Jesse Kotton from Toronto, Canada participated in the World Championship in Tokyo, Japan last year as a result of having the most Worlds Qualifying Points in Canada, and after his amazing experience at Worlds last year, he was determined to make it back in 2018. Now he’s the current front-runner in Worlds Qualifying Points for North America, and is in fact ahead of the competition by so many points that he’s already a lock for an invitation to the 2018 World Championship in Tokyo, Japan. No outcome this weekend can change that, but it’s not stopping him from competing! Kotton is still after the title of champion! Kotton is currently 3-0, and he’s facing off against Shelby Redmon from Normon, Oklahoma in this Round 4 Feature Match! Kotton is packing Goukis (featuring Sky Striker cards), while Redmon is dedicated to a purer Sky Striker Deck. It’s time to Duel!

Duel One

Redmon Set a card to his back row and passed.

Kotton opened up with Sky Striker Mobilize – Engage!, Called by the Grave, Noble Arms – Arfeudutyr, Droll & Lock Bird, Gouki Suprex, and Gouki Twistcobra. He Set the Engage and then Normal Summoned Suprex. He used its effect to Special Summon Twistcobra and then used his Noble Arms to equip it to Suprex and destroy a face-down Cursed Seal of the Forbidden Spell. He Link Summoned Isolde, Two Tales of the Noble Knights next, and equipped it with the Noble Arms. He added Re-Match, Headbatt, and Riscorpio to his hand, and then used Isolde’s effect to send a Divine Sword – Phoenix Blade from his Deck to his Graveyard and Special Summon Gouki Octostretch. He Special Summoned Gouki Headbatt next by discarding Riscorpio, and then Link Summoned Nightmare Goblin. He used Octostretch and Headbatt’s effects to add Gouki Bearhug and Gouki Twistcobra to his hand. Next, he activated Gouki Re-Match, and when Redmon tried to stop it with Ghost Belle & Haunted Mansion, Kotton Chained Called by the Grave to make sure it resolved! He Special Summoned 2 monsters, Link Summoned Firewall Dragon, and then returned his Phoenix Blade from his Graveyard to his hand by banishing 2 monsters from his Graveyard. He Link Summoned Knightmare Mermaid in front of Firewall Dragon, and after a series of plays, he had Gouki Bearhug, Gouki Twistcobra, Firewall Dragon, and Knightmare Goblin on his field. He attacked directly with Bearhug, Firewall, and Goblin, dropping Redmon down to 1800 Life Points. Then, Twistcobra attacked directly. Kotton used the effect of his Twistcobra to Tribute Bearhug and gain its ATK, making Twistcobra strong enough to end the Duel!

Kotton takes a commanding victory in the first Duel, winning before he even learns what type of Deck Redmon is using!

Duel Two

Redmon activated Foolish Burial Goods, sending Sky Striker Mobilize – Engage! from his Deck to his Graveyard. Next he activated Foolish Burial, sending Darkest Diabolos, Lord of the Lair from his Deck to his Graveyard. He Summoned Sky Striker Ace – Raye, and then Tributed it to Special Summon Sky Striker Ace – Kagari. He used Kagari’s effect to return Engage to his hand and Special Summoned Diabolos from his Graveyard. He used Diabolos’s effect to Tribute it and force Kotton to return a Phoenix Blade from his hand to the bottom of his Deck. Next, Redmon activated another Engage, adding Sky Striker Mecha – Widow Anchor from his Deck to his hand. He Set 2 cards to his back row and then Link Summon Sky Striker Ace – Shizuku by using Kagari as a Material. He added Sky Striker Mecha – Hornet Drones from his Deck to his hand with the effect of his Shizuku in the End Phase.

Kotton drew a card and then had Gouki Re-Match, Gouki Octostretch, Gouki Headbatt, Mind Control, and Junk Forward in his hand.

He Special Summoned Junk Forward and then Normal Summoned Gouki Octostretch. Next, he used his 2 monsters to Link Summon Knightmare Phoenix linked to Shizuku, and discarded Headbatt to activate its effect, targeting a face-down Widow Anchor. Redmon Chained Widow Anchor, followed by Sky Striker Mecha – Shark Cannon. He banished Headbatt from Kotton’s Graveyard, and took control of Knightmare Phoenix. Kotton added Gouki Twistcobra from his Deck to his hand with the effect of his Octostretch. Kotton activated Mind Control to take back his Knightmare Phoenix then used it to Link Summon Knightmare Mermaid. He activated its effect by discarding Twistcobra and Special Summoned Knightmare Corruptor Iblee from his Deck with its effect. He combined his 2 monsters to Link Summon Underclock Taker next, and Special Summoned Iblee to Redmon’s field. He activated Re-Match to Special Summon Octostretch and Twistcobra, and then combined both to Link Summon Isolde. He used the effects of his Twistcobra and Isolde to add Gouki Suprex and Junk Forward to his hand, and then activated Isolde’s effect by sending Divine Sword from his Deck to his Graveyard, but lost out on the Special Summon due to Redmon’s Ash Blossom & Joyous Spring. Kotton returned the Phoenix Sword to his hand by banishing Octostretch and Junk Forward from his Graveyard and then combined his 2 monsters to Link Summon Knightmare Unicorn. He activated its effect to send Shizuku back to the Extra Deck and then attacked Iblee.

Redmon activated Hornet Drones to Special Summon a Sky Striker Ace Token to his field and then used it to Link Summon Sky Striker Ace – Kagari. He used Kagari’s effect to add Engage from his Graveyard to his hand, and then used Engage to add a Widow Anchor from his Deck to his hand and draw a card. He entered his Battle Phase next, and attacked Knightmare Unicorn with his 2100 ATK Kagari, destroying the Kagari and losing 100 Life Points. He Special Summoned Raye from his Graveyard with its effect, and then Tributed it to Special Summon Shizuku, allowing him to Special Summon Diabolos from his Graveyard as well. Diabolos attacked and destroyed the Unicorn, and then Shizuku attacked directly. In Main Phase 2, Redmon used Diabolos’s effect to Tribute it and force Kotton to put a card from his hand on the bottom of his Deck. Redmon Set 2 cards to his back row and add Sky Striker Maneuver – Afterburners! from his Deck to his hand with Shizuku’s effect in the End Phase.

Kotton drew Gouki Suprex and Summoned it. Redmon immediately took control of it with Widow Anchor, and Kotton ended his turn, taking back the Suprex.

Redmon Link Summoned Kagari by using Shizuku and then activated another Engage to add Sky Striker Mecharmory – Hercules Base to his hand and then draw a card. He equipped the Hercules Base to his Shizuku and attacked Suprex to destroy it, allowing him to draw a card. Kotton added Gouki Re-Match from his Deck to his hand with the effect of his Suprex. Redmon activated Pot of Desire, banishing the top 10 cards of his Deck face-down to draw 2 cards. He Set a card to his back row and then added Sky Striker Airspace – Area Zero from his Deck to his hand with the effect of Shizuku in the End Phase.

Kotton drew a card and then Redmon activated Mind Crush naming Gouki Re-Match. Kotton immediately conceded, realizing that he had no way to mount a comeback without the Re-Match in his hand.

Shelby Redmon wins Duel 2 and pushes the Match to a third and final Duel!

Duel Three

Kotton opened up Duel 3 with Junk Forward, Instant Fusion, Called by the Grave, Reinforcement of the Army, and Monster Reborn. He Special Summoned Junk Forward and then activated Instant Fusion to Special Summon Dragoness the Wicked Knight from his Extra Deck. He combined both monsters to Xyz Summon M-X-Saber Invoker and then used its effect to Special Summon Gouki Suprex from his Deck. He combined both monsters to Link Summon Isolde and used the effects of Isolde and Suprex to add Gouki Headbatt and Gouki Suprex from his Deck to his hand. He then used Isolde’s other effect to send Divine Sword, Living Fossil, and Arfeudutyr from his Deck to his Graveyard and Special Summon Neo-Spacian Aqua Dolphin! He banished Invoker and Dragoness from his Graveyard to try to return Divine Sword to his hand, and when Redmon Chained the effect of Ghost Belle to stop it, Kotton banished Suprex and Junk Forward from his Graveyard to return the Phoenix Blade to his hand anyway. He then discarded it with Aqua Dolphin, revealing Evenly Match, Sky Striker Airspace – Area Zero, Reinforcement of the Army, and Sky Striker Mobilize – Engage! from Redmon’s hand. He couldn’t discard any cards from Redmon’s hand since there were no monsters there. Kotton activated Reinforcement of the Army to add Octostretch to his hand and then Normal Summoned it. He then Special Summoned Headbatt and used both monsters to Link Summon Knightmare Goblin. Kotton activated Gouki Re-Match to Special Summon 2 monsters from his Graveyard and then Link Summoned Firewall Dragon. He banished 2 monsters from his Graveyard to return his Phoenix Sword to his hand, and then Link Summoned Knightmare Mermaid. He used its effect to discard the Phoenix Blade, Special Summon Iblee, and draw a card. Next, he banished 2 more monsters from his Graveyard to return the Phoenix Blade to his hand, and Link Summoned Knightmare Goblin. He used its effect to discard the Phoenix Blade again and draw a card while gaining a Normal Summon. After a flurry of Special Summons, card draws, and Link Summons, Kotton had Extra Linked while passing control of an Iblee to Redmon. Kotton Set 2 cards face-down before passing.

Redmon activated Reinforcement of the Army to add Sky Striker Ace – Raye from his Deck to his hand and then activated Area Zero. He used its effect to destroy the Iblee and add a Sky Striker Mobilize – Engage! from the top of his Deck to his hand. He activated an Engage to add Sky Striker Mecha Modules – Multirole to his hand and then activated it. He then used Multirole to destroy Area Zero, activating its effect to Special Summon Sky Striker Ace – Raye from his Deck. He Set a monster from his hand and a card to his back row before passing.

Kotton Normal Summoned an Aqua Dolphin and then returned a Phoenix Blade from his Graveyard to his hand with its effect. Then, he combined his Aqua Dolphin with Knightmare Phoenix to Link Summon Knightmare Unicorn and discarded a Phoenix Blade to shuffle Redmon’s face-down monster into his Deck. Kotton entered his Battle Phase and then attacked directly with everything, ending the Duel and the Match!

Jesse Kotton advances with a 4-0 record!