This is not Monterroso’s first feature match — he’s had a few, though he’s never made Day 2. His opponent, Lance Leonhardt, is in the same boat: always close to making the Top 16, but never quite there. Both competitors were undefeated, and neither was playing TeleDAD. Monterroso is running Gladiator Beasts, while Lance is playing a teched out build of Macro Cosmos. This matchup should be in Lance’s favor, but anything can happen.

Monterroso won the roll and opened up with a set spell or trap. He set three more, and then summoned Gladiator Beast Darius. “Go.” Lance drew: he had D. D. Assailant, D. D. Survivor, Solemn Judgment, Reinforcement of the Army, Macro Cosmos, and Dimensional Prison. The Assailant attacked, both monsters were removed from play, and Lance set three cards to his back row to end. “Your turn.”

Gladiator Beast Retiari hit the field and attacked, but Lance removed it with Dimensional Prison. “Go.” Lance drew Shrink, summoned D. D. Survivor, and attacked for 1800 damage! Another set spell or trap ended the turn. Monterroso drew — he seemed low on Gladiator Beasts, with just two cards remaining in hand.

But one was Gladiator Proving Ground, and it got him Gladiator Beast Laquari. He summoned it, Lance flipped Macro Cosmos, and Monterroso attacked. Monterroso activated Shrink in the damage step from his hand, Lance chained his own, Monterroso chained Solemn Judgment, Lance chained Solemn, and a third and final Solemn from Monterroso finished the chain! Lance took 900 damage and Monterroso tagged out to Gladiator Beast Bestiari, destroying Macro Cosmos. Monterroso flipped Shadow-Imprisoning Mirror, trying to shut down D. D. Survivor’s return to the field, and quickly realized his error.

Lance searched his deck for D. D. Assailant with Reinforcement of the Army, attacked Bestiari with it, and then attacked with Survivor going for game; he lost out to Compulsory Evacuation Device, but he set a card to finish out and Monterroso scooped a turn later.

A quick series of exchanges works out in Lance Leonhardt’s favor, as he decimates his opponent to take Game 1! Monterroso went for his side deck, but seemed unsure of what to bring in, muttering as he decided which cards to side.

Minutes later, he was starting game 2 with Gladiator Beast Laquari. He set one spell or trap card and ended. Lance shot back three set spell or trap cards and ended, holding D. D. Survivor, Mobius the Frost Monarch, and Banisher of the Radiance. The next move was Monterroso’s.

He attacked with Laquari and Lance took the damage; when Monterroso tried to tag Laquari out, Lance flipped Royal Oppression and activated it, paying 800 life points to shut down the special summon. Monterroso activated Gladiator Proving Ground, searched another Laquari from his deck, and summoned it; that one went down to Bottomless Trap Hole! Monterroso set two more cards to his back row and ended.

Lance summoned Banisher of the Radiance, drawing out Monterroso’s Bottomless Trap Hole. He set another spell or trap and ended. Monterroso summoned Thunder King Rai-Oh; Lance flipped it down with Book of Moon and next turn he summoned D. D. Survivor to attack Thunder King. Monterroso flipped Waboku, and Lance chained Solemn Judgment! Monterroso let the chain resolve, then spun away the Survivor with Phoenix Wing Wind Blast, discarding Gorz to keep Thunder King on the field! D. D. Survivor went back to the top of Lance’s deck. Monterroso summoned Laquari next turn, flip summoned Thunder King, and attacked to dish out just enough damage for game!

Lance’s own Solemn Judgment comes back to hurt him, as Game 2 is David Monterroso’s! This match would go to a third and final duel.

Game 3 started and Lance had: D. D. Assailant, Royal Oppression, Shrink, Bottomless Trap Hole, and two Dimensional Prison. He set D. D. Assailant, set Oppression, set Prison, and set Bottomless! Monterroso hit him with Heavy Storm, seemingly destroying Lance’s chances in this match! Could he come back from that?

Gladiator Proving Ground got Monterroso Gladiator Beast Darius, and Monterroso sent it to attack Lance’s face-down D. D. Assailant after setting two cards to his back row. Darius crashed into Assailant, Assailant’s effect removed both from play, and a third spell or trap ended Monterroso’s turn. Lance set his three remaining cards to his back row next turn.

Monterroso set another spell or trap, Lance set one, and Monterroso ended. Lance summoned Banisher of the Radiance and Monterroso flipped Bottomless Trap Hole, simplifying the duel and protecting his life points. He summoned Gladiator Beast Bestiari, attacked, and lost Bestiari to Dimensional Prison. He set a spell or trap, putting himself at four, and ended with one card in hand.

Lance topdecked and summoned Breaker the Magical Warrior, trading off with Monterroso’s Torrential Tribute. Monterroso summoned Gladiator Beast Bestiari again, slammed into Mirror Force, and flipped Solemn Judgment in response. Bestiari struck for 1500 damage, tagged out to Gladiator Beast Laquari, and Monterroso ended with four cards to his opponent’s two — one in hand, Laquari on the field, and two set in his back row.

Lance topped Thunder King Rai-Oh, and it was immediately summoned to the field. He had Shrink face down, but had to weigh the risk of Monterroso unleashing Gladiator Beast Gyzarus next turn. Monterroso, couldn’t, but when he attacked and Lance flipped Shrink, Monterroso had another Solemn Judgment! The duel stood at 6200 life points to 2000, and Monterroso summoned Bestiari to destroy Lance’s face-down Macro Cosmos. Lance was down to topdecking, while Monterroso had four cards left. This was all over.

Royal Oppression hit Lance’s back row, and Bestiari hit Lance’s life points. When Monterroso tried to tag Bestiari out he lost his Gladiator to Oppression. He still had four cards to Lance’s one though, and set a single spell or trap. Lance drew, set his topdeck to his back row, and ended. Monterroso set a third back row card.

Lance topped D. D. Survivor! He flipped Dimensional Fissure, normal summoned D. D. Survivor, and attacked for 1800 damage. Monterroso had just 200 life points left. Lance ended.

Monterroso drew to a total of six cards — three on the field in his spell and trap zone, and three in hand. Lance still had 3900 life points. Monterroso flipped Dust Tornado, removed Royal Oppression from the field, and special summoned Gladiator Beast Bestiari from his graveyard. Hammer Shot removed D. D. Survivor from the field, Bestiari struck for 1500 damage, and Monterroso tagged out to Gladiator Beast Laquari. He needed to block Lance from dealing that last 200 damage, and he set his last in-hand card to finish his turn.

In the end phase when D. D. Survivor was to return to the field, Monterroso activated Gladiator Beast War Chariot to negate the effect, keeping D. D. Survivor removed from play. This was appealed to the head judge and enforced by the head judge. Lance drew for his next turn, set a spell or trap, and Monterroso was up.

He set his topdeck to his back row, contemplated attacking, and passed! Lance set another spell or trap, Monterroso attacked, and Lance had just 2700 life points left. Laquari cleaved away 2100 of them, and Lance was down to 600 life points. Monterroso set another spell or trap to end.

Lance set another topdecked spell or trap to his back row, Monterroso attacked, and Lance couldn’t do anything to stop it. It was all over.