replay:
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/smogtours-gen9lc-873000
always edgy:






jake:





With jake coming off of a win against Eniigma last week and having a higher seed than Edgy, who wasn't able to clutch it vs Lokifan, the general public expected this match to go jake's way.
He is using a team consisting of a Diglett + Shellder offensive core, backed up by the defensive core of Foongus + Mudbray. This team aims to have defensive answers to most of what the opponent might throw at it, use Diglett early to rip a hole in the opposing defensive core, and have Shellder later sweep against the remainders. On the other side of the field, Edgy is rocking a much different team. His has a less common structure, opting to have no Vullaby and an uncommon combination of Pokémon. He's got a defensive core of Mareanie, Toedscool and Glimmet, backing up an offensive one of Stunky and Diglett-Alola. This team's purpose is to win the hazard game between Glimmet and Toedscool, and later find opportunities for Swords Dance Diglett to set up and win.
Looking at the matchup between the two players, Edgy will probably be able to secure his own rocks while keeping jake's off the field. He will thus only have to worry about being able to kill the Mudbray, since both his main offensive Pokémon, Stunky and Diglett, don't do much to it. Lastly, he will need to be incredibly wary of Shellder, as any opportunity it gets to Shell Smash, be it in front of Mienfoo, Diglett or Stunky, might mean he loses. From jake's point of view, he probably needs to capitalize on Edgy's Toedscool switching in every time against Mudbray to hit it with Close Combat, heavily weakening for his Diglett-Alola. He could try to use Shellder early to force some Steel teras, which will also help the Diglett sweep later in the game.
Both players start off the game with more uncommon leads, with Edgy using lead Mareanie, presumably to beat Mienfoo and get an early advantage, while jake leads off with his Mudbray, likely to take advantage of a possible lead Stunky while having solid Mienfoo counterplay. jake uses this very good lead matchup to get early Close Combat damage on Toedscool, which could be game changing already. Toedscool takes advantage of the Mienfoo switch to heal up a bit of health with Giga Drain, as jake knocks off the opposing Mareanie. As turns pass, jake doesn't get his foot off the pedal, U-Turning with Vullaby out of the Glimmet switching in, allowing him to get an early Diglett on the field, in a perfect position to get a KO on the Toedscool. Edgy comes back a bit after that, taking the opportunity to knock the Foongus off, and revealing Safety Goggles Stunky, which completely blanks it. With some smart play, jake is able to get Mudbray in a Gunk Shot, which will take the Stunky kill with another Earthquake, given the only Grass resist in Edgy's team is now gone. After a Mareanie/Vullaby exchange, Edgy gets his Glimmet in against jake's 1 HP poisoned Vullaby, but he gets a Spike up as Vullaby roosts, allowing him to switch it out and sacrifice the Foongus instead. Edgy, maybe surprisingly, opts to not even take the Foongus KO, but rather set 3 layers of Spikes, hoping it will be good enough a trade for Diglett to be able to win should he get a Swords Dance up. After a game of catch against the Foongus, Edgy sees himself with just two Pokémon, Diglett and Mienfoo, against jake's six. Diglett goes for Swords Dance, with three Spikes up, but Shellder's Ice Shard ensures jake the game. jake never backed off, playing at a pace Edgy was never able to keep up with, earning him the victory.