Always controversial and a winner. Such is the career of the American player Maurice Hawkins. He is the biggest winner of the WSOP Circuit tournaments, holding the record of 25 rings on his resume. The latest jewel was recently won at the Event #9 US$ 1,100 NLH at Harrah’s Cherokee, in the state of North Carolina.
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Thus, Hawkins maintained the undisputed lead in the series ring ranking. He now has a 5-ring lead over the second place, the also American Ari Engel and Daniel Lowery, who each have 20 rings on their resume, Engel won his last ring in September 2025, when he approached the current record holder.
However, Maurice Hawkins celebrated the victory with a post on X (formerly known as Twitter). “For all my fans, this one’s for you. For everyone else, keep motivating me”, wrote the player who earned a prize of US$ 113,223, leaving behind 631 competitors.
Nevertheless, the champion faced a tough final table. He defeated James Calderaro in the heads-up, a WSOP bracelet winner with over US$ 6.4 million in live circuit earnings. Another star in the final was Jarod Minguini, eliminated in 8th place. The player has 5 series rings and US$ 2.4 million in earnings.
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Check out the final table payouts:
| Position | Name | Country | Prize |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Maurice Hawkins | United States | US$ 113,223 |
| 2 | James Calderaro | United States | US$ 75,460 |
| 3 | Brandon Newsome | United States | US$ 51,920 |
| 4 | Corey Biddle | United States | US$ 36,418 |
| 5 | Toby Boas | United States | US$ 26,050 |
| 6 | Dave Alfa | United States | US$ 21,247 |
| 7 | Derrick Perry | United States | US$ 14,160 |
| 8 | Jarod Minghini | United States | US$ 10,770 |
| 9 | Jason Gladden | United States | US$ 8,367 |
The controversies of Maurice Hawkins
However, just as he stacks wins in the WSOP Circuit, the ring record holder also accumulates many controversies in his career. In December 2025 he was involved in a fight scene during a private cash game. The moment was shared by many players and was even downplayed by himself.
Moreover, cases of financial debts are also recurrent in Hawkins’ career. Randy Garcia even confronted the champion during an interview and called him a “pathological liar.” The most recent controversy involving the player was reported by “PokerNews,” when he reportedly filed for bankruptcy.
Finally, it is worth remembering that regardless of these behaviors, Maurice Hawkins is a winner at the poker tables. According to “The Hendon Mob,” he has already earned over US$ 7 million in live circuit earnings. However, the player’s biggest achievement was during the WSOP 2023 Main Event, when he finished 35th and took home US$ 280,100.
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