“Rampage” Yau Deals Mateos His First-Ever Defeat Heads-Up for a WSOP Bracelet

"Rampage" Yau handed Mateos his first heads-up defeat in a WSOP bracelet match

Ethan "Rampage" Yau won the hybrid $5000 Championship tournament at the World Series of Poker and claimed the second bracelet of his career. The main part of the event was played online, while the final table was held live in the Paris Ballroom in Las Vegas. Alongside Yau, the 6-max featured Adrian Mateos, Nick Schulman, Shannon Shorr, Dejan Kalajdzievic and Pedro Neves.

Eight-time WSOP champion Schulman busted first, getting in with a short stack holding A6 against Mateos's pocket threes. Ethan Yau, who played with a rare $340,000 Rayquaza EX Pokémon card hung around his neck, could have hit the rail in fifth, but doubled up through Kalajdzievic and then knocked out Neves.

Heads-up, Yau cut Mateos's stack down to 9 BB, but the Spaniard won several all-ins and got back into the fight. "Rampage" nonetheless closed things out, holding the edge in the decisive hand with pocket queens against the Spaniard's 10-9.

Mateos failed to win a seventh bracelet and, for the first time in his career, lost a heads-up match for a WSOP title. He had previously won six of six such matches.
"I used to have serious impostor syndrome when it came to poker. I won a lot early on, but recently I went through a stretch without any wins.
Competing in a $5K online event where the field is just packed with stars, and finishing first... it definitely confirms that I did something right. Of course I got lucky, but it feels great to sense the cards are running and to beat some of the best," Yau said in an interview with PokerNews after his win.

WSOP Online Hybrid $5000 Championship final table results:
1️⃣ Ethan Yau 🇺🇸 — $228,825
2️⃣ Adrian Mateos 🇪🇸 — $175,150
3️⃣ Shannon Shorr 🇺🇸 — $129,950
4️⃣ Dejan Kalajdzievic 🇲🇪 — $96,050
5️⃣ Pedro Neves 🇵🇹 — $62,150
6️⃣ Nick Schulman 🇺🇸 — $50,850