Tournament 7: The Next Phase - QF!

To date it has been an elite few who contend the glory of tournament victory! Tournament 5 saw Cr0w achieve the rare feat of winning a second Tournament, launching him into a run as Undisputed Champion that has rewritten every record!

Tournament 7: The Next Phase invites a new era upon The Great Arena as sixty-four of the brightest up and coming competitors do battle with the hopes of joining the upper ranks! A random draw without seeds has delivered a Semi Final full of power players and intriguing interlopers and with Supercard 10: Tower of Power II right around the corner, they all vie for the opportunity to join the ladder that will compete for the Undisputed Championship!

Quarter Final Results:
1. Hokey defeated Pink_Ranger
It was during Tournament 6 that Pink_Ranger [with Ghostdragon] became the fourth tournament victor to eliminate Hokey on their path to ultimate success! Hokey, along with parter Ninja_Mime, struck back just a single week later, rectifying their upset defeat in a Duo Division Championship rematch at Pre-Show 9!

The pair tangled during the 12-Person Contender Battle Royal at Supercard 9, but it was here, with Tournament 7 glory on the line, that the pair would come face-to-face in a bitter solo rematch! Hokey had to eliminate his partner to progress through the First Round, and it was with a similar competitive determination that he met his rival! As you'd expect, Pink_Ranger came at the fight with everything she had, but it was the tradition of success that would honor Hokey into his fourth Semi Final tournament appearance!

2. TonyTheTiger defeated Ghostdragon in a decimation!
Ghostdragon had long been touted as one of the underrated competitors in The Great Arena, but it wasn't until his tournament success at T6 that the chips of his potential were cashed in! TonyTheTiger has traditionally been a fighter ready to take the shortcut, but throughout Tournament 7 he has established himself as the man to beat, delivering some of the most punishing defeats in previous rounds, with a draw that favoured few of his competitors!

In many ways representing the design of The Next Phase opportunity, the pair collided with devastating force! It is to Ghostdragon's credit that he endured with a minimal +2 impact, shrinking before the decimating powers of TonyTheTiger! It was as if GD was again becoming victim to his own under achieving, a factor that has undermined his career in The Great Arena with frustrating regularity. That said, TonyTheTiger has been the measure throughout Tournament 7, and will no doubt move into the Semi Final with all eyes on him -- with favourite status hinging on a meeting with Hokey!

3. The_Purple_Bunny defeated Chromatose in a decimation!
Much as he had in the Third Round, The_Purple_Bunny looked more than ready to answer TonyTheTiger's success, echoing it with a +2 impact in his decimation over Chromatose! Chromatose has seen some surprising success in tournament conditions in the past, but simply appeared to be no match for the resurrected TPB!

The_Purple_Bunny clearly has his eye on a bitter grudge match against Shoe -- the man who killed him -- but will put that bitter hatred aside as he once again returns from the afterlife with momentum on his side! TPB rode a similar wave of success during the first Tower of Power! With his success in Tournament 7, a reprised role seems assured!

4. Artanix defeated Jammer2Omega in a shock upset!
Having contested victories against some of The Great Arena's most seasoned competitors, Jammer2Omega has in many ways come to represent the pinnacle of what The Next Phase is! Looking for a chance to break through into the top ranks, Tournament 7 was his ticket to springboard toward the Undisputed Championship with Tower of Power II right around the corner! He may have endured against the likes of Toryn and even defeated Ken -- but apparently J2O never counted no Artanix!

Best known for mixed results as one-half of a tandem team with foahchon -- Artanix' best days seemed to be long behind him. Statistically no match for Jammer2Omega, it was to the shock of everyone in The Great Arena that Artanix stood tall against the flagging would-be contender! Already impressing with his ability to break into the Quarter Finals, Artanix now progresses to the Semi Final with dark horse status reminiscent of his early days backing him! Artanix defeats the face of the Next Phase, only to live up to the promise it represents!

The Next Phase is nearly completed and it will be a compelling rush to the finish as eight become four and four become two on the final day of competition! TonyTheTiger has been the most dominating force throughout the tour, but will he have the might to overcome the experience advantage of four-time tournament finalist, Hokey? The_Purple_Bunny has been riding the wave of a return to life, but can he stand tall against the unknown quantity of Artanix? Revenge against his killer will have to wait as TPB attempts to once again match his tour rival, on the way to the Semi Final, but Artanix will be more than happy to create another upset!

Semi-Final Bracket Match Preview:
1. Hokey versus TonyTheTiger
It'll be a clash of the highly regarded and the highly motivated when Hokey arrives in his fourth Tournament Semi Final to face T7 pace maker, TonyTheTiger! Hokey has had a particularly tough draw, while TTT enjoys the benefits of a much less dangerous run, but they say in The Great Arena that a win over Hokey is a win in the Tournament Final! Will the myth play out, or is Hokey ready to do some serious busting to finally claim his first Tournament victory?

2. The_Purple_Bunny versus Artanix
The_Purple_Bunny already faced down "The Upset Machine" Chiefin in the Third Round, but it'll be a trip to the unknown all over again when he faces Artanix in the challenger's first tournament Semi Final! Can Artanix live the Next Phase dream, or will it be The_Purple_Bunny who makes a date with his rival before Tower of Power II?