After rocketing to fame along with her mega-viral “hawk tuah” second after which abruptly disappearing from the general public eye for months following a crypto meme coin scandal, Haliey Welch made her public return in Las Vegas on Friday in a Celebrity Poker Tour (CPT) occasion.
The CPT Recreation Evening VI at ARIA’s PokerGO Studio was a single-table, freeroll occasion providing $10,000 to the winner and that includes an array of celebrities, together with chess streamer and up to date Life Outside Poker visitor Alexandra Botez, athletes Jose Canseco, Adrian Peterson and Mackenzie Dern and influencers CJ So Cool and Suede Brooks, the eventual champion.
Regardless of the dazzling lights of the Las Vegas strip, the spirited environment contained in the studio, and having performed in a previous CPT event, it was a high-pressure second for Welch. The 22-year-old abruptly stopped her Speak Tuah podcast in December 2024 after being accused of a meme coin “pump and dump” and had hardly been seen or heard from since.
“I am just a little nervous,” Welch informed PokerNews in an interview forward of the occasion. “It is a smaller (one-table occasion), so everybody’s going to be watching our desk. And I nonetheless do not know what I am doing.”
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“I’ve Had a Lot of Time to Assume”
After parlaying her viral second with a podcast that includes company like Wiz Khalifa and Mark Cuban, Welch misstepped by launching a meme coin that rapidly rose in worth earlier than plummeting 95%, inflicting substantial losses for buyers and resulting in accusations of a “rug-pull” rip-off by Welch and her workforce.
In late March, the US Securities and Change Fee (SEC) closed its investigation into the HAWK coin and concluded Welch wasn’t concerned in any foul play, according to Worldwide Enterprise Occasions. Across the similar time, Welch introduced again Speak Tuah.
As she was touchdown in Las Vegas on Friday afternoon, Vainness Honest printed a feature story and interview about Welch’s return to the highlight and the crypto scandal that confirmed “her notoriety has additionally include penalties.”
“I am in the midst of rebranding proper now,” she informed PokerNews. “I’ve had lots of time to assume. I need to rebrand.”
What would possibly that rebrand appear to be? “I assume you will have to look at and see.”
Although she was vindicated by the SEC, many on social media had been crucial of Welch’s sudden return to public limelight, and Vainness Honest even questioned the “optics” of “playing after some folks misplaced their cash” on her coin.
Welch Out in Fifth; Suede Brooks Wins Recreation Evening VI
Welch performed in final September’s CPT Invitational IV and stated she hasn’t performed a hand of poker since. “It feels good to be again, however I nonetheless do not know what I am doing.”
Regardless of her nerves, Welch maintained a giant smile all through the event, cheering with pleasure when a pot went her means and folding with conviction after considering by way of her choices.
“Did I win?! No shit! No shit! Yay!” Welch cheered at one level as UFC champion Mackenzie Dern demonstrated an arm bar on her.
And regardless of being a viral sensation identified the world over, the previous spring manufacturing unit employee displayed all of the vices of a standard twenty-something with a pink vape in hand and an outsized glass of pink wine beside the desk.
Welch held her personal for hours however finally bled right down to her ultimate chips as she fell in fifth place.
“Fifth place out of ten!” somebody from Welch’s buddy group cheered.
Dern and CJ So Cool had been subsequent to go forward of a marathon heads-up battle between MLB legend Jose Canseco and influencer and mannequin Suede Brooks. Brooks emerged victorious and proudly held up the CPT belt in her winner’s interview with PokerNews.
“I received my first poker event!” Brooks stated.
CPT Recreation Evening VI Outcomes
| Place | Participant | Prize (USD) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Suede Brooks | $10,000 |
| 2 | Jose Canseco | |
| 3 | CJ So Cool | |
| 4 | Mackenzie Dern | |
| 5 | Haliey Welch | |
| 6 | Josie Canseco | |
| 7 | Trent “Guide It With Trent” Attyah | |
| 8 | Zach Justice | |
| 9 | Adrian Peterson | |
| 10 | Alexandra Botez |
The CPT shall be again on Could 10 for a multi-table occasion. Within the meantime, try Friday’s Recreation Evening VI stream on YouTube.
*Pictures courtesy CPT & PokerGO
Editor & Stay Reporter U.S.
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