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WRESTLERS THAT SPEND THEIR FREE TIME PLAYING POKER

By Kendall Jenkins on 2021-07-01 07:37:00

Among the millions of people who love poker, you’ll find some of your favourite wrestlers. These athletes head to the card table when they aren’t in the ring:

Why Wrestlers Enjoy Poker

You may wonder what draws wrestlers to poker. Here’s why:

They Love Excitement

Pexels 

Wrestling is an exciting sport for both the audience and the participants. These super fit athletes look for the same rush in their downtime that they get from their sport, and many of them find it while playing poker. Several of them celebrated WWE’s 25th anniversary by playing this game together. 

They’re Competitive

By nature, wrestlers are competitive. The best ones work hard for exposure and a chance at winning titles. That mentality doesn’t switch off after a match. Playing poker gives them another opportunity to try to be the best of the best. 

WWE storylines often focus on a popular underdog. Poker is a game that anyone can master if they put in enough work. Often, lower rank players end up getting pretty far in tournaments or even outranking gambling stars, although that isn’t as a general rule. 

They Know How to Read People

Pro wrestling usually incorporates comedy into the matches, so wrestlers have to know how to read the crowd. This talent translates well to poker, where getting into your opponent’s head is critical. These athletes are drawn to this psychological aspect of the game. 

Pixabay 

Wrestlers Who Play It

Lots of wrestlers regularly play poker. A few fan favourites known to enjoy this game are:

PJ Black

Pro athlete PJ Black loves poker. He participated in the World Series in 2019. Black regularly played at the Seminole Hard Rock Casino while living in Florida.

This wrestler prefers focusing on lower buy-in tournaments, which allows him to find local casinos to play at even while on the road. At one point, Black even took time off of wrestling to focus on poker. 

The athlete cites Daniel Negreanu as his inspiration. He enjoys watching Negeanu’s vlogs of him playing all kinds of poker. 

Who’s Daniel Negreanu?

Daniel Negreanu is one of the world’s most popular poker players. Growing up in Canada, he first found his love for the game when taking breaks from pool hustling. Negreanu has a passion for numbers and an incredible ability to read people. 

His fame even landed him acting jobs in a few films, including “X-Men Origins: Wolverine” and “Detention.” The pro player is now a member of the GGPoker UK Team, which is an accolade few achieve, given the reach of the WSOP partner.. 

John Cena

John Cena is a legend in the wrestling world. He’s won several titles, including World Heavyweight Champion. Despite not appearing in many matches these days, the wrestler still shows up sporadically in WWE. 

Cena frequently organizes poker games in his home. He typically prefers Texas Hold’em. The wrestler decided to try the game after watching the World Series and has loved it ever since. 

Dash Dudley

Dash Dudley enjoyed playing poker so much in his free time that he quit wrestling to try his hand at becoming a pro. Since then, the former wrestler has won two bracelets at the World Series. Currently, he’s ranked 1,830 on the Global Poker Index but was at 354 in his height. 

What Are Bracelets

This tournament has a total of 74 events, and the winner of each one receives a bracelet. These decorative jewellery pieces are made of gold and covered in expensive stones. 

The Miz

Michael Mizrachi, no relation to WWE's “The Miz,” spends his downtime, at live poker events. 

In the gambling world, Mizrachi goes by “The Grinder.” He made this choice to avoid confusion, as another successful poker player has the same name. 

Conclusion

A lot of wrestlers play poker in their free time. These athletes love this casino game for its excitement, competition, and strategy. 

A few familiar fans include PJ Black, John Cena, Dash Dudley, and Michael Mizrachi. Try your hand at poker, and you could find yourself playing against one of your favourite WWE stars!

 

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