Ryan Murakami was the lone Kozmo Duelist in the Top 8, and has made his way through a Field filled with Performapal Pendulums and Monarchs in order to make it to the Finals. Garon Williams was one of the three Performapal Pendulum Duelists, but his unique take on the strategy involves Performapal Secondonkey, Instant Fusion, and Brilliant Fusion to guarantee explosive plays.

Only one of these two can hold the title of the Ultimate Duelist, and this match decides it all.

Williams won the roll and chose to go first.

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Both Garon Williams and Denny Yu finished 7-3 in Swiss, just good enough to make it into the Top Cut 8. Both are on Performapal Pendulum variants, albeit each with their own flare. Williams is utilizing Performapal Secondonkey along with Brilliant Fusion and Instant Fusion to have explosive turns similar to that of older incarnations of Performapal Pendulum. Yu’s list is trying to take full advantage of the Draco engine, using multiple copies of Unexpected Dai and Painful Decision to boost his combo ability and consistency.

Which Performapal pilot will make his way to the Finals?

Williams won the roll and chose to go first.

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Two-time YCS Champion Barrett Keys has been dominating the tournament, currently 7-1-1 with his Monarch Deck. Uniquely, Keys utilizes an Extra Deck to make powerful Xyz plays unlike many other popular Monrach strategies. Could this new variant of the strategy be the next step? His opponent, Alexander Juneja, has also had a very impressive showing at 7-2. Juneja is the other Phantom Knight Duelist in the tournament and needs a win here if wants a guaranteed slot. Who will best the other with these new strategies?

Keys won the roll and chose to go first.

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Taking a break from the Ultimate Duelist Series – Winter Invitational Main Event, there are some pretty awesome Side Events going on. The most popular one currently is the Konami Bounty event, so not only do Duelists have the chance to win prizes from Konami employees, but random rules are announced during each Round that can throw a Duel into utter chaos! In the final Round of this tournament, we have chosen none other than the President of Konami Digital Entertainment, Inc. US to feature: Yasuyuki Yamaji. Yamaji-san is Dueling with Kozmos, and packing a bunch of sweet Premium Gold: Infinite Gold cards in his Deck. His opponent, Luis Castro, has chosen Atlantean Mermail for this event, trying to take advantage of its explosive power.

An announcement was made before the Round that if Yamaji-san loses, every participant will win a playmat! Can Castro defeat Yamaji-san with such a weight on his shoulders? Or will Yamaji-san get a chance to show the world his Dueling skills?

Yamaji-san won the roll and chose to go first.

It’s Time to Duel!

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Alberto Lopez and Andrew Do are local friends from Sacramento, California; they have both traveled to Southern California this weekend to get a shot at the belt, and at 4-1, they definitely have a shot. Lopez has chosen to use Kozmo this weekend, while Do is Dueling with Performapals. Which will come out on top?

Lopez won the roll and chose to go first.

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Philip Zuniga is one of the many Kozmo Duelists here this weekend. Zuniga is trying to show that he has mastered the strategy and rise to the top of the Kozmo crowd, but an unexpected opponent has stepped in his way. Hughe Blaske is 3-1 right now, with probably the most surprising strategy we have seen thus far this tournament: Geargia. Utilizing Geargiano MK-III alongside 22 Traps, Blaske has had a decent start in this weekend and is trying his best to make it to Day Two.

Can Blaske show continued success with his unique strategy? Or will Zuniga take him down?

Blaske won the roll and chose to go first.

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Southern California’s Steven De Lara and Northern California’s Denny Yu both already have YCS Titles under each of their belts, but are now facing off at 3-0 in order to continue their climb to become the Ultimate Duelist. De Lara has brought Monarchs here this weekend, without an Extra Deck trying to win games via Domain of the True Monarchs and Majesty’s Fiend on the back of the most powerful Monarch cards. Yu has chosen to use a Draco Performapal Deck that seems to be quite popular this weekend, using Painful Decision along with Unexpected Dai to accelerate his combos.

South faces off against North as these two YCS Champions Duel to remain undefeated in their quest to become the Ultimate Duelist; who will take it down?

De Lara won the roll and chose to go first.

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Jeffrey Jones is currently 2-0 with his awesome Phantom Knights Deck. A brand new archetype from Wing Raiders, Jones is looking to take advantage of his opponent’s unfamiliarity and make his way to the Top 8. However, his opponent Ed Acepcion is standing in his way. Acepcion is Dueling with Monarchs this weekend, trying to defeat his opponents with powerful Tribute Monsters.

Can Jones prove that Phantom Knights are a force to be reckoned with? Or will Acepcion come out on top?

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Billy Brake started his day off with a Round 1 Bye that he cashed in some of his UDS points for, so Omar Daoudi is his first opponent. Three time YCS Winner Billy Brake is trying to add a UDS Invitational title and take the belt home, but Omar Daoudi is hungry for a win of his own. Omar Daoudi has made the Top Cut of every YCS and WCQ he has entered thus far, and with a total of 6 Top Cut finishes he really wants to prove he can do more.

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With the Adjusted List now in effect, we do not really know what the best strategy to be Dueling with is right now. However, both Peter Cheng and Michael Saxon believe that Kozmos are the choice for the weekend. Reigning Ultimate Duelist Peter Cheng wants to keep his title, but Saxon is the first in a long line of Duelists who are doing their best to make sure that does not happen. Which Kozmo Duelist will succeed and start the day off positive?

Cheng won the roll and chose to go second.

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