‘The Grinder’ caps remarkable run with WSOP Main Event title
Michael Mizrachi was asked what it’s going take to close out the final table of the World Series of Poker Main Event, and his was response was, “an hour.”
He wasn’t far off.
Mizrachi capped one of the greatest accomplishments in poker history Wednesday, winning the $10,000 buy-in No-limit Hold’em World Championship at Horseshoe Las Vegas.
The professional poker player from Hollywood, Florida, defeated John Wasnock during heads-up play and outlasted a field of 9,735 entrants to capture the $10 million first prize.
It took only 2 hands to reach heads-up play, and John Wasnock (@wazz222) fought valiantly but in the end he was eliminated in 2nd place for $6,000,000. Wasnock flopped 2 pair and Mizrachi flopped the flush draw, eventually turning a flush and getting all-in. The river brought… pic.twitter.com/nWjB6HKnES
— WSOP – World Series of Poker (@WSOP) July 16, 2025
“It’s crazy. I can’t even fathom this. It’s not even real,” Mizrachi said. “I just played my best, I never gave up. It was just fate. That’s how I felt. It was just fate. I knew I was going to win. I had a feeling.”
Mizrachi’s win in the Main Event completed an unprecedented double of the two most prestigious events at the WSOP. He earned his record fourth victory in the $50,000 buy-in Poker Players Championship last month.
The 44-year-old’s feat was so impressive that Mizrachi was inducted directly into the Poker Hall of Fame by the 33 living members in a special ceremony rather than waiting until next summer.
It was Mizrachi’s eighth career WSOP bracelet, which are awarded for tournament victories. That ties him with England’s Benny Glaser for seventh place on the all-time wins list.
The victory pushed Mizrachi’s career live tournament earnings past $29 million, according to the Hendon Mob Poker Database.
“I was thinking next year, but this year I can’t explain the feeling. It’s amazing,” Mizrachi said. “Winning the Main Event, winning the PPC and now getting inducted into the hall of fame. Best feeling of my life.”
Wasnock, a recreational player from North Bend, Washington, earned $6 million for second place.
Braxton Dunaway of Midland, Texas, was third for $4 million, and Kenny Hallaert of Belgium collected $3 million for fourth place.
Mizrachi, nicknamed “The Grinder,” was down to less than three big blinds early on Day 8 of the Main Event, but ran up his stack. He got lucky in a massive pot against Wasnock on Tuesday with seven remaining and then bulldozed the final table the rest of the way.
“The cards didn’t fall my way, but I have no regrets with the way I played,” Wasnock said. “This has been an amazing run. This has been one of the best experiences of my life all week. It just kept getting better and better.”
Mizrachi held more than 75 percent of the chips in play when action at the final table resumed Wednesday with four players remaining.
Hallaert and Dunaway were knocked out by Mizrachi on the first two hands, respectively. The heads-up duel lasted 18 hands, and Mizrachi unofficially needed 63 minutes Wednesday to clinch the bracelet.
On the final hand, Wasnock raised to 5 million chips holding ace-nine, and Mizrachi called. The flop came ace-nine-seven with two clubs, and both players checked. The four of clubs on the turn was the action card.
Mizrachi checked, and Wasnock bet 10 million chips with his two-pair. But Mizrachi motioned to his supporters a raise was incoming, and he bumped it to 30 million chips. When Wasnock moved all-in for the last of his 70.5 million chips, Mizrachi quickly called and showed 10-three of clubs for a flush.
Mizrachi thought his opponent was drawing dead and began to celebrate before he realized Wasnock still had outs. But the five of clubs didn’t improve Wasnock’s hand, and Mizrachi jumped into his brothers’ arms.
“He tried to trap me and gave me a free card, and I hit a flush on the turn and the hand played itself,” Mizrachi said. “It’s amazing. Everybody came out to support me. I had the strongest support, and I think that’s what gets me far in life.”
Contact David Schoen at dschoen@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-5203. Follow @DavidSchoenLVRJ on X.