This is Tariq Williams’ first Shonen Jump Championship Day 2. Playing to represent Central New Jersey, Team Oblivion, Henry Kim, and some one (or some thing) apparently named “Dinphan,” he won the prize for the longest list of shout-outs here this weekend. Hey, he made it to the Top 4 — he earned it.

His opponent, Michael Kohanim wanted to give some thanks to “Mark, who leant me his friend Nick’s copy of Heraklinos,” as well as the friends he’d come with here this weekend. Both competitors were playing Gladiator Beasts, so this one was going to be quick.

Game 1

Kohanim opened with Neo-Spacian Grand Mole, and Williams fired back with Elemental Hero Stratos, searching out Elemental Hero Prisma. Stratos attacked, Kohanim returned the monsters to their owners’ hands, and Williams set two cards to his back row. In Kohanim’s draw phase he flipped Mind Crush, discarding the Grand Mole!

But Kohanim activated Heavy Storm, destroying Williams’ Torrential Tribute! He summoned Spirit Reaper, attacked, and forced Williams to discard Prisma. Kohanim set a spell or trap, ended, and Williams summoned Gladiator Beast Darius. He sent Darius to attack Spirit Reaper, and then tagged out to Gladiator Beast Bestiari. Bestiari’s effect targeted Kohanim’s set Waboku, and he chained it for good measure. “Go ahead,” said Williams, setting a spell or trap.

Kohanim summoned Darius, but lost it to Solemn Judgment! He had Solemn, Gladiator Proving Ground, and Test Tiger in hand. He set Solemn to end his turn, clearly losing momentum with no clear way to regain it.

Williams drew to four in-hand, summoned Stratos again, and searched out another Prisma. He activated Smashing Ground, destroyed Reaper, and then swung for 1500 damage with Bestiari. Stratos followed up with another 1800 damage, and Bestiari tagged out to Gladiator Beast Laquari at the end of the battle phase. He passed play to his opponent.

Monster Reborn came off the top of Kohanim’s deck. He activated Proving Ground, grabbed Bestiari from his deck, and summoned it. He then activated Monster Reborn, took Williams’ Prisma, and activated its effect to send Laquari to his graveyard from his deck. He contact Fused both monsters, bringing out Gyzarus to destroy Laquari and Stratos, then attacked for 2400 damage and tagged out to Darius and Laquari. Darius got back the other Laquari from his graveyard, and he contact Fused all three to bring out Gladiator Beast Heraklinos! He ended with one card set and one card in hand.

Williams drew to five cards with an empty field, then activated Reinforcement of the Army — Kohanim negated it with Heraklinos’ effect, discarding Test Tiger. Williams just played his other copy from his hand! He sent Bestiari to the graveyard, activated Premature Burial, targeted Bestiari, but Kohanim flipped Solemn Judgment! Williams scooped immediately.

Game 2

Michael Kohanim wrests control from Tariq Williams after getting run for the majority of the duel, stealing the win with a last-ditch control play thanks to Heraklinos! Side decking was again very quick, as each duelist was prepared for the mirror match and appeared to have planned for it extensively.

Williams started the second duel with Stratos, searching Prisma and setting a spell or trap to finish. Kohanim drew Rescue Cat, and added it to his hand of Stratos, Laquari, Solemn Judgment, Crush Card Virus, and Bottomless Trap Hole. He summoned Stratos, got a Prisma of his own, and sent his Stratos into his opponent’s, destroying both. He set Bottomless Trap Hole, but lost it to Mystical Space Typhoon in the end phase. Williams was pleased.

He summoned Laquari and attacked for 1800 damage, opting not to tag out. He ended with nothing in his back row, and Kohanim drew Gladiator Beast Murmillo. He summoned Rescue Cat, tributed it to special summon Test Tiger and Neo-Spacian Dark Panther, then copied Laquari with the Panther. He tributed the Tiger to tag the Panther out, brought out his own Laquari with its boosted ATK, and attacked over Williams’ copy. He too opted not to tag out, and set a spell or trap to finish his turn.

Williams summoned Gladiator Beast Murmillo, special summoned Test Tiger, and Kohanim negated the summon of Tiger to destroy it with Solemn Judgment. Williams visibly revealed his in-hand Morphing Jar by mistake as he moved Test Tiger to the graveyard, and it was unclear as to whether or not Kohanim had seen it. It didn’t really matter though, as Williams had another Test Tiger! He tributed it to tag out Murmillo for itself, destroyed Laquari, and then attacked to bring out a Laquari himself yet again. He ended, again devoid of any spell or trap cards.

Kohanim drew Monster Reborn! He activated it, took the Laquari from his opponent’s graveyard, and then summoned Prisma to shunt Bestiari to his graveyard. He contact Fused for Gyzarus, cleared the field, then attacked for 2400 damage. Two tag-outs and a contact Fusion later, he had summoned Gladiator Beast Heraklinos and had three cards in hand two Williams’ three. He ended, holding Crush Card Virus, Laquari, and Murmillo.

Williams did nothing but set a monster, and Kohanim drew Sangan. He set it, set the Crush Card Virus, and attacked with Heraklinos. The attack revealed and destroyed Williams’ Sangan, which fetched him Test Tiger in turn. “Go. On your draw, I’ll flip Crush Card Virus.”

Williams showed his hand: D.D. Crow, Test Tiger, Morphing Jar, Prisma, and Mind Crush. That Prisma would’ve been his out in conjunction with Test Tiger, and now it was gone with no replacement in sight. Kohanim got D.D. Crow from his deck with Sangan’s effect, knowing that Prisma could still threaten him via a contact Fusion for Gyzarus on an upcoming turn, and Williams continued after giving a bit of a headshake. He set a card to each zone and ended, thoroughly locked down.

“Murmillo,” announced Kohanim, summoning it. He activated D.D. Crow, removing Laquari from Williams’ graveyard, and attacked — Williams responded with his own Crow, removing Kohanim’s Bestiari from his graveyard, and Murmillo crashed into Morphing Jar!

Williams lost two cards to Crush Card Virus off the Jar — Bestiari and Laquari. Heraklinos attacked for 3000 damage and Williams dropped to 2300 life points. Kohanim had the same, and at the end of the battle phase he tagged out Murmillo to bring Bestiari to the field — that destroyed Williams’ face-down Mind Control, and Kohanim finished up by setting three cards to his back row.

Darius was Williams’ last draw under Crush Card Virus, and he discarded it before moving to main phase 1. He summoned Rescue Cat, tributed it, and brought out two Neo-Spacian Dark Panther from his deck. He activated the effect of one Panther with priority, and Kohanim chained Phoenix Wing Wind Blast to blow away the other. There was nothing Williams could do. He’d needed both Dark Panthers, so that he could tag out one with Test Tiger for Bestiari, then contact Fuse it, but the Wind Blast was the last straw. It was all over and he conceded with a handshake.

Michael Kohanim moves on to the finals, the proud owner of a new Doomcaliber Knight!