Jedi Defeated for Teräs Käsi Title

ÄSLAJÄ, BUNDUKI – The Force was not with Jedi Knight Joclad Danva tonight.

In the evening air of the final purple-hued moon of the season, the formerly undefeated Danva was humbled in teräs käsi combat by new Palawa Band champion Phow Ji. Ji ended the exhausting 47-minute bout with a rancor-rising, aryx-slash, nexu-grin combination.

“Joclad’s failure is just further proof that this 素orce’ is nothing more than a myth perpetuated as an excuse to retain power,” said Ji (19-0), the home-planet favorite. “Enlightenment and strength is not the exclusive domain of a recluse tower on Coruscant.”

A deferential Danva conceded the contest, but insisted the Force did not fail him. “The art of teräs käsi is about control and mastery of one’s self. The Force is the power of all living things,” claimed the Jedi. “To go outside of myself and call upon the Force during the Palawa quest would violate the purity of teräs käsi. Phow was superior this day within the confines of the discipline.”

Earlier, Danva and Ji defeated quarter final and semi-final opponents with relative ease. Notable combatants included locals Chaq-Quaj Ee (19-3), Beru Slee (76-5), Celjo Mi (22-7), and surprising finishes for off-worlders Lungrolph Isher (Krish 10-12) and Talon Slyter (Draethos 36-19).

In a quarter-final contest, popular Epicanthix fighter Dux Pike suffered a fatal shenbit-bonecrusher blow from Phow Ji. Pike is survived by his wife and infant twin daughters.