Maurice Hawkins Extends WSOPC Ring Record

By Mrinal Gujare

20 May 2026

Mrinal Gujare 20 May 2026

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Maurice Hawkins wins record 25th WSOP Circuit ring and $113,233.
Defeated tough final table, including James Calderaro, pushing earnings past $7M.
Victory follows Hawkins’ recent bankruptcy controversy.

Image Credit: PokerGo

Maurice Hawkins won his 25th WSOP Circuit ring and $113,233 at Harrah's Cherokee, defeating James Calderaro. Despite recent Florida bankruptcy filings discussed on the PokerNews Podcast, Hawkins pushed his career tournament earnings past seven million dollars, extending his historic record.

Maurice Hawkins continued his winning ways on the felt by capturing a milestone 25th World Series of Poker Circuit (WSOPC) ring, extending his own all-time record.

Hawkins took down Event #9: $1,100 No-Limit Hold'em at Harrah's Cherokee in North Carolina, securing a top prize of $113,233. He outlasted a field of 631 entrants, eventually navigating a final table stacked with highly accomplished professional players.

With this latest victory, Hawkins continues to lap the competition on the circuit, solidifying his status as the Phil Hellmuth of the WSOP Circuit. His nearest competitors, Ari Engel and Daniel Lowery, currently sit tied for a distant second place with 20 rings each.

The tournament's final table featured stiff competition from established poker pros. Hawkins ultimately defeated James Calderaro heads-up to claim the title.

Calderaro, who earned $75,400 for his runner-up finish, is a WSOP bracelet winner with more than $6.5 million in live tournament cashes recorded by The Hendon Mob.

The final table also featured Jarod Minghini, who finished in eighth place for $10,770. Minghini holds five Circuit rings of his own and has accumulated $2.4 million in live tournament cashes.

Despite the decorated field, Hawkins topped both pros, pushing his own career tournament earnings past the $7 million mark with the North Carolina victory.

Hawkins won his very first Circuit ring in 2008 and has already added three ring victories to his resume this year alone.

Place	Player	Prize
1	Maurice Hawkins	$113,223
2	James Calderaro	$75,460
3	Brandon Newsome	$51,920
4	Corey Biddle	$36,418
5	Toby Boas	$26,050
6	Dave Alfa	$21,247
7	Derrick Perry	$14,160
8	Jarod Minghini	$10,770
9	Jason Gladden	$8,367

While Hawkins continues to thrive in tournament play, he has remained a subject of intense discussion off the felt in recent weeks. PokerNews reported that the Circuit record holder recently filed for bankruptcy in Florida.

Following the report, Hawkins appeared on the PokerNews Podcast to share his side of the story. His appearance led to a heated discussion with podcast co-host Mike Holtz, who directly questioned the player's financial situation.

"squirm and wiggle your way out of all these debts." Alleged debts and legal controversies aside, Hawkins proved that his tournament focus remains intact with his record-breaking performance.

The WSOP Circuit series at Harrah's Cherokee features a total of 18 ring events. The North Carolina stop wraps up on Monday with the conclusion of the $1,700 buy-in Main Event.

Following the completion of this series, the World Series of Poker action will officially shift to Las Vegas for the highly anticipated 100-bracelet summer series.

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