Neither of these duelists needs an introduction. Matt Peddle is a repeat Top 8er, both at Shonen Jump Championships and at the Canadian National Championships. The Creator of the Machine beatdown deck that’s currently dominating this format, he’s wielding that very strategy here today.

Jonathan Labounty has a track record similar to Peddle’s, minus a couple Nationals Top 8’s (and, you know . . . in America). A star player for Team Rampage, he is also playing Machine beatdown this weekend. We officially have our first featured mirror match!

“I’ll go first,” announced Labounty, winning the roll.

“Sure, good luck,” replied Peddle, offering a handshake.

Labounty opened with three set cards: one monster and two spells or traps. He flipped Trap Dustshoot in Peddle’s draw phase to reveal Brain Control, Pot of Avarice, Cyber Phoenix, Dekoichi the Battlechanted Locomotive, Morphing Jar, and Card Trooper in his opponent’s hand. He shuffled back Peddle’s Cyber Phoenix, then flipped another Dustshoot and sent Card Trooper back to Peddle’s deck. It was quite the blow, and it would force Peddle to play toward Morphing Jar. He set a card to each zone and ended.

Labounty set two cards to his back row, summoned Card Trooper, boosted its ATK, and then attacked into Peddle’s set Dekoichi the Battlechanted Locomotive. Now Peddle made the play he was forced into, setting three cards to his back row and the Jar. Labounty summoned Cyber Phoenix, boosted Trooper, and attacked with the Phoenix into Morphing Jar. Card Trooper then attacked directly: “I’ll end my turn.”

Peddle summoned Cyber Phoenix. It attacked Labounty’s Card Trooper, and he drew a card. Peddle set two more to his back row, one of them Dustshoot, which flipped to reveal Labounty’s hand in his draw phase: Sangan, Dekoichi the Battlechanted Locomotive, Raiza the Storm Monarch, Gravekeeper’s Spy, Overload Fusion, Nobleman of Crossout, and Torrential Tribute. “Alright, let’s do Sangan . . .” he flipped another Dustshoot . . . “And Dekoichi.” The tables had turned!

The Cyber Phoenixes clashed at Labounty’s whim, and both were destroyed. Labounty set a card to each zone and ended, leaving both duelists with three cards set in their spell and trap zones.

Cyber Dragon came down for Peddle, attacking into Ring of Destruction. Peddle set a fourth card, then a fifth to his back row. He flipped Mind Crush in Labounty’s draw phase, called (and discarded) Raiza, and Labounty flip summoned Dekoichi the Battlechanted Locomotive for a draw and an attack. Peddle flipped Ring of Destruction in response, destroying Dekoichi. Confiscation revealed Peddle’s remaining cards in hand, Card Trooper and Overload Fusion, and Labounty opted to discard the Overload Fusion. It was 2600 to 2700, and Labounty set a monster to end.

“During your end phase . . .” announced Peddle, flipping Mystical Space Typhoon. It targeted and destroyed Labounty’s set Torrential Tribute, leaving him with a single set card in each zone.

Peddle topdecked into Machine Duplication! He summoned Card Trooper, activated Duplication, and brought out two more! He counted his remaining cards in deck, sent nine of his remaining 24 cards to the graveyard, and activated Pot of Avarice to draw another two cards. He then flipped his last set card, Premature Burial, to special summon Cyber Dragon. The Dragon attacked, hit Gravekeeper’s Spy, and Labounty had nothing to special summon! All three Troopers threatened with direct attacks and just two were enough to finish Labounty off.

A thunderous turn of Troop-Dupe and Pot of Avarice wrenches control away from Jonathan Labounty, giving Matt Peddle the first duel!

“That topped Machine Dupe was ridiculous,” confessed Peddle with a smile, as both duelists began siding and shuffling.

Labounty set a card to each zone and Peddle drew his first card. “Do I . . . do I get to keep them all?” He almost didn’t believe his luck. He set three cards to his back row, special summoned Cyber Dragon, and attacked: “Pro read?” Labounty activated Ring of Destruction, cutting Peddle off from finding out whether or not he had set Morphing Jar. Peddle continued in main phase 2, flipping Confiscation to discard Gravekeeper’s Spy over Treeborn Frog, Spirit Reaper, and Pot of Avarice. He set a third spell or trap yet again and ended.

Trap Dustshoot flipped in Labounty’s draw phase, sending his Treeborn Frog back to his deck and revealing his draw this turn: Brain Control. “Cards in hand?” asked Labounty.

“One,” replied Peddle. “One sad little card.” He had simplified the game while he was at a disadvantage: hopefully he had a plan. Labounty flip summoned Gravekeeper’s Spy, brought out another in defense, attacked, and was repelled by Call of the Haunted: it brought back Peddle’s Cyber Dragon. He set a monster, lost his attack position Spy to Cyber Dragon, and then lost his other Spy a turn later. Labounty set another monster and passed, the duel moving at a furious pace.

Cyber Dragon went after the monster Labounty had defended earlier; it turned out to be Dekoichi the Battlechanted Locomotive, not Morphing Jar, and it was destroyed. Labounty summoned Card Trooper, sent three cards to his graveyard to boost it, and then activated Pot of Avarice. He activated Confiscation, revealing Jinzo, Snipe Hunter, Machine Duplication, and Torrential Tribute in Peddle’s hand. Debating briefly, he decided to discard the Snipe Hunter.

“Wait, Torrential’s in my hand?” Peddle checked his set card, and gave a curse. It was unclear whether he was sincere, or if Peddle was performing a bluff of Coronellian proportions.

Labounty activated Brain Control to take Cyber Dragon, and Peddle morosely handed it over. But when Cyber Dragon attacked, Peddle flipped Scapegoat! It appeared Labounty had been taken in by a ruse!

“You know, if you attack these two Sheep I’ll topdeck into Trooper.” Peddle grinned. “And that’d be bad.” Labounty attacked anyway, hitting two Sheep and then giving over control of Cyber Dragon.

The Dragon ran over Labounty’s Card Trooper, lowering him to 1500 life points. Peddle set a monster, set a spell or trap card, and Labounty set a card to each zone as well. Peddle flip summoned Sangan and responded with Torrential Tribute, clearing the field and destroying Labounty’s set Spirit Reaper and Treeborn Frog! He then searched out Card Trooper with Sangan’s effect, hoping for the Trooper / Machine Duplication win. But, when he summoned Card Trooper he was cut short by Torrential Tribute. “I’ll draw for its effect” announced Peddle. “Aaaaand, go.” He set a spell or trap to finish his turn.

Labounty had no way to capitalize and set a monster, desperately hanging on. Peddle set one too, and Labounty flip summoned his set Dekoichi the Battlechanted Locomotive. It attacked, but ran into Peddle’s set Gravekeeper’s Spy! Labounty dropped to 900 life points and Peddle special summoned another Spy in defense.

There was nothing Labounty could do. He revealed a hand of dead cards and offered Peddle the handshake.

Matt Peddle takes a 2-0 sweep over Rampage’s Jonathan Labounty!