Welcome to Top 8!  It’s single elimination from here on out, and this Top 8 is as strong as any Top 8 as I’ve ever seen.  The third seed Shunping Xu has a strategy that we’re pretty sure no one else has brought to the tournament: Rokkets.  He started the tournament with 10 straight wins, an impressive feat that secured his appearance in the Top 8 before the Swiss rounds even ended.  His opponent is Mitchell Martin who has Lunalight / Zoodiac / Fire Fists and who we’ve featured previously this weekend.  Only one of these players will make it to Top 4.  It’s time to Duel!

Duel 1

Martin won the roll and elected to go first.  He started with Lunalight Kaleido Chick, sending Lunalight Yellow Marten form the Deck to the Graveyard with Chick’s effect.  He passed there.

Xu drew for turn.  he Normal Summoned Magnarokket Dragon.  He sent it to the Graveyard to Link Summon Striker Dragon!  He used its effect to add Boot Sector Launch from his Deck to his hand.  After the Chain resolved, Martin activated Droll & Lock Bird to stop searching and drawing this turn.  Xu activated Dragon Ravine, using its effect, discarding Destrudo the Lost Dragon’s Frission to send Keeper of the Shrine from the Deck to the Graveyard.  He then activated Quick Launch to Special Summon Rokket Tracer from the Deck.  Xu then used the effect of Destrudo the Lost Dragon’s Frission from the Graveyard, paying 4000 LP to Special Summon the Dragon.  He used Destrudo the Lost Dragon’s Frission and Striker Dragon to Link Summon Hieratic Seal of Heavenly Spheres, then Rokket Tracer’s effect destroyed Dragon Ravine to Special Summon Rokket Recharger from the Deck.  He sent Recharger to the Graveyard to Link Summon Guardragon Elpy.  Then sent the other Rokket to the Graveyard to Link Summon Striker Dragon.  Guardragon Elpy’s effect let Xu Special Summon Red-Eyes Darkness Metal Dragon from his Deck.  Red-Eyes Darkness Metal Dragon’s effect let Xu Special Summon Rokket Tracer from the Graveyard.  Hieratic Seal of Heavenly Spheres, Striker Dragon and Guardragon Elpy went to the Graveyard to Link Summon Borrelsword Dragon and that was enough damage to end the first Duel!

Xu takes the first Duel playing through a Droll & Lock Bird and taking advantage of Martin’s poor starting hand and is one win away from moving on to Top 4!

Duel 2

Martin elected to go first.  He Normal Summoned Lunalight Kaleido Chick and used its effect to send Lunalight Yellow Marten from the Deck to the Graveyard.  Next was Luna Light Perfume to revive the Lunalight Yellow Marten in the Graveyard.  Next was Fire Formation – Tenki which added Lunalight Tiger from his Deck to his hand.  Both Lunalights were sent to the Graveyard to Link Summon Brotherhood of the Fire Fist – Eagle.  Martin then activated Zoodiac Barrage and used its effect to destroy Fire Formation – Tenki and Special Summon Zoodiac Thoroughblade from the Deck.  Eagle’s effect returned Fire Formation – Tenki to Martin’s hand and sent Brotherhood of the Fire Fist – Buffalo from his Deck to the Graveyard.  Martin then Special Summoned Magicians’ Soul, sending Apprentice Illusion Magician from the Deck to the Graveyard.  Soul’s effect let Martin trade his Fire Formation – Tenki and Barrage for 2 cards.  Buffalo was Special Summoned form the Graveyard with its effect.  Buffalo and Zoodiac Thoroughblade were stacked to Xyz Summon Raidraptor – Force Trix.  Its effect searched for Blackwing – Zephyros the Elite and all the monsters turned into a 3-monster Apollousa, Bow of the Goddess!  Lunalight Tiger was next which brought back Lunalight Kaleido Chick and its effect sent Lunalight Emerald Bird.  Lunalight Yellow Marten hopped out of the Graveyard and bounced Tiger.  Luna Light Perfume was banished, discarding Blackwing – Zephyros the Elite to add a Lunalight monster from the Deck to his hand.  I:P Masquerena hit the field next.  Another Lunalight Tiger was activated which brought back a Lunalight Kaleido Chick which dumped another monster. Zehpyros came out of the Graveyard bouncing a Tiger.  Lunalight Kaleido Chick and Lunalight Yellow Marten were stacked to Xyz Summon Abyss Dweller.  Tiger was replayed and its effect brought back Lunalight Yellow Marten.  It and the Blackwing became Tornado Dragon.  Its effect popped a Tiger and Tiger’s effect brought back Lunalight Emerald Bird.  Martin ended with a field of Lunalight Emerald Bird, Tornado Dragon, Abyss Dweller, Apollousa, Bow of the Goddess and I:P Masquerena.

Martin used Abyss Dweller in Xu’s Standby Phase.  Xu Normal Summoned Starliege Seyfert, which prompted Martin to activate I:P Masquerena’s effect, sending it and Lunalight Emerald Bird to Link Summon Knightmare Unicorn whose effect spun Xu’s Dragon back to the Deck.  Xu activated Boot Sector Launch but Martin Chained Tornado Dragon’s effect to destroy the Field Spell and that was enough for Xu who conceded to move us to a third and final Duel.  Both players were now one Duel away from moving on to the Top 4!

Duel 3

Xu elected to go first.  He started with a hand of Anti-Spell Fragrance Black Dragon Collapserpent, Destrudo the Lost Dragon’s Frission, Nibiru, the Primal Being and Dragon Ravine.  Dragon Ravine was first.  Xu activated the effect, discarding Nibiru, the Primal Being to send Absorouter Dragon from his Deck to the Graveyard.  Xu used Absorouter’s effect to add Rokket Tracer from his Deck to his hand.  He banished Nibiru, the Primal Being from his Graveyard to Special Summon Black Dragon Collapserpent from his hand then turned that into a Striker Dragon.  Xu used the Link Monster’s effect to add Boot Sector Launch from his Deck to the Graveyard while Black Dragon Collapserpent’s effect let Xu add White Dragon Wyverbuster from his Deck to his hand.  White Dragon Wyverbuster was Special Summoned next, and both monsters turned into a Hieratic Seal of Heavenly Spheres.  He then Normal Summoned Rokket Tracer whose effect destroyed Dragon Ravine to Special Summon Silverrokket Dragon from his Deck.  The two monsters were used to Link Summon Striker Dragon and Guardragon Elpy.  Guardragon Elpy’s effect Special Summoned Red-Eyes Darkness Metal Dragon from the Deck.  Striker Dragon’s effect destroyed itself to add Rokket Tracer form the Graveyard back to his hand.  Red-Eyes Darkness Metal Dragon brought back Silverrokket Dragon which turned into Guardragon Pisty.  Guardragon Elpy and Red-Eyes Darkness Metal Dragon were sent to Link Summon Dillingerous Dragon.  He used Guardragon Pisty’s effect to bring back Red-Eyes Darkness Metal Dragon whose effect brought back Silverrokket Dragon from the Graveyard.  Guardragon Pisty and Dillingerous Dragon were used to Link Summon Triple Burst Dragon.  Red-Eyes Darkness Metal Dragon and Silverrokket Dragon turned into a Quadborrel Dragon.  Xu then activated Quadborrel Dragon’s effect, discarding Rokket Tracer to destroy Triple Burst Dragon and Special Summon Silverroket and Rokket Tracer form the Graveyard.   Dillingerous Dragon’s effect let it be Special Summoned form the Graveyard when a Rokket was Special Summoned.  Rokket Tracer and Silverrokket were sent to the Graveyard to Synchro Summon Borreload Savage Dragon equipping Triple Burst Dragon from the Graveyard.   Then, Quadborrel and Dillingerous Dragon were sent to Link Summon Unchained Abomination.  Xu Set Anti-Spell Fragrance and passed.

Martin drew and Xu activated Anti-Spell Fragrance right away.  Lunalight Kaleido Chick was Normal Summoned and Xu bounced it back to Martin’s hand with Hieratic Seal of Heavenly Spheres.  The Link monster’s Graveyard effect Special Summoned Rokket Tracer from Xu’s Deck.  Martin Set 4 cards and in the End Phase, Xu used Unchained Abomination to destroy Martin’s Set Foolish Burial Goods.  Then Xu used Rokket Tracker’s effect to destroy itself and Special Summon Silverrokket Dragon from the Deck. This triggered Unchained Abomination to destroy another card and Martin extended the hand!

Shunping Xu takes the win with Rokkets and moves on to the Top 4!