Season 5 Championship Match Preview: John Whitney vs. Jon Bauer

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John "Mad Scientist" Whitney vs. Jon "Baby Bringer" Bauer



Last season it was Peter Dang vs. Peter Wong for the PeterBowl. Now we have Whitney vs. Bauer for the Jo(h)nBowl, and it looks to be an exciting first round!

It's been a great season for both of these players and their paths to Champs have been nearly identical. They both attended the first Trial and had losing records. Since then, neither have boasted less than an X-2 record. Bauer has not failed to appear in Top Cuts in any event (4) after the first while Whitney has appeared in 3.

Whitney has always played the game his own way. He will always play his own deck ideas that showcase his original choices and off-meta picks. His favorite decks tend to be Wind/Water decks that feature YRP with Opus I 5CP Yuna, and Opus VII 3CP Tidus. He has also been trending removal-focused Mono Lightning decks, but has also shown versatility and the ability to play anything by bringing in Fire/Water and a Mono Water variant which he also played at the last Championship, earning a Top 4 spot.

Bauer in some ways is the exact opposite of Whitney, but cut from the same cloth in other ways. In the past, Bauer would only play his own brews and his performance would suffer from it. Since the first Trial, he has played more tried-and-tested meta decks and he has surged since then. Bauer has a preference for the slower midrange and control decks such as Mono Earth, Mono Water, and Earth/Wind. Like Whitney, Bauer fancies himself an innovator and will sometimes throw in new and untested cards into very refined lists.

Both of these players come in with something to prove. Whitney wants to show that he is a strong player while doing it his own way. He was a misplay away from making it to the Championship Finals last season and looks to redeem himself. Meanwhile, Bauer has had one of the hottest Swiss runs through a season by any player and it is only his first full season of playing. Bauer has made the top cut several times, but has never reached a Finals or went beyond Top 4. He has always been stopped in best of 3 matches by more experienced players such as Phillip Marciano, Jeff Migliore, etc.. Bauer definitely wants to prove he belongs with the elite.

Who will win? Who's your pick? Will one of these competitors make their first Finals appearance and win it all? Come and find out! A Circuit has been reborn, a Champion will be crowned, and a Legend will rise.

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