Maurice Hawkins came within one spot of securing his record-extending 22nd World Series of Poker Circuit gold ring, but was ultimately defeated heads-up by Hamid Izadi. With that, Izadi took down who came out on top in the 2025 WSOP Circuit Caesars Southern Indiana main event for his second main event win and ninth overall WSOPC ring victory. He also earned $111,179 as the champion, growing his career earnings to nearly $2.2 million in the process.
“When we started today, I felt like I was gonna win it. When I got the first hand dealt to me … today, for some reason, I was zoned out on everything else around me. I was focused on today’s game. When I’m focused, I play very well,” said Izadi to PokerOrg reporters on the scene. “I’ve won a lot of rings. When you win a main event, there’s more pleasure. You’re playing against better players; it’s a better structure and obviously better payouts. Before the first main event win, I’ve been in several final tables but always finished short. I think, as poker players, we are competitive. Even if I finish second, it doesn’t feel right. I’m a very competitive person. I really wanted to be first. It’s not all about money. I just like to be accomplished in something I believe I’m good at.”
“Maurice and me, we run into each other. He’s a good player; I have respect for him. Mark [Davis] is a good player; I have respect for him as well. Sometimes, it’s just one player’s day. Somebody’s gonna win it. I think I played very well. I believe in my game, … in my instincts, and I used it to my best ability today.”
Setting The Stage
The $1,700 buy-in no-limit hold’em poker tournament held a pair of starting flights that attracted a field of 338 entries. The total prize pool was set at $512,070. The top 59 all took home at least $3,375 for making the money.
When the final day of play began, Izadi was in the top three in chips among the nine remaining contenders. He quickly got on the board by taking out Adam Thomas in ninth place. Robert Hankins followed to the rail in eighth place after winning this same event in 2016.
Izadi got his second knockout when he eliminated Brent Young in seventh place. He had climbed to second in chips at the first break in play, and he kept things rolling by sending Brevin Andreadis in sixth place. Izadi made it three knockouts in a row when Heath Pender fell at his hands in fifth place.
Stacked Final Three
Ben Ramon was the next player to leave the field in fourth place, and Izadi had a tough road ahead with World Poker Tour champion Mark Davis and Hawkins as his final two opponents. He did hold the chip lead, though, when the remaining three contenders went to dinner break.
Davis was the first player to fall after dinner in third place, with Izadi sending him to the rail with $50,323 to grow his earnings past the $2 million mark. That put the chip counts at the start of heads-up play at a close to 4:1 advantage for Izadi. That lead grew to 5:1 by the time the final two players got all their chips into the middle for the final hand of the event. Hawkins limped and Izadi shoved to put his opponent on the all-in decision. Hawkins called for a little under 2 million with K♣J♣ in the hole, and Izadi held 8♣8♦. The final board of the tournament read 7♦5♥2♥Q♠5♦.
The pocket eights gave Izadi the pot and the tournament win. Hawkins took home $74,244 for yet another deep run, but he fell short of adding another ring to his record tally of 21. The prize money pushed his career earnings to more than $6.4 million.
Final Table Results
| Place | Player | Payout | POY Points |
| 1 | Hamid Izadi | $111,179 | 480 |
| 2 | Maurice Hawkins | $74,244 | 400 |
| 3 | Mark Davis | $50,323 | 320 |
| 4 | Ben Ramon | $34,891 | 240 |
| 5 | Heath Pender | $24,759 | 200 |
| 6 | Brevin Andreadis | $17,990 | 160 |
| 7 | Brent Young | $13,394 | 120 |
| 8 | Robert Hankins | $10,223 | 80 |
| 9 | Adam Thomas | $8,005 | 40 |
Photo Credit: WSOP and Poker.Org
