 feature match, a rematch of the US National Championship’s Finals. It was just two weeks ago that these two duelists went head to head under the bright lights of the Duel Dome, a match that crowned Adam Corn the reigning US National Champion after three grueling, back and forth games.

That match saw Team Overdose’s Corn playing Card Trooper Monarch, while Rockenbach played 13-Gauge Monarch. Today, Rockenbach is playing Trooper Monarch as well, meaning that a close match may be even closer the second time around. One thing to remember going in:

No National Champion has ever won a Shonen Jump.

Rockenbach won the opening roll, and opened with a set monster. He paused a moment, reinforced his field with a set spell or trap card, and ended. “Go.” Corn activated Soul Exchange, tributed his opponent’s set Gravekeeper’s Spy for Thestalos the Firestorm Monarch, and forced Rockenbach to discard Mirror Force! A heavy tactical swing from the National Champion right out of the gates!

He set one card to his back row to end, and Rockenbach was up. He set another monster, passed, and Corn attacked with Thestalos — Ring of Destruction destroyed him in response to the attack’s declaration. Corn set a monster and passed play to Rockenbach, who now had a chance to fight back.

Instead he continued developing his field, setting another monster and another card to his spell and trap zone. Corn followed suit by setting another monster. Rockenbach flip summoned Dekoichi the Battlechanted Locomotive, attacked Corn’s set Card Trooper with it, then set a second back row card.

“My go?” asked Corn.

“Yeah.”

He set another monster and ended, clearly on the defensive at this point. Nobleman of Crossout removed his set Sangan from the field, leaving Corn with a set Gravekeeper’s Spy. Rockenbach was one step ahead of him though, and flip summoned a Spy himself to special summon another in defense position. “Why’d you Crossout first?” asked Corn, criticizing Rockenbach’s play, which left him vulnerable to Torrential Tribute. Rockenbach just kept on playing. Dekoichi attacked Corn’s set Spy and Corn brought out Gravekeeper’s Guard in defense position. “Go ahead.”

Corn had Mobius the Frost Monarch in hand, alongside Mystic Tomato, Mystical Space Typhoon, Scapegoat, and Spirit Reaper. Rockenbach had two back row cards and Corn shuffled the Mobius in his hand, weighing his options. He tributed the Guard after some brief consideration, targeted both of Rockenbach’s set cards and destroyed his Heavy Storm while Book of Moon was chained in response, turning Mobius face down. A set spell or trap finished out Corn’s turn.

Rockenbach turned his Spy to defense position, and then attacked Corn’s face down Mobius with Dekoichi the Battlechanted Locomotive — Corn destroyed it with Widespread Ruin. Rockenbach activated Confiscation, revealing Corn’s hand of Mystical Space Typhoon, Mystic Tomato, and Spirit Reaper. He forced the discard of the latter, then set a monster to replace Dekoichi and ended.

Mobius was flip summoned by Corn, and he destroyed one of Rockenbach’s Spies. He set Mystic Tomato, Rockenbach set a monster, and play was back to Corn. He flip summoned Tomato, attacked Rockenbach’s set Treeborn Frog and then ran over the other Spy with Mobius. Another set monster let Corn continue to develop his field. “Go.”

Brain Control gave Rockenbach control of Mobius, and he used him to attack and destroy Corn’s Mystic Tomato. He fetched another with its effect, special summoning it in attack position. Rockenbach tributed Mobius in his second main phase for Raiza the Storm Monarch, bouncing the Tomato to the top of Corn’s deck. Corn drew, passed, and Rockenbach considered his possible moves for close to thirty seconds. He tributed Frog for another Raiza, bounced one of Corn’s two set spell or trap cards back to the top of his deck, and then evaluated his offensive options. He flip summoned Dekoichi the Battlechanted Locomotive next, then attacked Corn’s Spy with one Raiza. Dekoichi attacked next, destroying Rockenbach’s set Treeborn Frog, and the next Raiza attacked directly and hit! The duel stood at 2200 to 3000, with Rockenbach leading.

Corn was up. He special summoned Cyber Dragon, attacked over Dekoichi, and set Scapegoat to finish out. Rockenbach brought back Treeborn Frog in defense, attacked Cyber Dragon with one Raiza, then ran into Scapegoat with the other. “Hit a Sheep,” he announced. Corn had bought himself a reprieve, but it wouldn’t last long. He was down to just one back row card and Mystic Tomato in hand. “Go.”

He drew into Brain Control. It was a chance at some quick stability, and he had to take it, assuming control of one Raiza to swing into the other and destroy both. He was down to 1100 life points, and concluded his turn by setting Mystic Tomato.

“Thestalos?” asked Corn as his opponent drew: Corn’s hand was now empty. Rockenbach tributed Treeborn Frog for Cyber Dragon, activated Premature Burial to drop to 1500 life points, special summoning Raiza, and then sent Cyber Dragon to attack Mystic Tomato. Corn spent some time debating his special summon, eventually bringing out Dekoichi the Battlechanted Locomotive. When Raiza attacked it, Corn flipped Mystical Space Typhoon to destroy Premature Burial, sending Raiza to the graveyard. Rockenbach set a spell or trap.

Corn special summoned Treeborn Frog, turned Dekoichi to defense, and passed. “Go ahead.” Conversation was light in this rematch. Rockenbach drew, activated Brain Control, took Dekoichi, and tributed it for Thestalos: it cost Corn his in-hand Heavy Storm. Rockenbach then flipped Call of the Haunted, special summoned Raiza, and took out all three remaining Sheep.

Corn topdecked into Book of Moon and set it. Rockenbach turned Cyber Dragon to defense, attacked Treeborn with Thestalos, then attacked with Raiza: the attack was repelled by Book of Moon, but Rockenbach kept the pressure coming by setting another monster and continuing to develop his field. After he saw his next draw, Corn scooped it up.

“Two Raizas in a row,” lamented Corn. Both duelists began shuffling and siding for the second duel.

“Well, I lost the first game at Nats,” noted Corn, grasping for silver linings as siding and shuffling finished up. “I’ll go first.” He set a card to each zone and ended. “Go ahead.”

A set monster, then a set spell or trap hit Rockenbach’s field. Corn flip summoned Dekoichi the Battlechanted Locomotive, attacked his opponent’s set Sangan, and Rockenbach searched his deck for Treeborn Frog with Sangan’s effect. Corn set a monster and ended.

Rockenbach shook his head briefly, looking at, then shuffling, his hand. He set a monster, set a second card to his spell and trap zone, and passed, not looking very confident. Dekoichi attacked Rockenbach’s set Gravekeeper’s Spy, and Rockenbach brought out another in defense. Corn set a monster, then set Trap Dustshoot, which was flipped next turn to reveal Rockenbach’s Gravekeeper’s Spy, Thestalos the Firestorm Monarch, Spirit Reaper, Treeborn Frog, and a spell; Corn picked Thestalos and Rockenbach took his hand back too quickly for bystanders to even identify the spell card. Thestalos was shuffled back and Rockenbach set another monster. “Go.”

Corn attacked Rockenbach’s set monster, Treeborn Frog, with Dekoichi and ended. Rockenbach set another monster and Dekoichi attacked it as well, another Gravekeeper’s Spy. Corn tributed his Treeborn Frog for Thestalos the Firestorm Monarch, forced Rockenbach to discard a Dekoichi from his hand, and ended. Rockenbach passed back: things didn’t seem to be going his way. He had a big wall, but didn’t seem to be drawing into offensive enablers.

He lost one Spy to Thestalos next turn and Corn just kept on developing, setting another monster. With Ring of Destruction set, he could lull Rockenbach into an anticipated pattern and then press for unexpected damage. Rockenbach drew Nobleman of Crossout though, and activated it to strip Corn’s field of Gravekeeper’s Spy; he lost two more from his deck and Rockenbach set another monster.

Thestalos claimed another Spy. Corn set Gravekeeper’s Guard and passed, creating yet another option with which to swing field presence and create unexpected damage. If Rockenbach didn’t start firing back Corn was going to spring the trap he was setting.

Rockenbach just set another monster. “Go.” Thestalos destroyed the last Spy and play was back to the Nationals Runner-Up.

“Go.”

Corn made a series of finger-taps on the table, mentally mapping his potential moves. He tributed his set Sangan for Raiza the Storm Monarch, targeting one of Rockenbach’s monsters and bouncing it to the top of his deck. Sangan got him Dekoichi the Battlechanted Locomotive, and Raiza attacked Rockenbach’s set monster: the attack was interrupted by Mirror Force, and Corn lost both Raiza and Thestalos. He set a second spell or trap and passed.

Rockenbach summoned Card Trooper, boosted it to 1900 ATK, and attacked Corn’s Dekoichi to destroy it. He needed to start making these little hits against Corn’s card presence; he’d already equalized the field thanks to that Mirror Force, but he had work to do. He set a spell or trap and Corn targeted it with Mystical Space Typhoon on the following turn. It was Call of the Haunted, and it was chained to bring up Card Trooper for a draw. Brain Control let Corn take the other Trooper though, and he tributed it for Raiza before attacking directly. Rockenbach was down to 5200 life points.

Rockenbach set a card to each zone, and Corn flip summoned Gravekeeper’s Guard to bounce away the monster. Raiza attacked, but Rockenbach flipped Scapegoat. He lost two Sheep and Corn set a card to each zone.

He flipped Trap Dustshoot in Rockenbach’s draw phase, revealing Soul Exchange, Spirit Reaper, Cyber Dragon, and Mystic Tomato. “Cyber Dragon,” announced Corn, sending it back to Rockenbach’s deck. Trap Dustshoot was dangerous leverage here: more field dominating control plus simplification in a situation where Corn simply had more options and more to do than his opponent. Rockenbach set a monster and Corn flip summoned Dekoichi, widening the gap even further.

He summoned Mystic Tomato, over-extending big-time in a bid for damage. Dekoichi and Guard took out the two Sheep, Mystic Tomato attacked Rockenbach’s set Mystic Tomato, and Rockenbach special summoned another. Raiza then attacked it for a quick 1000 damage, lowering Rockenbach to 4200 life points. Rockenbach special summoned Dekoichi next, forced into the same position Corn had been in back in game 1: forced to hide behind Sheep, then making a less-than-ideal special summon with Mystic Tomato.

Dekoichi attacked Gravekeeper’s Guard next turn, and Rockenbach dropped Confiscation to reveal Corn’s hand: Torrential Tribute, two Cyber Dragon, Banisher of the Radiance, and Snatch Steal. The decision was easy, and Snatch Steal was discarded. Rockenbach set another monster and ended, with 3200 life points.

Corn kept on building his field, summoning Banisher of the Radiance. Dekoichi attacked into Rockenbach’s set Spirit Reaper, and Raiza attacked Rockenbach’s Dekoichi to lower him to 2200. Corn had the duel won: he flipped Ring of Destruction, destroyed Raiza, and the resulting burn damage finished Rockenbach off.

Adam Corn fights back to press the match to a third and final duel, a shocking mirror of the original match between these two duelists at the US National Championships!

Side decking was swift and organized, and Rockenbach began game 3 in mere moments. He set a monster, pushing it forward with one finger, and then debated a bit before ending his turn. “Go ahead.”

Corn set a card to each zone and ended. Rockenbach summoned Mystic Tomato, attacked into Spirit Reaper and set a spell or trap. Corn set another monster. Rockenbach tributed his set Sangan for Mobius the Frost Monarch, targeting Ring of Destruction, which Corn chained to destroy Mystic Tomato. “Sangan’s effect,” announced Rockenbach, searching his deck for Treeborn Frog. Mobius attacked Corn’s set Mystic Tomato next, and he special summoned Sangan with its effect. Rockenbach considered briefly, and then ended.

“Cards?” asked Corn.

“Five,” replied Rockenbach. Corn activated Mystical Space Typhoon, but Rockenbach chained its target, Book of Moon, to turn his Mobius the Frost Monarch face down. Corn then tributed Sangan for Cyber Dragon, searching his deck for Treeborn Frog just as Rockenbach had before turning Reaper to defense, attacking Mobius with Cyber Dragon, and then attacking with Spirit Reaper.

It discarded Rockenbach’s Treeborn Frog! “Wow,” moaned Corn, rubbing his face with his hands. He set a spell or trap and ended, watching in agony as Rockenbach special summoned his Frog next turn. A set card to each zone joined the Frog and Corn was back up.

Cyber Dragon attacked Rockenbach’s set monster, but it was Spirit Reaper. Corn set a monster, another spell or trap, Trap Dustshoot, and used it on the following turn to shuffle back Card Trooper, the only monster in Rockenbach’s hand.

Nobleman of Crossout removed Rockenbach’s set Dekoichi the Battlechanted Locomotive from the game, and each duelist stripped copies out of their decks. He had no offensive follow-up though, and he lost his Treeborn Frog to Cyber Dragon next turn. Corn set his own Treeborn, passed, and Rockenbach set another monster. Corn tributed Treeborn for Raiza the Storm Monarch, targeted Rockenbach’s back row card, Call of the Haunted, and Rockenbach chained it. He brought back Sangan, and when Call was sent to the top of his deck Sangan was destroyed. He searched his deck for Card Trooper.

Corn activated Brain Control to destroy Spirit Reaper, and then attacked with Cyber Dragon. Rockenbach’s set monster was Gravekeeper’s Spy, and Cyber Dragon and Raiza cleared the field. Spirit Reaper attacked directly, forced Rockenbach to discard Pot of Avarice, and play was to him.

Heavy Storm destroyed Corn’s set Mirror Force. Rockenbach summoned Card Trooper, sending three cards to the graveyard. He activated Snatch Steal, took control of Raiza the Storm Monarch, and attacked Spirit Reaper with both Raiza and Card Trooper. He dropped to 3900 life points as time was called. Corn drew for his turn and went to 4900, while Rockenbach had 6300 life points remaining.

Corn had two turns in which to beat his opponent. Rockenbach had one turn to widen the gap.

Corn brought back Treeborn Frog in defense, summoned Mystic Tomato, and ran over Card Trooper for 1000 damage. It was 5300 to 4900 with Rockenbach leading, but his own Snatch Steal could seal his fate if he couldn’t deal more damage or get rid of Raiza. He hammered 1000 damage through the Tomato, dropped Corn to 3900 life points and watched as Corn special summoned Gravekeeper’s Spy.

The Top 16 tables were empty, and had been for more than fifteen minutes. This was the last match of the round, and both duelists were playing it to the hilt.

After more than a minute’s consideration, Rockenbach tributed Raiza to set a monster. Corn would have to deal 1400 damage next turn to tie the duel, more to win. Rockenbach set his last card to his spell and trap zone.

Corn drew another Spy. He summoned her, turned Frog to attack, turned Reaper to attack, and sent the first Spy to attack Rockenbach’s set tribute monster: if it was a Monarch then Corn would win. If it was a Cyber Dragon, he would lose to the monster’s high DEF.

Rockenbach didn’t even blink: he flipped Cyber Dragon, and Corn gave him the handshake.

Bryan Rockenbach earns a little revenge in a rematch from the Finals of the US National Championships, knocking Adam Corn out of the tournament! Something tells me this rivalry isn’t over yet.