Thousands came for glory, but only one left with it. From start to finish, Event #85: $600 Ultra Stack at the 2025 World Series of Poker was a heart-pounding rollercoaster. Smashing through a field of 7,057 players chasing their shot at history and a staggering $3,556,728 prize pool, Justin Fawcett refused to back down. In a high-stakes heads-up showdown against Thai Dinh, Fawcett captured the gold bracelet and a massive $355,110 payday under the bright lights of the Paris and Horseshoe Las Vegas.
While the poker world’s spotlight shone on the Main Event, a fierce battleground was brewing for those who didn’t fancy its grueling structure. The $600 Ultra Stack offered something rare: a shot to turn a modest buy-in into over $350,000 in just three days. At the World Series of Poker, champions are crowned at every buy-in level, and no one is left out. Anyone with the courage and the buy-in can fight for life-changing riches and the ultimate prize: a coveted gold bracelet.
2025 World Series of Poker Hub
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Fawcett has enjoyed his best summer to date, which he attributes to a process of trial and error. “I feel like I’ve made a lot of mistakes in the past and have been able to make a few adjustments to my game. I’m trying to be more disciplined with what I play and focus on events that suit my strengths.”
When asked how important physical endurance was to his win, he explained, “I have a lot of experience playing long hours, so the long tournament days aren’t as grueling for me because I’m used to it. I also don’t eat during a tournament day, I think that helps with my endurance because sometimes when I eat, I get tired.”
"I’ve been playing poker for 20 years. It’s everyone’s dream to win a bracelet."
What does this win mean to Fawcett? “I’ve been playing poker for 20 years. It’s everyone’s dream to win a bracelet. 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. I don’t think I could have had this success without their help. Fawcett also thanked his mental game coach, John, and his friend Parm for cheering him on from the rail today.
What’s next for Fawcett? “It’s easy, after a big score like this, to start firing bigger tournaments, and before you know it, the money is gone. I don’t play full time, and the series is almost over, so we’ll see.”
Day 3 Action
Paul Grisi became the day’s first casualty when his ace-seven couldn’t crack Eric Dillon's jacks. The knockouts kept coming, and in just one hour, three more players hit the rail, setting the stage for the unofficial final table. Then, in a flash, the official final table of nine was set as Keegan Ripp’s ten-nine of clubs went down in flames against Delano Jackson’s king-nine.
Final Table Action
The final table exploded into action as Dillon was eliminated in ninth place. He, Dinh, and Blake Napierala were all in preflop with pocket pairs, and all three held sets by the river. Dinh’s eights stood tall against Napierala’s sevens and Dillon’s fours.
Thai Dinh
A crucial hand occurred during three-handed play between Fawcett and Zhengyu Guan, when Guan three-bet but then folded pocket jacks face up after Fawcett shoved all in, giving Fawcett the chip lead and control of the table. Fawcett told PokerNews he had kings in that hand but chose not to show, wanting to keep Guan uncertain about whether she made the right fold or not.
Fawcett held a massive chip lead when heads-up play began, but Dinh clawed his way back with a huge bluff that briefly flipped the momentum. However, Fawcett kept his cool, stuck to his game, and ultimately found a path to victory.
