Eight Duelists remain in the 2025 World Qualifying Points Playoff! Each Duelist is just 2 Match victories away from earning an invitation to this year’s Yu-Gi-Oh! TRADING CARD GAME World Championship. In this penultimate round, last year’s North America WCQ winner, Aditya Dharap from Plano, Texas, is facing off against Clifton Land from Louisville, Kentucky. Dharap is playing an Onomat Ryzeal Deck that he just used to take down Jeff Jones in the previous round. Clifton Land is using a Mitsurugi Ryzeal Deck. One of these Duelists will advance to a final Match, and the other will be eliminated. It’s time to Duel!

Duel One

Land started off Duel 1 by Special Summoning Ext Ryzeal from his hand by sending Eclipse Twins from his Extra Deck to his Graveyard.

He used Ext’s effect to add Sword Ryzeal to his hand and then Special Summoned Sword. He used Sword’s effect to add Ice Ryzeal to his hand and then Normal Summoned Ice. He used Ice’s effect to Special Summon Star Ryzeal and used Star’s effect to Set Ryzeal Cross from his Deck. He flipped it and then combined Ext with Ice to Xyz Summon Ryzeal Detonator. He used Detonator’s effect to attach Eclipse Twins from his Graveyard to it as an Xyz Material and then activated Mitsurugi Ritual to Special Summon from his Deck. He Tributed Night Sword Serpent and Mitsurugi No Mikoto, Kusanagi from his hand to Special Summon Ame no Habakiri no Mitsurugi from his Deck. He used the Serpent’s effect to Special Summon it and used the Kusanagi’s effect to add Mitsurugi Ritual to his hand. Next, he combined Serpent and Sword to Xyz Summon King of the Feral Imps and then detached an Xyz Material from it to add Ame no Murakumo no Mitsurugi from his Deck to his hand. Next, he activated Mitsurugi Ritual to Tribute Ame no Habakiri from his field and Ritual Summon Ame no Murakumo. He used Ame no Habakiri’s effect to add Mitsurugi Prayers from his Deck to his hand and then Special Summoned the Ame no Habakiri back to the field. Next, he Special Summoned Ice from his hand by sending King of the Feral Imps to the Graveyard and combined Ice and Star to Xyz Summon Duo Drive. He used its effect to attach a Sword from his Graveyard to it as an Xyz Material. He used Duo Drive’s other effect next, and detached 2 Xyz Materials from it to add Sword Ryzeal and Node Ryzeal from his Deck to his hand. He Special Summoned the Node and then used its effect to send Ame no Habakiri to the Graveyard and Special Summon Sword. He used Sword and Node as Xyz Materials to Summon Gallant Granite and detached an Xyz Material from it to add Nibiru, the Primal Being from his Deck to his hand. Next, he used Cross’s effect to return Node and Ice from his Graveyard to his Deck and draw a card. He Set a card to his back row and then ended his turn.

Dharap opened up Duel 1 with Called by the Grave, Small World, Star Ryzeal, Onomatopaira, and Dodododo Warrior. He drew Nibiru in his Draw Phase and then activated the effect of Dodododo Warrior in his hand by sending Dodododwarf Gogogoglove from his Deck to his Graveyard and Special Summoned the Warrior. Next, he used Gogogoglove’s effect to Special Summon it from the Graveyard, and Land Chained his Detonator’s effect to destroy the Warrior before the Gogogoglove was Summoned. Dharap activated Onomatopaira by discarding Star Ryzeal from his hand next. Land Chained his Ame no Murakumo’s effect. Dharap discarded Nibiru from his hand to resolve the effect of Onomatopaira and added Zubababancho Gagagacoat and Gagaga Ganbara Knight from his Deck to his hand. He activated the effect of the Ganbara Knight by revealing Gagaga Cowboy from his Extra Deck. Land Chained his Detonator’s effect to destroy Dodododwarf Gogogoglove and Land Special Summoned the Ganbara Knight from his hand alongside the Zubababancho Gagagacoat in his hand. Land activated Mitsurugi Prayers by Tributing Ame no Murakumo and Dharap Chained Called by the Grave to banish the Ame no Murakumo. Land Chained his Detonator’s effect to destroy Zubababancho Gagagacoat, and Dharap conceded.

Clifton Land wins the first Duel of the Match by building up an incredible field on his first turn!

Duel Two

Dharap opened up Duel 2 with Nibiru, the Primal Being, Ryzeal Plasma Hole, Triple Tactics Talent, Droll & Lock Bird, and Dodododwarf Gogogoglove.

In his Standby Phase, Land activated the effect of Mulcharmy Purulia. In the Main Phase, Dharap activated Triple Tactics Thrust to Set Bonfire from his Deck. He Set a monster and then ended his turn.

Land activated Lightning Storm to destroy Dharap’s face-down Bonfire and then Normal Summoned Ice Ryzeal. He activated its effect to Special Summon Star Ryzeal from his Deck and then activated Ryzeal Cross from his hand. He combined Star with Ice to Xyz Summon Ryzeal Duo Drive and then activated the effect of Ame no Habakiri to Special Summon Mitsurugi no Mikoto, Saji and then Tribute Saji. He used Saji’s effect to add Mitsurugi Ritual from his Deck to his hand, prompting Dharap to activate Droll & Lock Bird.  Land negated it with Ryzeal Cross. Next, Land Special Summoned Ame no Habakiri from his hand with Mitsurugi Ritual by Tributing Night Sword Serpent and Mitsurugi no Mikoto, Kusanagi from his Deck. He used the Serpent’s effect to Special Summon it and the Kusanagi’s effect to return Mitsurugi Ritual to his hand. Next, he activated Mitsurugi Ritual to Tribute Ame no Habakiri and Special Summon Ame no Murakumo no Mitsurugi from his Deck. He used the effect of Ame no Habakiri as Chain Link 1 and the effect of Ame no Murakumo as Chain Link 2. Murakumo destroyed Dharap’s face-down Dodododwarf Gogogoglove, and Ame no Habakiri’s effect added Mitsurugi Prayers from Land’s Deck to his hand. Land tried to enter his Battle Phase, but Dharap activated the effect of Nibiru, the Primal Being in the Main Phase! All monsters on the field were Tributed and Nibiru was Special Summoned to the field. Land got a Primal Being Token in Defense Position with 6200 ATK and 3400 DEF. Land added Mitsurugi Prayers to his hand and Special Summoned Ame no Murakumo back to his field with Ame no Murakumo’s effect since the Ame no Murakumo was Tributed. Land sent his 2 monsters to the Graveyard to Link Summon I:P Masquerena and then used Cross’s effect to return 2 cards from his Graveyard to his Deck and draw a card.

Dharap drew Onomatopaira and activated it by discarding Ryzeal Plasma Hole, which was the last card left in his hand. He added Dodododo Warrior and Zubababancho Gagagacoat to his hand, prompting Land to activate the effect of Droll & Lock Bird. Dharap Special Summoned Dodododo Warrior from his hand by sending a Dodododo Warrior from his Deck to his Graveyard and then Special Summoned Dodododwarf Gogogoglove from his Graveyard. Land activated Mitsurugi Prayers, but before it could even Summon Ame no Murakumo from the Graveyard, Dharap conceded.

Clifton Land takes a quick 2-0 victory over last year’s North America WCQ winner and advances to the next round of the World Qualifying Points Playoff! He’s just 1 more Match win away from an invitation to compete in the World Championship!