The Muck · WSOP Daily Brief
Day 33
Koji Fujimoto, a Japanese poker teacher who coaches his students for free three times a week, beat Hall of Famer Nick Schulman heads-up Saturday to win the $10,000 Limit 2-7 Triple Draw Championship for $392,478 and his first WSOP bracelet. Schulman's ninth bracelet will have to wait. Todd Brunson, who led the final 11 overnight, finished sixth - his second bracelet chase of that particular summer ends the same way as the last 21 years of them. Brazil's Breno Drumond and Henrique Lessa won the $1,000 Tag Team event, coached to their first bracelets by last year's Tag Team champions. Japan now has three bracelets in 2026, and PokerNews went long on the story of how it happened: 290 players chartered from Tokyo, a million-subscriber YouTube poker channel, and Kihara serving as Fujimoto's translator while cheering for the man who just eliminated him. Michael Mizrachi bagged the Day 1 chip lead in the $10K PLO Championship with 946,000 - his words: probably the best Day 1 he's ever had at the WSOP. Day 2 is Saturday. Lexy Gavin is among the chip leaders in the Ladies Championship, which plays to a final table Sunday.
Story 01 of 5
Koji Fujimoto of Japan won the $10,000 Limit 2-7 Triple Draw Championship for $392,478 and his first WSOP bracelet, defeating Nick Schulman heads-up in a match that swung repeatedly before the Japanese poker teacher finally closed it out. Schulman entered heads-up with a sizeable chip advantage and extended it to 7,000,000 to Fujimoto's 3,000,000. What changed the match, Fujimoto later said, was Naoya Kihara - who had just been eliminated 7th in the same event - arriving at the rail with two energy drinks. 'He brought me two chargers, energy drinks. Something changed and I started winning. That's the turning point.' Fujimoto climbed back, took the lead, and closed it when both players paired on the final hand and Fujimoto's pair was better. The final table: 1st Fujimoto $392,478; 2nd Schulman $256,181; 3rd Tommy Hang $172,064; 4th Andrew Kelsall $119,011; 5th Justin Smith $84,845; 6th Todd Brunson $62,404. Also notable: Billy Baxter, Poker Hall of Famer and six-time draw-game bracelet winner, was eliminated 8th at the unofficial table. Naoya Kihara, seeking his third bracelet of the summer, was first out at the final table in 7th. Todd Brunson, who had led 11 players overnight and was chasing his second bracelet 21 years after his first, patted a 10-9 against Schulman in sixth - Schulman caught a wheel. The second bracelet bid ends there. Fujimoto is a poker coach back home who has taught the game free of charge for the past year, three times a week, to a group of students who made the trip to Las Vegas to rail him.
Why it mattersNick Schulman holds three 2-7 bracelets and is one of the most accomplished mixed-game players alive. He entered heads-up with a meaningful chip lead and all the pedigree. He needed one more bracelet to join a list of eight players who have won nine. Fujimoto, who had 17 career WSOP cashes and whose previous live earnings were exceeded by today's prize, didn't blink. Fujimoto is Japan's 11th WSOP bracelet winner. Japan now has three bracelets in the 2026 WSOP: Kihara (twice, Events #17 and #21) and Fujimoto. Brunson's elimination means his second bracelet chase continues into yet another year.
Story 02 of 5
Brazil's Breno Drumond and Henrique Lessa won the 2026 WSOP $1,000 Tag Team No-Limit Hold'em Championship for $184,769 each and their first WSOP bracelets, defeating Japanese duo Ruka Yamauchi and Shotaro Murase heads-up. The pair won from 1,375 entries with a $1,210,000 prize pool. The backstory: last year's Tag Team champions were Kelvin Kerber and Peter Patricio - both Brazilians - who then took Drumond and Lessa on as coaching students. The students literally followed in their mentors' footsteps to the same title. The duo's strategy was to swap every two hours early, then Lessa recognized Drumond was playing well and let him run it from five-handed all the way through heads-up. They came close to elimination when Drumond was all-in for three big blinds - Team Yamauchi folded, apparently reading it as a stronger hand. Drumond doubled and never looked back. The final hand: aces for Drumond. It is Brazil's third WSOP bracelet of the summer, following Yuri Dzivielevski ($100K High Roller) and Joao Simao ($50K PLO High Roller). 'It's a dream. It's been seven years of hard work chasing this dream. We come here to live this dream, and now we are living it,' Lessa said.
Why it mattersTwo consecutive years, two Brazilian Tag Team wins. The coaching lineage adds a rare continuity story to a result that would already be notable: Drumond and Lessa are products of the Brazilian Samba Poker Team, introduced to each other through that community and eventually mentored by the very champions they followed. Brazil has three bracelets in 2026, all from high-buy-in or marquee events.
Story 03 of 5
Following Fujimoto's win, PokerNews published a feature on the Japanese poker boom at the 2026 WSOP. The numbers: Japan has won three bracelets (Naoya Kihara twice, Fujimoto once), the 11th bracelet for Japan overall. Masato Yokosawa, a poker vlogger with over one million YouTube subscribers, chartered a flight from Narita Airport and brought approximately 290 Japanese players to Las Vegas for the summer, organizing a WSOP x World Wide Tour Special Freeroll for the group. Kojimoto's bracelet win was watched from the rail by dozens of his students who made the trip with Yokosawa's group. Kihara, who had just been eliminated from the same final table, served as Fujimoto's English translator during the post-win interviews. Kihara on Japan's run: 'When I first won a bracelet, nobody had won one before. After that, it took two years for the second one. These days, every year, two Japanese bracelet winners... Winning the bracelet is getting more common, not special.' On Fujimoto specifically: 'I really respect him for that' - referring to the free coaching. Okamoto, the two-time Ladies champion, was also highlighted: the Ladies field this year is record-breaking, and a scan of the WSOP Live app showed it 'awash with Japanese players.'
Why it mattersThree bracelets from one country in a single series is significant by any measure. But the structural story underneath it - a chartered flight, a million-subscriber YouTube evangelist, free poker coaching, a player railing the same final table he just departed to cheer for his friend - is the kind of thing that explains why Japan keeps producing results rather than just having them.
Story 04 of 5
Michael 'The Grinder' Mizrachi bagged 946,000 chips - approximately 378 big blinds - to lead 270 survivors into Day 2 of Event #70: $10,000 Pot-Limit Omaha Championship after a 729-player Day 1. Mizrachi surged to the chip lead late on Day 1 in a three-way pot where he flopped a flush draw and put two players at risk. He hit a fifth spade on the river for a double knockout. He described it, reportedly, as probably the best Day 1 he's ever had at the WSOP. Mizrachi has eight WSOP bracelets but none from a standalone PLO event. Joseph Liberta (2026 Millionaire Maker champion) sits second with 716,000. Other notable Day 2 survivors: Josh Arieh (270,000), Justin Liberto (303,500), Noah Schwartz (358,000). Among those who busted Day 1: Alex Foxen (current POY leader), Shaun Deeb, Naoya Kihara, John Juanda, Joe Hachem, Erick Lindgren, and defending PLO champion Michael Wang. Day 2 resumes Saturday at 1 p.m. local time. Late registration remains open through Level 13.
Why it mattersMizrachi is the defending Main Event champion and 2025 POY. A PLO bracelet would give him nine overall - tying Glaser, who just won the PPC Friday - and add one of the few elite titles missing from his resume. He is also a natural fit for the format: aggressive, comfortable in big-pot spots. Foxen and Deeb both busting Day 1 reshuffles the POY picture in ways that may matter at the end of summer. Liberta bagging second with a healthy stack means the Millionaire Maker champion is live for a second bracelet.
Story 05 of 5
Event #68: $1,000 Ladies No-Limit Hold'em Championship is in Day 2, with Lexy Gavin reported among the chip leaders per the PokerNews live blog. The field was described as record-breaking earlier in the series. The final table plays out Sunday, June 28. Shiina Okamoto, the two-time defending champion, was eliminated on Day 2 Friday, ending the three-peat bid. A new champion will be crowned Sunday.
Why it mattersThe Ladies Championship final table plays Sunday against the continued run of the $10K PLO. With Okamoto out, it becomes a wide-open result. Gavin holding chips going into Day 3 makes her one to watch. The record-breaking field means the prize pool will be notable.
Two confirmed bracelets from Day 33 action (June 27).
Event #70: $10,000 PLO Championship Day 1 chip counts. Day 2 resumes Saturday June 28 at 1 p.m. 270 players remain from 729 entries.
Notable eliminations from Day 33 action and Day 1 of Event #70.
Had the chip lead heads-up and was grinding Fujimoto down before two energy drinks changed the tide. Three-time 2-7 bracelet winner. Ninth bracelet denied. Had 7,000,000 to Fujimoto's 3,000,000 at one point in heads-up play.
Led 11 players overnight as chip leader. Patted a 10-9 against Schulman, who caught a wheel to send Brunson to the rail. Second bracelet bid ends in 6th place, 21 years after winning his first. The wait continues.
Was seeking his third bracelet of the 2026 summer. Eliminated 7th at the final table by Brunson after Brunson made an 8-7. Proceeded immediately to the rail to cheer for Fujimoto and serve as his post-win translator.
Hall of Famer and six-time draw-game bracelet winner eliminated at the unofficial table, setting the six-player final table. The legend made it deep but not to the money's top tier.
Current POY leader entered and busted Day 1. Foxen's POY margin may compress as the PLO produces points for 270 remaining players and he's not among them.
Two-time POY and structural pre-series POY favorite entered and busted Day 1. Deeb and Foxen both out; the race may shuffle heading into the final third of the series.
Defending PLO Championship champion. Got off to a bumpy start before rebounding, then busted before the final break. A new PLO champion will be crowned this year.
Busted Day 1 of the $10K PLO. Missed out on points from a 729-player field. His lead may narrow as 270 survivors collect Day 2 points. No bracelet wins Saturday.
No action confirmed Saturday. Bagged a healthy 270,000 stack in the $10K PLO. Still alive in the PLO as of Day 2. Could add significant points with a deep run.
Runner-up in the $10K 2-7 Triple Draw adds points. Exact position will update with official standings. Has been in the POY top 5 all summer.
Played the $10K PLO Championship per his stated plan (result Saturday not yet confirmed at press time). Two high-roller bracelets in one series gives him strong POY standing regardless.
Leading 270 players in the $10K PLO with 946,000 chips. A deep run here would dramatically strengthen his POY defense and add to the bracelet total.