Top 32 Feature Match: Francesco Bellantone versus Anthony Eckroth
Francesco Bellantone made the trip here all the way from Milan, Italy! He’s using a variant of Performapals, which plays DARK Monsters and Pendulum Rising. He’s facing Anthony Eckroth, from Salt Lake City, Utah, who is playing Kozmo. These are two of the biggest Decks of this tournament. It’s Single Elimination from this point on – two Duelists are going into this Match, but only one can advance!
Duel 1
Eckroth chose to play first after winning the die roll. He played Kozmotown, then used Reasoning! Bellantone chose Level 8, and Eckroth Special Summoned a Kozmo Forerunner. Eckroth used his Kozmotown to shuffle away a Kozmo DOG Fighter for a new card. He Set two to his back row.
Bellantone began with a hand of Performapal Secondonkey, Performapal Skullcrobat Joker, Shaddoll Dragon, Upstart Goblin, Armageddon Knight, and Wavering Eyes. He played Joker to search out a Performapal Monkeyboard, then used Upstart to draw another Armageddon Knight. He played Monkeyboard to his Pendulum Zone, and added Performapal Lizardraw to his hand. Lizardraw came down next, and he attempted to Pendulum Summon Shaddoll Dragon and Secondonkey. Eckroth used Solemn Strike, and Shaddoll Dragon’s effect destroyed Eckroth’s other Set card: another Solemn Strike. Bellantone used Lizardraw to draw a Performapal Silver Claw.
Eckroth gained 1000 Life Points with Forerunner. He used Kozmotown, shuffling away a Kozmoll Wickedwitch for a new card. Forerunner crushed Joker in battle, and Eckroth Set a back row card.
Bellantone drew Vector Pendulum, the Dracoverlord. He played Armageddon Knight, sending Blackwing – Zephyros the Elite to the graveyard. Zephyros bounced Monkeyboard back to the hand, and Special Summoned itself. Bellantone stacked Zephyros and Armageddon Knight for Diamond Dire Wolf, and had it destroy itself to pop Eckroth’s Solemn Warning. He played Vector and Silver Claw to his Pendulum Zones, and used Wavering Eyes. He added Luster Pendulum, the Dracoslayer to his hand. When he activated Monkeyboard next, Eckroth conceded!
Bellantone takes the first Duel, with a flurry of search effects and some overwhelming momentum! The Duelists moved t their Side Decks, each hoping to get an advantage in the next Duel. Eckroth will have to win two more if he wants to stay in this tournament.
Duel 2
Eckroth chose to play first, and began with Kozmo Farmgirl to Special Summon Kozmo Dark Destroyer from his hand. It destroyed itself, so it could Special Summon Kozmo Strawman. That Special Summoned the Dark Destroyer again. Eckroth Set two to his back row. In the End Phase, Dark Destroyer was destroyed and Special Summoned Kozmo Tincan. Its effect let him reveal Kozmo Dark Destroyer, Kozmo DOG Fighter, and Kozmo Forerunner. DOG Fighter was added to his hand. Yet still in the End Phase, Eckroth banished Tincan to Special Summon DOG Fighter in Defense Position.
Bellantone had a hand of Armageddon Knight, 2 Draco Face-Off, Zephyros, Mystical Space Typhoon, and Instant Fusion. In the Standby Phase, Eckroth got a DOG Fighter Token. Bellantone used Mystical Space Typhoon to destroy a Solemn Strike. He played Armageddon Knight next, sending Shaddoll Dragon to the Graveyard to destroy Kozmojo. Draco Face-Off came next, revealing Master Pendulum, the Dracoslayer and Vector Pendulum, the Dracoverlord. Master went to the Extra Deck, and Vector was Special Summoned. Bellantone stacked Vector and Armageddon Knight for Castel, the Skyblaster Musketeer, and it targeted Strawman to force its effect. Eckroth Chained it to Special Summon Kozmo Sliprider from his hand. Bellantone continued with Instant Fusion for Elder Entity Norden! It Special Summoned Shaddoll Dragon, and he used them to Xyz Summon Number 39: Utopia! With that, he Xyz Summoned Number S39: Utopia the Lightning! It destroyed DOG Fighter in battle, and DOG Fighter couldn’t use its effect! Bellantone Set Draco Face-Off.
Eckroth drew, and Set his card to his back row. He sent Sliprider to destroy Castel. He used Draco Face-Off in the End Phase to Special Summon Luster Pendulum, the Dracoslayer from his Deck, putting another Vector in his Extra Deck.
Bellantone drew Soul Charge! He played it, reviving Vector and Armageddon Knight. The Knight sent another Knight to the Graveyard. Bellantone Normal Summoned Zephyros. He used Luster and Vector to Synchro Summon Ignister Prominence, the Blasting Dracoslayer, and Eckroth responded with Call of the Haunted! It brought back Dark Destroyer, wiping out Ignister before it could do anything. Bellantone stacked Zephyros and Armageddon Knight for Number 66: Master Key Beetle, putting its effect on Utopia the Lightning.
Eckroth sent his Sliprider into Master Key Beetle, and when Sliprider went down Eckroth Special Summoned Tincan in Defense Position. Dark Destroy took out Master Key Beetle next. Eckroth Normal Summoned a second Tincan, and used its effect in the End Phase to search reveal Dark Destroyer, Kozmotown, and Kozmojo. Dark Destroyer was added to his hand. His second Tincan revealed Kozmotown, Sliprider, and Kozmo Dark Eclipser, and he got Kozmotown this time. He passed.
Bellantone drew System Down. He moved to the Battle Phase, and Eckroth immediately used a Tincan to play Dark Destroyer, wiping out Utopia the Lightning! In Main Phase 2, Bellantone used System Down to take care of every one of Eckroth’s Machines! However, Bellantone only had 3200 Life Points left, and no cards. When Eckroth used his Tincan’s effect in the End Phase, Bellantone knew it was all over!
Eckroth has evened up the score! The winner of this final Duel is moving to the Top 16!
Duel 3
Bellantone chose to play second. Eckroth started with Kozmotown, shuffling away 2 Farmgirl for new cards. He activated Reasoning, and Bellantone chose Level 1. He called it correctly, hitting Kozmo Tincan! Eckroth Set two to his back row.
Bellantone had Armageddon Knight, Soul Charge, Master Pendulum, the Dracoslayer, System Down, Wavering Eyes, and Performapal Pendulum Sorcerer. He played Armageddon Knight, putting Shaddoll Dragon in the Graveyard to destroy Kozmojo. Soul Charge brought it back, and he Xyz Summoned Diamond Dire Wolf. It destroyed itself to hit Solemn Warning. He played Performapal Pendulum Sorcerer and Master Pendulum to his Pendulum Zones, and used Wavering Eyes to search out Performapal Monkeyboard. That let him get Performapal Silver Claw, and he put that to his Pendulum Zone as well. He Pendulum Summoned Performapal Pendulum Sorcerer and Master Pendulum back to the field, and used Sorcerer to destroy his scales. That gave him Performapal Guitartle and Performapal Lizardraw. He played them, and used both draw Instant Fusion and Archfiend Eccentrick. He activated Instant Fusion to get Elder Entity Norden, reviving Armageddon Knight. He Xyz Summoned Castel, the Skyblaster Musketeer, shuffling away Kozmotown. Finally, he Xyz Summoned Majester Paladin, the Ascending Dracoslayer, and its effect in the End Phase gave him Performapal Skullcrobat Joker. He ended his turn with both Xyz Monsters in Defense Position.
Eckroth played a Kozmotown, putting a Sliprider into his Deck to draw a card. When he saw what it was, he offered the handshake!
Francesco Bellantone is victorious, with Performapals!