Colby Covington, one of the top welterweights in the UFC, is having quite a week at the poker tables during the 2022 Seminole Hard Rock Poker Open.
On Thursday, he won his third-ever Hendon Mob recorded live poker tournament, this one at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Hollywood, Florida, a $25,875 score in a $1,100 buy-in pot-limit Omaha/8 event.
The tournament attracted 84 entrants, none of whom were able to knockout a skilled mixed martial artist. This wasn’t the first large score of the week for the South Florida local. Covington took seventh place for $48,295 for finishing in seventh place in the largest field poker tournament in the Sunshine State’s history — $400 Deep Stack No-Limit Hold’em (7,703 entries).
“I wanted to come back and prove that wasn’t just a fluke,” said Covington, “And show that I could play with the best players in the world.”
He certainly did prove he can compete at a high level in more than just mixed martial arts. The new poker champ was ecstatic to have won the tournament so close to home.
“It’s a surreal feeling,” Covington said of his win. “It’s been a long journey to finally get a trophy here at Seminole Hard Rock. This is my home casino, and I love playing here.”
The second ranked UFC welterweight was one of 11 players who cashed. He defeated David Shmuel, who received $15,890 for second place, heads up to win the title outright.
Covington said following his victory that part of his strategy was to avoid entering pots against three-time WSOP bracelet winner Phil Hui, who ended up in fourth place for $6,680. The strategy worked like a charm as the athlete won his first recorded poker tournament since 2018 when he shipped a $150 daily in Pompano Beach, Florida for $2,702.
Comments