WSOP Circuit Personality | Maurice Hawkins enjoys best summer of his career after filing for bankruptcy, winning his 26th ring and setting a new record.

On July 28, 2026, Maurice Hawkins gave an exclusive interview to PokerNews at the Borgata Summer Poker Open, where he discussed for the first time in more detail his recent Chapter 7 bankruptcy filing, his long-standing debt dispute with Randy Garcia, and the best form of his poker career.

Just days before the interview, Hawkins defeated a field of 400 players at the WSOP Circuit Choctaw $1,100 Mini Main Event, winning $76,380 and his 26th WSOP Circuit ring, continuing to break the tour's all-time record.

With his 26th ring, Hawkins has once again rewritten his record.

The WSOP Circuit Choctaw $1,100 Mini Main Event was held from July 23 to 24, attracting 400 participants and creating a total prize pool of $351,580. The top 60 players made it into the money.

Hawkins ultimately defeated Brian Green in the heads-up match to win the title; Will Givens, the 2026 WSOP Main Event runner, finished third, while Ari Engel and Almog Biton finished fourth and fifth respectively.

Top 5 WSOP Circuit Choctaw Mini Main Event

This will be Hawkins' fifth WSOP Circuit ring in 2026, bringing his career total to 26.

The prize money exceeded $840,000 in just over two months.

Hawkins described his stellar performance in 2026 as the best period of his career.

According to PokerNews, since May 1, he has accumulated $844,061 in prize money through live tournaments, including WSOP bracelet events, WSOP Circuit events, and other U.S. tour events.

Among them, the $432,875 from the $3,000 Mid-Stakes Championship is Hawkins' largest single live tournament winnings to date.

Despite participating in two consecutive WSOP deep runs, he still missed out on his first gold bracelet.

Despite having the most rings in WSOP Circuit history, Hawkins has yet to win a WSOP gold bracelet.

He finished as runner-up in the 2026 WSOP $600 No-Limit Texas Hold'em/Pot-Limit Omaha Mix, earning $135,864; he then reached the final four in the $3,000 Mid-Stakes Championship, winning $432,875.

Hawkins believes that finishing second has given him confidence and rhythm for the subsequent deep runs. Rather than defining his career by the number of gold bracelets, he values more his ability to make the best decisions in every situation and maintain his current competitive form.

He said he feels unstoppable now and will continue to participate in different tour stops to try to seize this upward trend.

April filed for bankruptcy in Chapter 7.

Hawkins' peak at the poker table stands in stark contrast to the financial controversies off the table.

According to bankruptcy filings obtained by PokerNews, Hawkins, through his attorneys, filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of Florida on April 23, 2026, with case number 26-15116-EPK. The filing involves several existing debts, including judgment debts related to poker player Randy Garcia.

A bankruptcy filing does not equate to the discharge of all debts. Whether discharge is granted, and whether specific debts can be included in the settlement, still requires a decision by the court based on the progress of the case.

Randy Garcia's debt dispute remains unresolved.

The financial dispute between Hawkins and Randy Garcia has lasted for years.

According to PokerNews, Garcia previously obtained a judgment exceeding $115,000. The two parties publicly agreed to a repayment arrangement in early 2026, with Hawkins agreeing to pay $2,500 per month until $30,000 was repaid. Garcia subsequently claimed that payments would cease after several months and resume collection efforts.

In an interview, Hawkins stated that existing debts have been included in bankruptcy proceedings and he expects his bankruptcy case to result in a discharge within approximately 60 days.

However, Garcia's legal team has indicated they will object to certain aspects of the application, arguing that Hawkins should not be granted exemption from liability if the application process can be proven flawed. As of the time of PokerNews's report, this legal dispute is still pending in court and no final conclusion has been reached.

"The best summer of my life came after bankruptcy."

Regarding his financial slump and subsequent rebound at the poker table, Hawkins stated:

"After going bankrupt, I experienced the best summer of my life."

He attributed his recent success to not giving up, maintaining focus, and persevering in every match. From filing for bankruptcy in April to achieving a WSOP runner-up finish, a fourth-place finish, and his 26th WSOPC ring in the summer, his 2026 will be filled with both athletic peaks and off-field controversies.

Moving on to Borgata, continuing the pursuit of the championship.

After winning the Choctaw title, Hawkins immediately traveled to Atlantic City to participate in the Borgata Summer Poker Open $2,700 Championship.

He finished Day 1B with a top-ten chip count, keeping his run deep. Hawkins said he really liked Borgata's event management, live tables, and professional atmosphere, and his goal wasn't to get close to the final table again, but to go straight for the championship.

The table records and legal proceedings are proceeding separately.

Maurice Hawkins has now raised the WSOP Circuit record to 26 rings and has accumulated over $840,000 in live tournament winnings by the summer of 2026. In terms of competitive results, this is indeed one of the hottest phases of his career.

However, tournament prize money and bankruptcy proceedings are separate issues. Whether the judgment debts related to Randy Garcia can be discharged through Chapter 7 proceedings remains to be seen, depending on the court proceedings and legal challenges from creditors.

As Hawkins continues his pursuit of another title in Borgata, his table performances and off-table financial cases will continue to be a focus of attention in the American poker world.

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