Dakota Ticheli, the son of Greg Abbey, is following in his father’s footsteps. Greg Abbey is the voice of Yusei Fudo, a star Duelist who is known to be unbeatable in Duels. Now, 11-year-old Dakota Ticheli is making that same reputation for himself. He currently holds a perfect 4-0 record in the Dragon Duels, and is ready to begin his final Match of today’s tournament. But he’s about to take his Gladiator Beast Deck up against 12-year-old Brian Ahle’s Synchrocentric Deck! The winner of the Match will become Saturday’s YCS Kansas City Dragon Duel Champion!

Ticheli opened up Duel 1 with Monster Reborn, A Hero Lives, Elemental HERO Prisma, Gladiator Beast Hoplomus, Torrential Tribute, and Gladiator Beast Darius. He Set Hoplomus, Torrential Tribute, and Monster Reborn before passing to Ahle.

Ahle Normal Summoned Tour Guide From the Underworld and used its effect to Special Summon another Tour Guide from his Deck. When it hit the field, Ticheli flipped Torrential Tribute to destroy both Tour Guides and his Hoplomus.

Ticheli drew Solemn Judgment next turn! He Normal Summoned Gladiator Beast Darius and attacked with it. Ahle lost 1700 Life Points and Ticheli tagged out Darius to Special Summon Gladiator Beast Laquari from his Deck at the end of the Battle Phase. Ticheli Set Solemn Judgment before ending his turn.

Ahle Set a monster and passed.

Ticheli drew Trap Dustshoot and Set it. He Summoned Prisma and used its effect to change its name to Gladiator Beast Bestiari by sending Bestiari from his Deck to his Graveyard. Then he fused Prisma with Laquari to Summon Gladiator Beast Gyzarus, and used Gyzarus’s effect to try to destroy Ahle’s face-down monster; but Ahle discarded Effect Veiler from his hand to negate Gyzarus’s effect and protect his monster. Ticheli activated Monster Reborn next, reviving Gladiator Beast Bestiari from his Graveyard. He attacked Ahle’s face-down Sangan with Bestiari, triggering Sangan’s effect and allowing Ahle to add Lonefire Blossom from his Deck to his hand. Then he attacked directly with Gyzarus. Ticheli tagged out both monsters (not realizing that Gyzarus wouldn’t be able to tag anyone in since its effects were still being negated). Gladiator Beast Darius tagged in to take Bestiari’s place, and then Darius revived Gladiator Beast Hoplomus with its effect. In Main Phase 2, Ticheli fused Gladiator Beast Hoplomus with Darius to Summon Gladiator Beast Essedarii.

[When a Gladiator Beast monster’s effect is negated by Effect Veiler, it won’t be able to tag a new Gladiator Beast in after it returns to the Deck as a cost of tagging. On the other hand, if Skill Drain is on the field, Gladiator Beast monsters can tag out and tag in a new Gladiator Beast in its place. That Gladiator Beast’s effect will be negated after it reaches the field. It’s important for Gladiator Beast Duelists to know the distinction between these two cards.]

Ahle drew a card and Ticheli flipped Trap Dustshoot in his Draw Phase. Ahle revealed Lonefire Blossom, Monster Reborn, One for One, Debris Dragon, and 2 copies of Reborn Tengu from his hand. Ticheli returned Lonefire Blossom to Ahle’s Deck. Next, Ahle activated One for One by discarding Reborn Tengu, and Special Summoned Glow-Up Bulb from his Deck in Defense Position. Then he Normal Summoned Reborn Tengu. Ahle activated Monster Reborn next, reviving Sangan from his Graveyard. He Tuned Glow-Up Bulb with Sangan and Reborn Tengu in an attempt to Synchro Summon Scrap Dragon, and Ticheli flipped Solemn Judgment to pay half of his Life Points and negate the Scrap Dragon’s Summon! Ahle Special Summoned another Tengu from his Deck with his fallen Tengu’s effect, and added a Lonefire Blossom from his Deck to his Graveyard with the effect of Sangan. Next, Ahle sent Enemy Controller from the top of his Deck to his Graveyard to Special Summon Glow-Up Bulb. He Tuned it with Reborn Tengu to Synchro Summon Ally of Justice Catastor, and then attacked Essedarii with Catastor, destroying Essedarii with Catastor’s effect.

Ticheli drew Gladiator Beast War Chariot and Set it.

Ahle activated Foolish Burial to send Dandylion from his Deck to his Graveyard and Special Summon 2 Fluff Tokens with Dandylion’s effect. Then he Normal Summoned Debris Dragon and used its effect to Special Summon Dandylion from his Graveyard. He Tuned Dandylion with Debris Dragon and a Fluff Token to Synchro Summon Stardust Dragon, and then direct attacks from Stardust Dragon and Ally of Justice Catastor finished Ticheli off!

Brian Ahle turns Duel 1 around to achieve victory with Ally of Justice Catastor and Stardust Dragon! Dakota Ticheli will be going first in Duel 2!

Ticheli opened up Duel 2 with Gladiator Beast War Chariot, Waboku, Heavy Storm, Gladiator Beast Hoplomus, Gladiator Beast Laquari, and Dark Hole. He Summoned Laquari and then Set Waboku and Gladiator Beast War Chariot before ending his turn.

Ahle Set a monster and 3 back rows.

Ticheli drew Test Tiger. He activated Heavy Storm, and Chained his own Waboku. Ahle lost Mystical Space Typhoon, Torrential Tribute, and Book of Moon to Heavy Storm, and Ticheli sent Gladiator Beast War Chariot to the Graveyard. Next, Ticheli attacked Ahle’s face-down Sangan with Laquari, sending it to the Graveyard and triggering its effect so that Ahle could add Tour Guide From the Underworld from his Deck to his hand with Sangan’s effect. Ticheli tagged out Laquari to Summon Gladiator Beast Equeste at the end of the Battle Phase, and used the effect of Equeste to return Gladiator Beast War Chariot to his hand. Ticheli Summoned another Gladiator Beast, fused it with Equeste to Summon Gladiator Beast Essedarii, and Set Chariot and Dark Hole before ending his turn.

Ahle Set a monster and passed.

Ticheli drew Torrential Tribute and Set it. He attacked Ahle’s face-down monster with Essedarii, revealing it to be Spirit Reaper.

Ahle Set another monster and ended his turn.

Ahle drew and Summoned Gladiator Beast Murmillo. He attacked and destroyed Ahle’s face-down Thunder King Rai-Oh with Essedarii, then attacked Reaper with Murmillo. Murmillo tagged out for Retiari, banishing Sangan from the Graveyard at the end of the Battle Phase. Ticheli Special Summoned Test Tiger in Main Phase 2 and Tributed it to send Retiari back to his Deck. He Special Summoned Murmillo in its place and used Murmillo’s effect to destroy Spirit Reaper.

Ahle Set a monster and passed.

Ticheli drew and Summoned D.D. Survivor. He attacked Ahle’s face-down Dandylion with Murmillo, used Gladiator Beast War Chariot to negate Dandylion’s effect, and then attacked directly with Essedarii and D.D. Survivor. Murmillo tagged out for Gladiator Beast Equeste to retrieve Gladiator Beast War Chariot at the end of the Battle Phase. Ticheli Set it before ending his turn.

Ahle Set a card to his back row and passed.

Ticheli drew Gladiator Beast Laquari. He attacked with Gladiator Beast Equeste, and Ahle flipped Scapegoat. Ticheli destroyed 3 of the Sheep Tokens in battle and then tagged out Murmillo to Summon Gladiator Beast Retiari and banish Dandylion from Ahle’s Graveyard.

Ahle activated Monster Reborn to revive Spirit Reaper. Then he Normal Summoned Tour Guide From the Underworld and tried to activate its effect; but Ticheli flipped Gladiator Beast War Chariot to negate it. Ahle Set a card to his back row before ending his turn.

Ticheli drew D.D. Survivor next turn. He fearlessly Summoned Gladiator Beast Laquari to join his 3 other monsters, and then attacked with his monsters, destroying the last Sheep Token and running his Gladiator Beasts into Spirit Reaper so that they could tag-out. Ticheli tagged in Gladiator Beast Equeste to return Gladiator Beast War Chariot to his hand, and Gladiator Beast Murmillo to destroy Spirit Reaper, at the end of the Battle Phase.

Ahle Set a monster and passed.

Ticheli drew Gladiator Beast Bestiari next turn. He Set it and fused it with Gladiator Beast Equeste to Summon Gladiator Beast Gyzarus, and then used Gyzarus to destroy Ahle’s face-down Trap Dustshoot and face-down Reborn Tengu. Direct attacks from Gladiator Beast Gyzarus, Gladiator Beast Essedarii, Gladiator Beast Murmillo, and D.D. Survivor finished Ahle off.

[Ticheli knew that it was safe to Summon Gyzarus, since Ahle would’ve used his back row on the previous turn if it was a Torrential Tribute.]

Dakota Ticheli swarms the field with Gladiator Beasts and loops his Gladiator Beast War Chariot to defeat Brian Ahle and push the Match to a final Duel! Brian Ahle will be going first in Duel 3!

Ahle started off Duel 3 by Summoning Lonefire Blossom and Tributing it to Special Summon Dandylion from his Deck in Defense Position. Then he Set 2 cards to his back row and ended his turn.

Ticheli opened up with D.D. Survivor, Test Tiger, Torrential Tribute, Gladiator Beast War Chariot, and 2 copies of Gladiator Beast Equeste. He Summoned Gladiator Beast Equeste and attacked Dandylion to destroy it. Then he tagged out his Equeste to Summon Gladiator Beast Laquari. Ticheli Set Gladiator Beast War Chariot and Torrential Tribute before ending his turn.

Ahle Normal Summoned Thunder King Rai-Oh and attacked Laquari with it – he used Enemy Controller to switch Laquari to Defense Position so that Rai-Oh could take it down in battle.

Ticheli drew another copy of D.D. Survivor and then Normal Summoned Gladiator Beast Equeste. He attacked a Fluff Token with Equeste and then tagged out for Gladiator Beast Murmillo to destroy Rai-Oh with Murmillo’s effect. In Main Phase 2, Ticheli Special Summoned Test Tiger and Tributed it to trade his Murmillo for an Equeste and return Chariot from his Graveyard to his hand with Equeste’s effect. Ticheli Set the Chariot before ending his turn.

Ahle Set a monster and passed.

Ticheli drew Forbidden Lance next turn! He Summoned D.D. Survivor and then attacked Ahle’s face-down Spirit Reaper with it. Spirit Reaper couldn’t be destroyed by battle. Next, Equeste attacked and destroyed a Fluff Token. At the end of the Battle Phase, Ticheli tagged out Equeste to Summon Gladiator Beast Murmillo and destroy Spirit Reaper with its effect. Ahle activated Scapegoat in Ticheli’s End Phase.

Ahle topdecked and activated Heavy Storm next turn! Ticheli’s Gladiator Beast War Chariot, Forbidden Lance, and Torrential Tribute were destroyed! Next, Ahle Normal Summoned Spore and Tuned it with a Sheep Token to Synchro Summon Formula Synchron and draw a card. Ahle banished Lonefire Blossom from his Graveyard next, in order to Special Summon Spore back to the field as a Level 4 Tuner. He Tuned it with 2 Fluff Tokens to Synchro Summon Brionac, Dragon of the Ice Barrier, and then used Brionac’s effect by discarding Caius the Shadow Monarch, returning Ticheli’s D.D. Survivor to his hand. Brionac attacked.

Ticheli drew Gladiator Beast War Chariot next turn. He Summoned D.D. Survivor and attacked Formula Synchron with it, but Ahle banished the Survivor with Dimensional Prison. Ticheli Special Summoned D.D. Survivor back to the field in his End Phase.

Ahle activated Mind Control to take control of D.D. Survivor, and then Tuned it with Formula Synchron and a Fluff Token to Synchro Summon Black Rose Dragon. Black Rose Dragon and Brionac attacked directly, dropping Ticheli down to 1800 Life Points.

Ticheli drew Bottomless Trap Hole next turn. He Set his D.D. Survivor along with Bottomless Trap Hole and Gladiator Beast War Chariot.

Ahle discarded Dimensional Prison to return Bottomless Trap Hole to Ticheli’s hand and then banished Spore from his Graveyard to switch Ticheli’s face-down D.D. Survivor into Attack Position and change its ATK to 0 with Black Rose Dragon’s effect. Finally, Black Rose Dragon attacked over D.D. Survivor to wipe out the rest of Ticheli’s Life Points and give Brian Ahle the victory in the Match!

Brian Ahle is Saturday’s Dragon Duel Champion!