The trend of poker players engaging in some pugilism will continue later this month when Dan “Jungleman” Cates takes on content creator, sports bettor, and occasional poker player who goes by “Elf.”
Beverly Hill Fight Club is promoting the the Jan. 22 bout. The International Kickboxing Federation sanctioned the match.
While Cates has hinted at fighting in the past, this will be his first official bout.
“Well, he said he has no experience also, unless Elf is lying to me,” the two-time World Series of Poker bracelet winner responded on X when asked about his experience in the ring.
Signed up for a fight vs @yElff_ ! Click the link for a ticket .
May like to bet depending on pricehttps://t.co/S6do5XULFS pic.twitter.com/CxIQpCKeWC
— Daniel Cates 🇺🇸 🌎 (@junglemandan) January 7, 2026
Kuhn Sees Elf As ‘Lock Of The Century’
Poker pro Rob Kuhn weighed in on the matchup, He pegged Elf as the “the stone lock of the century.” However, he added that the online sports betting show host is also in his first fight and may not have been training lately.
“My understanding is he hasn’t had any real fights, only sparring with some boxing training, but he seems to have been laying around in Iowa and not any boxing or training the last few weeks,” Kuhn posted on X. He later added: “If Junglemandan has been training and sparring, it looks like he has an edge on Elf.”
At the poker tables, Cates has collected $18.7 million in tournament winnings. Elf also made several appearances on Hustler Casino Live and said he feels confident of his chances against the poker star.
“This will be a bloodbath,” he posted on X. “If any exchanges/books want to put a line up, (Let me know), I want to bet on myself.”
Cates Continues Rare Poker Trend
Poker players have engaged in several publicized fights throughout the years. In April, poker pro Frank Cucchiara, known as “Frankie C,” was roughed up a bit by former UFC bantamweight champion Sean O’Malley.
In 2019, Antonio Esfandiari scored a win over actor and comedian Kevin Hart in a boxing match. Olivier Busquet was the winner of an MMA fight against fellow poker pro JC Alvarado in 2016.
