button in SafariDefending Champ Michael Mizrachi Eliminated from 2026 WSOP Main Event
Table Of Contents
Michael Mizrachi won't be making history with back-to-back World Series of Poker Main Event victories.
The defending champion's title defense fizzled out on Day 5, where he was eliminated in 241st for $50,000. Mizrachi survived nearly five full days in poker's biggest tournament but couldn't recreate the remarkable run that ended with a $10 million payday 12 months ago.
Mizrachi, who navigated all ten days of the Main Event on his way to the world championship last summer, once again found himself among the survivors deep into Day 5. This time, however, his run was halted before the tournament's biggest payouts, ending any hopes of becoming the first player since Johnny Chan in 1987 and 1988 to successfully defend the WSOP Main Event title.
Fittingly, it would take a fellow Main Event champion to end The Grinder's run.
15 Days of Main Event Action Ends for Mizrachi
During the penultimate level of Day 5 (Level 23), Mizrachi got his last nine big blinds into the middle with king-queen, only to run into 2019 Main Event champ Hossein Ensan's pocket aces.
The board ran out 7♣9♠7♥7♠10♥ to give the German a full house with Ensan's sevens full of aces besting Mizrachi, and bringing the reigning champion's title defense to an end.
Ensan now remains as the only previous champion still in contention. Meanwhile, Mizrachi exited the feature tables at Paris Ballroom to warm applause from active players and railbirds.
How Mizrachi's Title Defense Compares
History suggested Mizrachi faced an uphill battle before a single card was dealt. While plenty of Main Event champions have returned the following year hoping to mount another deep run, very few have managed to seriously threaten a repeat title.
Recent defending champions have largely fallen well short of another deep run. Jonathan Tamayo, who won the 2024 Main Event, failed to cash in 2025. Before him, Daniel Weinman finished 1,357th in 2024 for a min-cash, Espen Jørstad failed to make the money in 2023, Koray Aldemir had a great showing in 2022 with a 75th-place finish, and Damian Salas exited before the money in his title defense in 2021.
Since Chris Moneymaker's win in 2003, his successor Greg Raymer performed best the following year after winning the Main Event. The 2004 champ made it all the way to 25th place a year later, bowing out on the final three tables.
