UFC's Bruce Buffer Eyes Final Table in Event #39: $50,000 High Roller; Viktor Blom Leads Final 13
Bruce Buffer may be best known as the UFC Octagon Announcer, but the past two days have proven that he's able to battle with the best in the world outside the ring. Buffer, often referred to as the "Veteran Voice of the Octagon," is no stranger to the game of poker, with cashes dating back to early 2005 on The Hendon Mob.
He heads into Day 3 of Event #39: $50,000 High Roller No-Limit Hold'em (8-Handed) with 1,365,000 and a chance to win it all, with a shot to cement himself in poker history at the Horseshoe and Paris Las Vegas. Buffer will have his work cut out for him though, as he will enter the day 13th out of 13, looking to close the gap on Viktor Blom, who ended the day as the chip leader with 9,670,000.
Blom, better known by his online moniker, 'Isildur1', burst onto the online poker scene in 2009, taking on the best players in the biggest cash games the Internet had to offer. He aims to show his skills in the live tournament arena and capture his first World Series of Poker (WSOP) bracelet.
The 2023 reigning champion, Leon Sturm, will also return to Day 3 sitting in sixth with 3,895,000. Eyes will be on him as well, as he attempts to navigate the rest of the field and go back-to-back.
With late registration open during the first two levels of the day, the event amassed a total of 177 entries, far surpassing last year's number of 124. The prestigious tournament saw 27 players making the money and earning a piece of the $8,451,750 prize pool.
Only 13 players will return for Day 3, all of whom have their eyes on the $2,026,506 first-place prize, along with the coveted gold bracelet and bragging rights for being crowned champion of such a star-studded field.
End of Day 2 Top Ten Chip Counts
| Rank | Player | Country | Chip Count | Big Blinds |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Viktor Blom | Sweden | 9,670,000 | 81 |
| 2 | Sergio Aido | Spain | 8,800,000 | 73 |
| 3 | Jonathan Jaffe | United States | 5,135,000 | 43 |
| 4 | Martin Kabrhel | Czechia | 4,380,000 | 37 |
| 5 | Jesse Lonis | United States | 4,230,000 | 35 |
| 6 | Leon Sturm | Germany | 3,895,000 | 33 |
| 7 | Adrian Mateos | Spain | 3,585,000 | 30 |
| 8 | Chance Kornuth | United States | 3,385,000 | 28 |
| 9 | Johannes Straver | Netherlands | 2,865,000 | 24 |
| 10 | Morten Klein | Norway | 2,210,000 | 19 |
Action will begin on Day 3 at 1 p.m. local time on Sunday, June 16, at the Horseshoe and Paris Las Vegas, where the event will play down to a winner. It will be none other than Buffer, who will announce the start of the day to kick things off.
The tournament will resume at Level 19, with blinds at 60,000/120,000 with a 120,000 big blind ante. Levels will be 60 minutes in length, with 15-minute breaks every two levels and a dinner break to be determined.
Streaming will begin at 4 p.m. on PokerGO, and PokerNews will be providing updates on a delay, as to not spoil any of the tournament as it progresses.
Be sure to follow PokerNews throughout the remainder of this event, as well as future coverage throughout the summer.