Lazaro Bellido is a man who needs no introduction. Lazaro has won SJC Costa Mesa, top 16’d in several Shonen Jump Championships, and is the innovator of many groundbreaking decks. “Doctor” Nik Ristoski is a well-known player in the Canadian metagame and he placed 1st in the Swiss rounds, going undefeated, an impressive accomplishment with all the momentum of possibly becoming the next Canadian National Champion!
Both players have made it this far in the tournament but the real test starts here if either ever wants to claim the title of Canadian National Champion.
Game 1
Both players shuffled up and Lazaro won the die roll 6-1. Lazaro opted to start off the first game. Nik offered the handshake before playing but Lazaro refused! It was nothing personal but Lazaro claimed that shaking the hand would cause him to lose! Superstitious much? We’ll see soon enough!
Lazaro opened with Elemental Hero Stratos and used his effect to pull an Elemental Hero Prisma to his hand. He set two to the back row and ended. Nik drew and he started his turn with Gladiator Proving Ground to pull a Gladiator Beast Laquari to his hand. He then summoned Laquari to the field; Lazaro responded with a Bottomless Trap Hole and the Beast was out of play! Nik sets a back row to end his turn. Lazaro drew and summoned Elemental Hero Prisma, declining the effect, but Bottomless Trap Hole was activated against the hero! Prisma couldn’t save the day today and Lazaro attacked for 1800 with Elemental Hero Stratos, set a back row, and ended. Nik drew and played Heavy Storm! Lazaro chained Solemn Judgment and went down to 4000. Nik set two to his back row and ended his turn.
Lazaro drew and started with Heavy Storm himself! Nothing was chained and Nik lost Book of Moon and Bottomless Trap Hole, while Lazaro lost Book of Moon himself! Lazaro continued by summoning another Elemental Hero Prisma and sent Gladiator Beast Laquari to the graveyard! He special summoned Test Tiger and used the effect to tag out Elemental Hero Prisma to get Gladiator Beast Secutor! Both monsters attacked for 2200 and Gladiator Beast Secutor fetched Gladiator Beast Laquari and Gladiator Beast Darius! Darius got a Laquari and Lazaro contact Fused Laquari, Darius, and Secutor for Gladiator Beast Heraklinos! Nik drew for his turn and scooped!
Lazaro takes a quick duel, countering with his own Heavy Storm and bringing out a horde of Gladiator Beasts to sweep the first duel!
Game 2
Both players side decked quietly, knowing that the next duel would be a crucial one. Nik chose the right to start off the second duel knowing the pressure of losing this match and began his turn.
Nik opened his turn with a set back row and ended. Lazaro started his turn by summoning Gladiator Beast Darius. Nik responded with Torrential Tribute to take out the Beast and Lazaro set a back row to end his turn. Nik drew and summoned Gladiator Beast Murmillo. When he attacked, Lazaro played Book of Moon to flip Murmillo down. A set back row concluded the turn. Lazaro simply summoned Sangan, attacked and ended. Nik passed, Lazaro summoned Gladiator Beast Bestiari, but Nik played Bottomless! Nik drew and set Bottomless and ended. Lazaro drew and summoned Gladiator Beast Laquari and that was hit with Bottomless Trap Hole too! Sangan attacked for 1000 and Lazaro ended. Nik drew and just set another back row to end his turn. He was unable to mount any offense, let alone establish any monster presence! Lazaro started his turn by summoning his Prisma but declined the effect. Both monsters attacked and hit for 2600. Lazaro then dumped Bestiari with Prisma’s effect and ended with a back row set. Nick drew and he set a back row and two more, totalling four to end!
Lazaro pondered activating Elemental Hero Prisma’s effect and assessed the situation before making his move. He simply moved to his battle phase and Elemental Hero Prisma attacked, but a Book of Moon flipped it down! Sangan hit directly for 1000 and Lazaro ended. Nik drew into Test Tiger with his hand of Mind Control, Cold Wave, and Heavy Storm. He activated Mind Control, targeting the face-down Elemental Hero Prisma, Lazaro chained Solemn Judgment but Nik chained a Solemn Judgment of his own! It was 4000-1150 in favor of Lazaro. Nik flipped up the Elemental Hero Prisma and dumped a Gladiator Beast Bestiari to the graveyard, Nik then proceeded to special summon Test Tiger and tributed his Test Tiger to tag out Lazaro’s Elemental Hero Prisma and tag in Gladiator Beast Darius. Darius then special summoned Gladiator Beast Bestiari to the field! Nik called for a contact Fusion and he brought out Gladiator Beast Gyzarus to destroy Lazaro’s Sangan! Lazaro was now wide open for a direct attack! Lazaro opted to get Gladiator Beast Murmillo and Nik proceeded to attack with Gladiator Beast Gyzarus and tagged Gyzarus out for Gladiator Beast Laquari and Gladiator Beast Darius. Gladiator Beast Darius summoned Gladiator Beast Murmillo and all three Fused for Gladiator Beast Heraklinos!
Lazaro started with Gladiator Beast Murmillo and special summoned Test Tiger, but was cut off with Solemn Judgment, dropping Nik down to 575 life points! He was armed with another one, however, and brought it out! He tagged out Gladiator Beast Murmillo in defense for the same one to take out Heraklinos! Lazaro ended and Nik opted to get Elemental Hero Stratos with Reinforcement of the Army! He fetched Elemental Hero Prisma and attacked over Murmillo! Lazaro drew and set one to each row; he then played Smashing Ground and ended, but Nik played Mystical Space Typhoon in the end phase to take out Lazaro’s Solemn Judgment! Lazaro groaned with displeasure as he realized that if he had sent his Gladiator Beast Murmillo to attack instead of being in defense mode last turn, then he would have won the match! Nick drew and played Cold Wave to start his main phase. He then summoned Elemental Hero Prisma, tossed Bestiari to the graveyard, attacked over Rescue Cat, and ended! Lazaro drew and summoned another Rescue Cat! He tributed them both for two Neo-Spacian Dark Panther and copied Prisma’s effect with both Panthers! He dumped Gladiator Beast Laquari and Gladiator Beast Bestiari and Fused them together for Gladiator Beast Gyzarus!!! The 2400 ATK was more then Nick could handle and the Doctor headed back to the office!
“I’m shaking your hand next time!!!” remarked Nik after scooping his cards! Nik takes his loss in great stride and sportsmanship as Lazaro racks up another win!
Lazaro Bellido comes off with a remarkable win with Neo-Spacian Dark Panther and moves on to the semifinals!