Kenneth Brent Gregory denied Hawkins his first career WSOP bracelet in a dramatic final showdown
Maurice Hawkins fell just short of adding a coveted gold bracelet to his record-setting collection of 25 WSOP Circuit rings on Tuesday night. Despite holding a commanding chip lead during three-handed play, Hawkins suffered a disappointing second-place finish in the $600 No-Limit Hold’em/Pot-Limit Omaha event.
The ultra-fast tournament drew an impressive 3,332 entries, creating an unexpectedly star-studded final table that featured prominent poker figures Daniel Negreanu, Alex Foxen, and Josh Reichard. Together with John Holley, the finalists represented a combined total of over 50 WSOP Circuit rings.
Hawkins put on an aggressive performance early in the finale, single-handedly eliminating Negreanu before orchestrating a crucial double knockout that sent Foxen and John Ghosn to the rail. Following the elimination of Reichard in third place, Hawkins entered heads-up play against Gregory with more than half of the chips in play.
However, the momentum shifted dramatically after Gregory secured consecutive double-ups, fueled by a vocal rail of spectators who openly rallied against Hawkins due to his controversial reputation and past allegations of unpaid debts.
The final blow came when Hawkins moved all-in on a flop of ten-nine-seven holding pocket aces, only to find himself trailing Gregory’s two pair of tens and sevens. The turn and river brought no help, sealing the unlikely victory for Gregory, who walked away with his first career bracelet.
While the win solidified Gregory’s place against elite competition, it left a visibly emotional Hawkins to settle for the runner-up prize, extending his long wait for poker’s ultimate prize.
