Nick Wright announced as Phil Hellmuth’s next High Stakes Duel opponent

Posted on: June 29, 2021 13:14 PDT

Sports talk host takes on Poker Hall of Famer Hellmuth on High Stakes Duel III July 28

The poker world will be treated to another chapter of High Stakes Duel, with reigning champion Phil Hellmuth once again sitting in the champion’s seat. Hellmuth’s challenger for High Stakes Duel III was announced on PokerGO’sNo Gamble No Future YouTube show on Tuesday, and the player that will sit across from Hellmuth at the PokerGO Studio probably isn’t who most people expected.

No Gamble No Future co-host Brett Hanks teased Phil Ivey, letting that declaration hang for a couple of seconds before pulling it back. Hanks then did the same with names like Tom Dwan and Jason Koon.

As it turns out, PokerGO is throwing the poker community a curve ball when it comes to Hellmuth’s next opponent on High Stakes Duel.

“Guess what folks? It’s not a professional poker player,” Hanks said. “We are dipping our toes into the sports television world. We are bringing in one of the most polarizing personalities out there right now. This guy dumps ice water on Skip Bayless’s takes.”

The guy Hanks refers to is sports television host Nick Wright. The opinionated sports commentator is the host of the First Things First show on FS1, and carries a reputation as one of the outspoken personalities in the sports commentary realm.

Hanks continued to point out some of Wright’s more polarizing sports takes before finally unveiling Wright as Hellmuth’s next opponent.

“You really set me up to be even extra hated with that intro. Even I, knowing it was going to be me, when you said Phil Ivey, I was like oh, that would be awesome," Wright said after Hanks' introduction.

“If there was any chance that the audience was going to be super excited about it being me against Phil; and the audience I’m sure will get into it, Phil and I have a bit of history, we’ve played a bit together. People were like oh, it’s going to be Ivey. Now it’s like oh, the jerk with the funny nose with the Lebron takes.”

High Stakes Duel III set for July 28

The first in the best-of-three match between Hellmuth and Wright is set to air on PokerGO on July 28. Hellmuth brings a 6-0 record on High Stakes Duel, and a championship belt, back to the PokerGO Studio to defend his High Stakes Duel championship.

Hellmuth wrapped up a 3-0 sweep over Daniel Negreanu on June 23. Prior to that, Hellmuth swept Antonio Esfandiari 3-0 in the original run of High Stakes Duel.

High Stakes Duel III will mark the first time in the show’s history that both seats haven’t been occupied by poker icons. Per the rules of the show, the July 28 match will see both players put in $50,000, with a $100,000 winner-take-all prize on the line.

Featured image source: YouTube