Team YCS Las Vegas 2026 Results: Team Ares Wins With Mitsurugi Ritual
Team YCS Las Vegas 2026 (April 18–19) brought out the best three-man teams in North America. The event ran in the 3v3 team format — each player uses a different deck, and teams win 2-of-3 matches. Here are the full results, decklists, and what the tournament means for the current meta.
1st Place: Team Ares
| Player | Deck |
|---|---|
| Matthieu Bricard | Mitsurugi Ritual |
| Kevin Rodrigues | K9 / Artmage Hybrid |
| Pierre Burgals | Maliss @Ignister |
Matthieu Bricard\'s Mitsurugi Ritual build was the standout. The deck uses Ame no Murakumo no Mitsurugi as its Ritual Monster — combined with 24 spells in Philip Weidinger\'s popularized build (including Sinful Spoils/WANTED: Seeker of Sinful Spoils + Azamina support). Sky Striker elements hybridize in some variants for extra consistency.
2nd Place: Team Neal 4 Papa — Branded Dracotail ×3
| Player | Deck |
|---|---|
| Cameron Neal | Branded Dracotail |
| Cristian Urena | Branded Dracotail |
| Antonio Papa | Branded Dracotail |
The entire 2nd-place team registered identical Branded Dracotail builds — a bold team strategy betting on mirror knowledge and sideboard optimization. The deck was the most-played archetype across all Top 8 teams combined.
3rd Place: Team Road of the King — Yummy Fiendsmith
| Player | Deck |
|---|---|
| Yacine Sahli | Yummy Fiendsmith |
| Francisco Osorio | Yummy Fiendsmith |
| Patrick Hoban | Yummy Radiant Typhoon (variant with Radiant Typhoon Chant + Tri-Brigade links) |
4th Place: Team Chasing Dreams
- Mitsurugi Ritual
- Lunalight Tri-Brigade
- Vanquish Soul K9
Full Top 8 Team Breakdown
| Finish | Team Name | Decks Used |
|---|---|---|
| 1st | Team Ares | Mitsurugi Ritual, K9/Artmage, Maliss @Ignister |
| 2nd | Team Neal 4 Papa | Branded Dracotail ×3 |
| 3rd | Team Road of the King | Yummy Fiendsmith ×2, Yummy Radiant Typhoon |
| 4th | Team Chasing Dreams | Mitsurugi Ritual, Lunalight, Vanquish Soul K9 |
| 5th–8th | Various | Yummy Fiendsmith (×3 teams used it across 5th–8th), Maliss @Ignister, Vanquish Soul K9 |
Meta Takeaways From Las Vegas
- Yummy Fiendsmith appeared on 3 separate teams in the Top 8 — it was the most-represented individual archetype
- Branded Dracotail\'s 2nd-place result validated the deck going into the May banlist window (which then hit Lukias and Branded Fusion)
- Mitsurugi Ritual was the surprise Top Contender — Matthieu Bricard\'s win showed Ritual strategies can compete at the highest level
- Vanquish Soul K9 is the safest bet when you want to play something under the radar
What Happened After Las Vegas
Jesse Kotton won YCS Columbus (May 23, 2026) with Dracotail and was runner-up at YCS Cartagena (May 2) — making him the most consistent individual performer of the season. Jake Stox won the UK Nationals 2026 with Kewl Tune, which has since become the dominant deck following the May banlist.
Browse Yu-Gi-Oh! Cards on TCGFomo
Find S:P Little Knight, Ash Blossom, Branded Fusion staples, and Dracotail engine pieces on TCGFomo.
