History Made at the 2025 WSOP: Mizrachi Wins Fourth $50K PPC Title, Okamoto Goes Back-to-Back in Ladies Championship

The 2025 World Series of Poker has already delivered historic moments, with two players cementing legendary status in very different ways. Michael Mizrachi captured an unprecedented fourth $50,000 Poker Players Championship title, while Japan’s Shiina Okamoto made history as the first player ever to win back-to-back WSOP Ladies Championships (source: PokerNews).

Michael "The Grinder" Mizrachi has officially separated himself from the pack in what many consider the most prestigious event in tournament poker. Already tied with Brian Rast at three victories each, Mizrachi broke the deadlock by winning the 2025 WSOP $50,000 Poker Players Championship (PPC) for the fourth time.

Mizrachi bested a 107-entry field at Horseshoe and Paris Las Vegas, earning $1,331,322 from a $5,162,750 prize pool. His victory secured the Chip Reese Memorial Trophy once again and made him a seven-time WSOP bracelet winner.

“I probably played better than the last three I won,” Mizrachi said after his triumph. “Everything went my way this tournament. I was always at the top of the leaderboard and probably played my best overall.”

He didn’t just win—he dominated. Mizrachi knocked out five of the seven players who returned for the final day, eliminating Ben Lamb on the very first hand, then busting Albert Daher, Joao Vieira, and Andrew Yeh before heads-up. Against all-time money leader Bryn Kenney, Mizrachi entered with a 15:1 chip lead and never let up, securing the historic win.

Esther Taylor also made headlines with her third-place finish for $595,136—the deepest run ever by a woman in the PPC, breaking Melissa Burr’s previous best of seventh in 2014.

With Brian Rast entering the Hall of Fame after winning his third PPC, fans are already speculating that Mizrachi’s fourth title could secure his own induction soon. The Grinder, of course, isn’t done yet. “Brian, I’ve got one more. You’ve got to catch up now—I’m going for number five!”

While Mizrachi was making history in the $50K PPC, Japan’s Shiina Okamoto was achieving something equally remarkable on the other side of the WSOP schedule. She became the first player ever to win back-to-back titles in the WSOP $1,000 Ladies Championship.

Okamoto triumphed over 1,368 entries in Event #70 to win $184,094, successfully defending the title she won last year. She also finished runner-up in 2023, making this a stunning three-year run in one of the most prestigious women’s events in poker.

Starting the final table as the chip leader, Okamoto never let the pressure rattle her. “I really believed I was going to win,” she told PokerNews via translator. “I didn't feel rushed. I focused on doing everything properly. There was a lot of pressure with everyone expecting me to win back-to-back, but I just tried to stay calm and keep my composure.”

She navigated a tough final table that included busting fellow Japanese player Sumire Uenomachi early, winning critical flips, and exploiting her opponents’ adjustments. Heads-up play saw her defeat Heather Alcorn, a WSOP Circuit ring winner and former WSOP Dealer of the Year, who earned $122,654 for her runner-up finish.

Okamoto’s accomplishment is now synonymous with the Ladies Championship, giving her an iconic place in WSOP history. She also used the moment to encourage new players: “Most people don’t learn poker on their own—they learn from someone. Choosing that person really matters.”

Both Michael Mizrachi and Shiina Okamoto demonstrated world-class skill, composure under pressure, and the will to make poker history. While Mizrachi’s fourth $50K PPC win cements his status as one of the all-time great mixed-game players, Okamoto’s unprecedented back-to-back Ladies Championship titles highlight her mastery of the unique pressures of defending a WSOP crown.

The 2025 WSOP is far from over, but these two victories will undoubtedly be remembered as signature moments of the series.