WSOP 2025: Dreams Come True as Justin Fawcett Takes Home his Maiden Bracelet in Event #85: $600 NLH Ultra Stack ($355,110)

Justin Fawcett Winner of Event #85: $600 Ultra Stack
Justin Fawcett Winner of Event #85: $600 Ultra Stack

The $600 Ultra Stack at the 2025 World Series of Poker offered exactly what so many players dream of—an accessible buy-in, a massive field, and a chance to turn a modest entry into a life-altering score. For longtime grinder Justin Fawcett, it all came together.

“I’ve been playing poker for 20 years. It’s everyone’s dream to win a bracelet,” Fawcett told PokerNews. “I had a lot of friends who believed in me and kept telling me this was my year, and I’m grateful to everyone who supported me along the way.”

Event #85: $600 No-Limit Hold’em Ultra Stack at the Horseshoe and Paris Las Vegas drew 7,057 entries and built a prize pool of $3,556,728. After three long days of play, Fawcett stood alone at the top, earning his first WSOP bracelet and a career-best $355,110 after defeating Vietnam’s Thai Dinh heads-up.

Fawcett credited the win to a more thoughtful, disciplined approach to the game this summer. “I feel like I’ve made a lot of mistakes in the past and have been able to make a few adjustments. I’m trying to be more disciplined with what I play and focus on events that suit my strengths.”

PositionPlayerCountryPrize
1United States of America Justin FawcettUnited States$355,110
2Viet Nam Thai DinhVietnam$236,740
3United States of America Zhengyu GuanUnited States$176,620
4United States of America Delano JacksonUnited States$132,710
5United States of America Eric RabelasUnited States$100,450
6United States of America Blake NapieralaUnited States$76,620
7Japan Riku MiedaJapan$58,890
8United States of America Kirk StaplesUnited States$45,620
9United States of America Eric DillonUnited States$35,610

Final Table Recap

Day 3 kicked off with fireworks. Paul Grisi was the first out after running ace-seven into jacks, and eliminations came quickly as the field trimmed down to the final ten. The final table was locked in when Keegan Ripp’s suited ten-nine fell to Delano Jackson’s king-nine.

From there, it didn’t take long for the big pots to start. Eric Dillon busted in ninth in a wild three-way all-in where everyone flopped a set—Fawcett watched as Dinh’s eights beat Napierala’s sevens and Dillon’s fours. From there, players dropped quickly, with Riku Mieda, Kirk Staples, and Blake Napierala all falling as Dinh and Fawcett began to separate from the pack.

Zhengyu Guan WSOP
Zhengyu Guan WSOP

A crucial turning point came three-handed. After Zhengyu Guan three-bet, Fawcett shoved and Guan tank-folded pocket jacks face-up. The move handed Fawcett the chip lead—and he never looked back.

“I had kings there,” Fawcett said later. “But I didn’t want to show. I like keeping people guessing whether they made the right fold.”

Guan was eliminated shortly after for $176,620, and heads-up play began with Fawcett holding a massive lead. But Dinh wasn’t ready to hand it over. He pulled off a gutsy bluff to claw back into it, momentarily swinging the momentum. Fawcett didn’t panic.

Thai Dinh Runner-Up of Event #85: $600 Ultra Stack
Thai Dinh Runner-Up of Event #85: $600 Ultra Stack

“I’ve got a lot of experience playing long hours,” he said. “The long tournament days don’t wear me down as much. I also don’t eat during the day—I think that helps keep my energy up, especially at the end.”

Eventually, Fawcett regained control, sealed the deal, and claimed the title he’s been chasing for two decades.

“It’s easy, after a big score like this, to start firing bigger tournaments and before you know it, the money is gone,” he added. “I don’t play full time, and the series is almost over, so we’ll see.”

No matter what’s next, Fawcett’s name is now etched into WSOP history. For him—and for every rec player hoping for their own shot at the spotlight—this win proves again why poker’s greatest stage leaves the door wide open.

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* Hands and photos courtesy of PokerNews and WSOP

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