Riley McKay Crowned 2025 Pokémon TCG World Champion with Gardevoir ex

The 2025 Pokémon TCG World Championships in Anaheim, California, concluded in a thrilling finale, with Canadian player Riley McKay emerging victorious in the Masters Division. McKay, a veteran of the competitive circuit, secured his first World Championship title with a powerful and consistent Gardevoir ex deck, a popular archetype that has dominated the metagame throughout the 2025 season. His victory over Justin Newdorf in the finals marks a new era for the format and solidifies the Gardevoir ex deck’s place in competitive history.

The win is a testament to McKay’s strategic prowess and his mastery of a deck that requires immense skill and precision. While the entire Top 8 was filled with a diverse range of powerful archetypes, including Raging Bolt and Gholdengo, it was the classic Gardevoir ex deck that ultimately prevailed.

The Winning Decklist: A Breakdown of Riley McKay’s Gardevoir ex

The Gardevoir ex deck is known for its ability to accelerate Psychic Energy from the discard pile, allowing it to deal massive damage with its main attacker, Gardevoir ex. McKay’s build was a well-oiled machine, featuring a consistent line of Pokémon and a suite of Trainer cards designed to ensure a smooth setup and a powerful mid-to-late-game.

Here is a full breakdown of the winning decklist, which is now considered the gold standard for the competitive format:

Pokémon: 19

• Gardevoir ex: The star of the deck. Its ability, Psychic Embrace, is the engine that allows the deck to function, and its attack, Miracle Force, provides a powerful and versatile option for taking knockouts.
• Kirlia (Refinement): A crucial part of the setup, Kirlia’s Refinement ability allows the player to discard a card and draw two new ones, which helps to get Energy into the discard pile and find the right cards at the right time.
• Ralts: The basic Pokémon of the line, it’s all about getting as many of these on the field as possible in the early turns.
• Scream Tail: A unique inclusion that offers a strong attacker in the early game.
• Munkidori (Adrena-Brain): This crucial support Pokémon allows the player to move damage from their Pokémon to the opponent’s, which is perfect for spreading damage and setting up multiple knockouts in a single turn.
• Jellicent ex (Oceanic Curse): A tech card that provides a powerful Item lock, disrupting opponents and giving the Gardevoir player a chance to set up without fear of being countered.

Trainer Cards: 31

• Professor’s Research: A staple in almost every deck, this card allows the player to discard their hand and draw seven new cards, which is perfect for getting Psychic Energy into the discard pile.
• Iono: This supporter card is a game-changer, allowing players to shuffle their hand into the deck and draw new cards, all while disrupting their opponent’s hand.
• Boss’s Orders: A must-have for any competitive deck, Boss’s Orders allows the player to switch one of their opponent’s Benched Pokémon with their Active Pokémon, letting them pick and choose which Pokémon they want to knock out.
• Arven: This supporter card lets you search for an Item card and a Pokémon Tool, ensuring you can find crucial pieces of your strategy.
• Nest Ball: Used for getting basic Pokémon like Ralts and Scream Tail onto the board quickly.
• Ultra Ball: A versatile search card that allows you to discard two cards to find any Pokémon you want. This is a crucial way to get Psychic Energy into the discard pile.
• Super Rod: A key recovery card that allows you to shuffle up to three Pokémon or Energy cards from your discard pile back into your deck.
• Forest Seal Stone: A valuable tool that gives the Pokémon it is attached to a powerful VSTAR ability, Star Alchemy, which allows you to search your deck for any card.

Energy: 10

• Basic Psychic Energy: The core of the deck, all of the deck’s main attackers rely on these.

The Impact of the Victory

McKay’s win with Gardevoir ex is a powerful statement about the stability and power of the deck in the current metagame. While many top players opted for the aggressive Raging Bolt and Gholdengo decks, which were popular during the event, the consistent power and resilience of Gardevoir ex proved to be the winning formula.

The victory also highlights the growing international dominance in the Pokémon TCG scene. With champions from Japan (Juniors) and China (Seniors), the competitive landscape is more global than ever. McKay’s win in the Masters division brings the trophy back to North America, but the diverse Top 8 shows that the game is thriving in many regions.

For players looking to replicate McKay’s success, this decklist is the perfect place to start. Its consistency and sheer power make it a formidable force in both local tournaments and online play.