The gloves are well and truly off in the GOAT stakes, with all-time tournament money winner Bryn Kenney challenging record-breaking WSOP bracelet holder Phil Hellmuth to a $1million buy-in heads-up showdown!
What’s all this white magic and apexpredator shit I’m hearing @Phil_hellmuth . We know who is king of the hill, but if you want your shot at the top let’s put up a million each and give the people what they want
— Bryn Kenney (@BrynKenney) April 3, 2021
Bryn Kenney vs. Phil Hellmuth
The challenge came after Hellmuth defeated Daniel Negreanu in their HighStakesDuel II last week, the Poker Brat mounting an incredible comeback from a 19-1 chip deficit to take $50,000 and bragging rights from his rival.
At the ‘weigh-in’ before the match, Hellmuth pulled up commentator Nick Schulman for not respecting his triple victory over Antonio Esfandiari in the first HighStakesDuel.
Listing several hands he thought were incredibly well played, Hellmuth asked: “ You didn’t like any of those plays. And to me, this is white magic. Apex predator shit. King Kong shit. What do you have to say?”
The win over Negreanu only boosted 15-times WSOP gold bracelet winner Hellmuth’s belief that he deserves to be in the discussion over who is poker’s GOAT.
Negreanu had pooh-poohed that idea, claiming Phil’s Super High Roller record was poor, and Phil seemed to believe Bryn Kenney was taking the same line.
Bryn Kenney stands atop the tournament money-winners all-time list with $56,403,501, – $3million ahead of Justin Bonomo in 2nd place, $14million ahead of Negreanu in 3rd, and $32million ahead of Hellmuth, in 21st spot.
He leapfrogged many of his rivals with a $20million runner-up spot in the 2019 Triton Millions.
A new challenge coming up?
Kenney tweeted out his challenge stating his credentials: “I’ve been crushing the highest stakes of MTTs for 15+ years, the toughest games have been online and then live high rollers.
He added: “Phil hasn’t been a real competitor since I’ve been around at high stakes. Also I’m happy to cross book 500-1000% in smaller mtts.”
That had Phil defending himself and his record. He tweeted: “Bryn – I have massive respect for you, I actually think you have a shot at becoming the poker GOAT (because you play all the games so well).
“Matusow thinks you’re the best! When you say I’m getting crushed at High Rollers, and it’s NOT true, seems like an attack on my legacy.”
Bryn – please check the facts before you attack my legacy. High Rollers: I am up $1.5M in HR, I am the only player w 3 top tens in One Drop (did NOT play 25% of OD), I won 26-out-of 28 times in my last televised cash games (until December where I won small in High Stakes Poker)
— phil_hellmuth (@phil_hellmuth) April 3, 2021
…though Bryn Kenney was quick to refute any suggestion he didn’t respect Phil’s achievements in the game…
I’m not attacking ur legacy Phil, I’m saying let’s give the people what they want if u wanna claim u are the GOAT
— Bryn Kenney (@BrynKenney) April 3, 2021
The fans were also on hand to give their views, with several Hellmuth supporters slapping Kenney down harshly…
-“What makes this guy think the people want to see him play Phil? What a joke. Until a few weeks ago, most people didn’t even know who this guy was. Most still don’t. The ego.”
– “Sorry dude there’s many other poker players “the people” would rather see Hellmuth play. Not saying you’re not a phenomenal player, but the general public doesn’t know who you are. Hire a PR person and maybe down the line…”
…with a Dutch Boyd tweet for good measure to sum up the general public mood…
Well… let's see.@Phil_hellmuth : 15@BrynKenney : 1
This is how the world scores poker. It doesn't really matter if you've won more or if the top thousand guys in the game think you are better.@WSOP bracelet count IS the hill. And Phil is 👑 and it's not even close.
— dutch.eth, esq. 🌹🏳️🌈🌻⚖️ (@DutchBoyd) April 3, 2021
It appears the chances of the world’s leading tournament player by money, and the world’s other leading tournament player by bracelets, actually meeting are somewhere between slim and non-existent.
Hellmuth has a rematch against Negreanu to look forward to – this time the buy-in at $100,000. News this week that a live WSOP is planned for September to November in Vegas, however, means there is still a chance they could clash.
Phill Hellmuth or Bryn Kenney for the first bracelet of 2021?
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