Last Updated on July 4, 2026 by Bala Kumar
The 2026 World Series of Poker Main Event is officially underway at Paris Las Vegas and Horseshoe Las Vegas, and all eyes are on one man: Michael “The Grinder” Mizrachi. As the reigning champion steps back into the arena to defend his crown, poker fans around the world are watching to see whether he can pull off something that hasn’t happened in nearly four decades.
Mizrachi opened this year’s Main Event himself, calling out “shuffle up and deal” to kick off the tournament, before play got underway across the felt. It didn’t take long for the drama to start, within the first level of Day 1, a player named Anthony Marini gambled his entire stack on ace-king against Ryan Sands’ four-bet, setting the tone for what promises to be another wild ride through poker’s biggest stage.
A Historic Run Nobody Saw Coming
To understand why this year’s title defense is generating so much buzz, you have to look back at Mizrachi’s extraordinary 2025-2026 stretch. Last summer, he won the $50,000 Poker Players Championship for a record fourth time, earning his seventh career bracelet. Just 19 days later, he went on to capture the 2025 WSOP Main Event, taking home a staggering $10,000,000 and his eighth bracelet, a victory so significant it earned him immediate, unprecedented induction into the Poker Hall of Fame.
He didn’t stop there. On June 29, 2026, just days before this year’s Main Event kicked off, Mizrachi won his ninth career WSOP bracelet in the $10,000 Pot-Limit Omaha Championship, defeating Zarvan Tumboli heads-up for $1,350,203 after outlasting an 836-entry field. That result ties him for sixth place on poker’s all-time bracelet list alongside Benny Glaser and the legendary Johnny Moss.
Speaking after that win, Mizrachi credited a major lifestyle change for his current form, revealing he has lost 40 pounds since last year’s Main Event and has been training twice a day. He said he feels physically and mentally sharper at 45 than at any other point in his career, a claim that’s hard to argue with given his recent results.
Why a Repeat Title Would Be Historic
Here’s what makes this title defense so remarkable: no one has won back-to-back WSOP Main Events since Johnny Chan in 1987 and 1988, and back then, the tournament field was under 200 players. This year, thousands of hopefuls are entering across four starting flights, all standing between Mizrachi and a repeat that would rewrite poker history.
For context on just how much the Main Event has grown, the 2025 edition drew 9,735 entrants, the third-largest turnout ever, and produced a prize pool of over $90.5 million. The tournament’s biggest-ever field came in 2024 with 10,112 entrants, while the largest-ever first prize was the $12.1 million awarded in 2023. Given the sport’s rising visibility this year, WSOP officials expect a field size in line with recent years, if not larger.
What’s Different About the 2026 Main Event
This year’s Main Event isn’t just notable because of Mizrachi. Several structural changes make the 2026 edition one of the most significant in recent memory:
- ESPN is back. For the first time since before the pandemic, ESPN is broadcasting the Main Event live, marking a return to the network that captured poker’s early-2000s boom. Over 100 hours of coverage are planned, produced in partnership with Omaha Productions.
- A “November Nine”-style delay returns. After a decade without an extended break, the tournament will pause once the field is reduced to a final table of nine, before resuming for a live broadcast finale, a structure the WSOP used from 2008 to 2016 to build television audiences.
- A brand-new main stage. WSOP organizers built a 25,000-square-foot stage inside Paris Las Vegas, complete with nearly 700 LED lighting fixtures and five custom feature tables.
- Four starting flights. Day 1 action runs from July 2 through July 5, with late registration open through the first two levels of either Day 2 flight. Play then continues day by day until the field reaches its final nine players around July 13.
The Road Ahead
The Main Event’s $10,000 buy-in has remained unchanged since 1972, but the stakes have never been higher. Whoever survives the marathon of starting flights, day-long grinds, and eventual final table will inherit poker’s most coveted prize, a title that instantly changes a player’s career and legacy.
For Mizrachi, the numbers alone tell a compelling story. His live tournament earnings now exceed $30.6 million, and he’s already tied for sixth on the all-time bracelet leaderboard. A second consecutive Main Event win wouldn’t just add to that total , it would place him in territory no player has occupied in the modern era of the tournament.
Notable names have already fallen early, including six-time bracelet winner Adrian Mateos and 2012 Main Event champion Gregory Merson, both eliminated on Day 1A. Meanwhile, Brazil’s Rafael Mota emerged as the overnight chip leader from the opening flight, holding 810,000 chips after five levels of play. It’s a reminder that even with a superstar defending champion in the field, the Main Event always produces new storylines from unexpected names.
Where to Watch
Fans can follow live coverage of the Main Event on ESPN+, with broadcasts running daily at 5 p.m. PDT through Day 3 (July 8), before shifting to a 12 p.m. daily start once the field reaches its final table stretch. PokerNews will also provide live reporting coverage from start to finish, with the champion expected to be crowned on August 5.
Whether Mizrachi can defy nearly 40 years of history and become the first repeat Main Event champion since Johnny Chan remains one of the biggest storylines in poker this summer. One thing is certain: with “The Grinder” back at the table, in the best form of his career, this year’s chase for poker’s ultimate prize is must-watch action.
FAQs
1. Why is Mizrachi’s title defense historic?
He could become the first back-to-back WSOP Main Event champion since 1988.
2. How many WSOP bracelets does Mizrachi have?
He has 9 WSOP bracelets.
3. What is the WSOP Main Event buy-in?
The buy-in is $10,000.
4. What’s new in the 2026 Main Event?
ESPN returns with live coverage and a new final table format.
5. Where can I watch the 2026 WSOP Main Event?
Live coverage is available on ESPN+.
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