One and Done: Fahredin Mustafov Wins SHRS Main Event and $1,300,000 Without Breaking a Sweat
The 2025 Onyx Super High Roller Series $25,750 SHRS Main Event has its champion, with Fahredin Mustafov topping a star-studded 227-entry field to claim the trophy and the massive $1,300,000 first-place prize. Mustafov navigated his way through a stacked final table before defeating "Kenar" in the very first hand of heads-up play to secure the win.
The event generated a prize pool of $5,504,750, attracting some of the biggest names in poker for a shot at one of the series’ most prestigious titles. "Kenar" had to settle for $820,000 after entering the final duel with a significant chip deficit, while American pro Matthew Wantman rounded out the podium in third place for $530,000.
The victory is the biggest of Mustafov’s career, according to TheHendonMob, and a defining moment for the Bulgarian on the international high roller circuit. The seven-figure payday also came with valuable Player of the Series points, giving him a boost in the overall standings.
$25,750 Onyx SHRS Main Event Final Table Results
| Place | Player | Country | Prize |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Fahredin Mustafov | Bulgaria | $1,300,000 |
| 2 | Kenar | Turkey | $820,000 |
| 3 | Matthew Wantman | United States | $530,000 |
| 4 | Aren Bezhanyan | Armenia | $420,000 |
| 5 | Viacheslav Buldygin | Russia | $315,000 |
| 6 | Rahul Byrraju | India | $250,000 |
| 7 | Artur Martirosian | Russia | $200,000 |
| 8 | Vincent Huang | Australia | $155,000 |
| 9 | Roman Stoika | Russia | $121,750 |
Winner's Reaction
Mustafov didn’t have much to say after clinching the title, but the few words he shared carried plenty of joy. With his wife, children, and close friends Boris Kolev and Miroslav by his side, he described the $1,300,000 victory simply as “my big win.”
“My wife and my kids helped me a lot, and I’m very happy,” he said, clearly enjoying the moment with his family in the winner’s photo. He praised the atmosphere of the event, calling the tournament “amazing” and saying Merit was “super, super nice to play here.”
The Bulgarian also took time to acknowledge the people behind the scenes and watching from afar. “Staff is amazing, media is amazing, guys, viewers is amazing,” he said with a smile, before adding that “the floormen, everything is amazing.”
And for anyone thinking of skipping a trip to Merit, he had one final message: “If you don’t come to Merit, you have to come, believe me.”
Mustafov's Journey to the Title
After Roman Stoika and Vincent Huang had been eliminated, Mustafov found himself in a delicate spot with pocket kings against “Kenar.” Opting to just call preflop, he saw the ace-king of his opponent pair his ace on the flop, prompting a laydown that avoided what could have been a devasting clash.
Momentum quickly returned when his ten-nine connected for a pair against the ace-six of Viacheslav Buldygin, eliminating the Russian in fifth place and giving Mustafov a healthy stack as the tournament moved into its decisive stages.
The turning point came in a huge confrontation with Matthew Wantman. Opening on the button with pocket tens, Wantman was called by Mustafov in the big blind holding six-three of hearts. A queen-ten-deuce flop gave Wantman middle set, while Mustafov picked up a flush draw.
The turn brought the five of hearts to complete Mustafov's flush, and the river jack kept him in front. After checking all three streets, Mustafov responded to Wantman’s four-million river bet with a massive check-shove. With only a few time banks left, Wantman eventually released his hand, staying alive but surrendering the overwhelming chip lead to Mustafov.
From there, the Bulgarian player kept his foot on the gas, applying relentless pressure to the two shorter stacks. Wantman battled hard but ultimately bowed out in third when his pocket nines were cracked by Mustafov’s six-five, which improved to a straight on the river.
Heads-up play was over almost as soon as it began. On the very first hand, “Kenar” moved in with ace-six, only to find Mustafov waiting with ace-jack. The board ran clean, sealing the title for Mustafov and leaving “Kenar” to settle for the $820,000 runner-up prize.
Stay tuned to PokerNews for more live updates, chip counts, and highlights as the 2025 Onyx Super High Roller Series rolls on with more trophies still up for grabs.