WSOP Bracelet Rush Continues with Eleven New Champions

The past week at the 2025 World Series of Poker delivered plenty of action. Eleven new champions emerged, capturing gold bracelets and impressive prizes.

Event #67: $300 Gladiators of Poker – Ian Pelz

Ian Pelz topped an enormous field of 24,629 entries in the Gladiators of Poker event, claiming a huge $420,680 payday for his first bracelet. The tournament’s massive turnout produced a $6 million prize pool, doubling the guarantee. Pelz’s path included surviving several near-elimination hands before finally beating Sang Sim heads-up with a dramatic club flush over Sim’s straight on the final hand.

Event #74: $10,000 Pot-Limit Omaha Championship – Michael Wang

Michael Wang overcame adversity, recovering from just one big blind left at a critical moment, to win the prestigious $10,000 PLO Championship. The victory gave him his third career bracelet and a personal-best prize of $1,394,579, just weeks after setting a previous record cash at Wynn. He defeated Quan Zhou heads-up, with top pros Alex Foxen, Erik Seidel, and Stephen Chidwick all finishing strongly behind.

Event #76: $2,500 Mixed Big Bet – Aaron Kupin

Aaron Kupin won his first bracelet in the mixed big bet event, defeating poker legend Daniel Negreanu, who was aiming for his eighth bracelet. Kupin took home $206,982, showing determination and composure at a table loaded with multi-time bracelet winners like Marco Johnson, Jeff Madsen, and Steve Billirakis. Negreanu finished fourth, missing another opportunity for bracelet glory.

Event #75: $1,000 Mini Main Event – Martin Kabrhel

Martin Kabrhel added more drama to his controversial yet successful WSOP run, winning the $1,000 Mini Main Event. He defeated nearly 11,000 players to win $843,140 and his fourth bracelet. With this victory, Kabrhel jumped to the lead in the WSOP Player of the Year standings, overtaking Benny Glaser. Alexander Yen finished second for $566,170.

Event #77: $10,000 Seven Card Stud Hi-Lo 8 or Better Championship – Qinghai Pan

California-based Qinghai Pan secured his third career bracelet—and his first live WSOP victory—by dominating the Seven Card Stud Eight-or-Better Championship. Pan earned a personal best of $411,051 after outlasting a record-breaking field of 186 players. Despite tough competition from David Lin and Luke Schwartz, Pan’s consistent chip lead carried him comfortably through the final table to victory.

Event #79: $100,000 Pot-Limit Omaha High Roller– Shaun Deeb

Shaun Deeb secured his seventh career bracelet in grand style, winning the first-ever $100,000 buy-in PLO event. He banked a massive $2,957,229, the largest payout in PLO tournament history. Deeb overcame elite competition including Isaac Haxton, Phil Ivey, and Alex Foxen. His win boosted his position in the WSOP Player of the Year race.

Event #78: $600 PokerNews Deepstack Championship – Nick Ahmadi

Nick Ahmadi triumphed in the $600 PokerNews Deepstack Championship, outlasting over 5,600 entries to claim his first WSOP bracelet and $302,165. Ahmadi, emotional after the win, shared how the bracelet was “validation for the years and hours” he dedicated to the game.

Event #80: $800 Summer Celebration – Giuseppe Zarbo

Italian player Giuseppe Zarbo celebrated his first WSOP bracelet win in the $800 Summer Celebration event. Zarbo earned a career-best score of $504,180, significantly surpassing his previous top cash from a WPT Prime San Remo event. Jonathan Stoeber finished fourth, continuing his strong summer performances.

Event #82: $10,000 Eight Game Mixed Championship – Mike Gorodinsky

Mike Gorodinsky overcame illness, fatigue, and a 7-to-1 chip deficit to defeat Eric Wasserson and claim his fifth career WSOP bracelet in the Eight-Game Championship. Gorodinsky’s impressive $422,421 win was a testament to his resilience and skill in mixed games, despite being severely disadvantaged at the start of the final day.

Event #83: $2,500 Freezeout No-Limit Hold’em – Cary Katz

After years of near misses, Cary Katz finally captured his first WSOP bracelet in an unexpected $2,500 freezeout event. Katz, well-known for high-roller tournaments, decided last-minute to enter and walked away with $449,245. Katz shared how he wasn’t even planning to play but felt compelled to participate—a decision that clearly paid off.

Event #84: $1,000 No-Limit Holdem – Zdenek Zizka

In a thrilling heads-up battle, Czech backgammon grandmaster Zdenek Zizka defeated Shaun Deeb, denying Deeb his eighth bracelet. Zizka’s impressive victory netted him $232,498 and his first WSOP bracelet. Despite multiple lead changes and intense action, Zizka held firm to claim the victory. Deeb’s runner-up finish further solidified his strong WSOP Player of the Year lead.

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