June 24-26
Koji Fujimoto's previous best finish at the WSOP, a $119K score in last year's $3K TORSE.
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1ST
Kuji Fujimoto
$392,478
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2ND
Nick Schulman
$256,181
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3RD
Tommy Hang
$172,064
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4TH
Andrew Kelsall
$119,011
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5TH
Justin Smith
$84,845
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6TH
Todd Brunson
$62,404
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7TH
Naoya Kihara
$47,401
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8TH
Billy Baxter
$37,224
Koji Fujimoto won his first bracelet on Friday night in the $10K Deuce Championship, but he had to climb the tallest mountain at the WSOP to get it.
Fujimoto beat Nick Schulman in heads-up play after a big comeback from the three-handed short stack. It's the maiden victory for the Japanese mixed games pro, who has only been logging Hendon Mob entries since 2024.
It was one of many storylines as the Deuce Championship turned for home on the final day, with legends like Billy Baxter, Todd Brunson, and Brandon Shack-Harris returning among the final 11 on Friday afternoon. Naoya Kihara was also in the mix, hoping to win a third bracelet of the summer in what has been one of our favorite stories.
Down goes Schulman
It would be Fujimoto who carried the day, and he would need a lot of resolve to beat Schulman, who has left a long line of first-bracelet hopefuls in his wake since 2023.
In 2023, it was Chicago real estate agent Andrew Hasdal who lost at the doorstep of his first win. In 2024, it was Noel Rodriguez and Ren Lin. Last year, it was Schulman's good friend Darren Elias.
Schulman added another victim earlier in 2026 when he beat Clayton Mozdzen for bracelet #8 in the $1,500 HORSE.
Fujimoto would conquer Schulman in one of his best games, and it wouldn't be easy. Schulman started with the advantage in heads-up play, but Fujimoto bounced back and put the eight-time champ on the ropes. It would take a few tries, but the Final Boss finally fell in a showdown that featured two objectively bad hands.
Schulman was all in and drawing one, with 
showing, while Fujimoto called and drew one of his own, spreading out 
. Fujimoto turned over a , pairing his hand. Schulman peeled , for the slightly better pair of fours and the worst outcome.
Schulman not done
Fujimoto's triumph was on the same note as last year's edition of this tournament, where Alexander Wilkinson beat him for a first bracelet. Schulman would ascend to the Poker Hall of Fame later that summer.
Schulman has been hot out of the gates again at the 2026 WSOP, where he has now cashed eight times. Of those eight, an unbelievable five of them have been final tables. He has finished second twice, fifth twice, and he won the $1,500 Stud.
Nick Schulman's WSOP bracelets
- 2009 - $10K 2-7 Championship - $279,742
- 2012 - $10K 2-7 Championship - $294,321
- 2019 - $10K PLO8 - $463,670
- 2023 - $1,500 Stud - $110,800
- 2024 - $25K High Roller - $1,667,842
- 2024 - $5K Closer (WSOP Paradise) - $145,000 + Bounties
- 2025 - $10K 2-7 Championship - $497,356
- 2026 - $1,500 HORSE - $183,366
The ninth bracelet will have to wait, for now, but the runner-up finish will give Schulman the points to jump up the Player of the Year leaderboard to compete with the likes of Alex Foxen, Josh Arieh, and Benny Glaser.
