PokerStars add UFC ambassadors; 6-Plus Hold ’em Mtts; 200 billion hands, done

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PokerStars deepen their relationship with the UFC after adding three of their finest to their ambassadorial team, prepare to launch 6-Plus Hold ’em multi-table tournaments, and say goodbye to the 200 Billion Hand promotion.

PokerStars has deepened their relationship with the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) by bringing the red spade down onto the shoulders of two of their finest warriors, and the one with the strongest larynx in sports.

pokerstars-add-ufc-ambassadors-6-plus-hold-em-mtts-200-billion-hands-done2At the weigh-ins for UFC 237 in Brazil, PokerStars Ambassador, Andre Akkari, welcomed the voice of the Octagon, Bruce Buffer, the UFC Heavyweight Champion, Daniel Cormier, and Light Heavyweight contender, Johnny Walker, into the PokerStars fold.

Buffer, a lifelong poker fan and player, and the man who opened the PokerStars Player’s No-Limit Hold ’em Championships (PSPC) in the Bahamas reminisced on Chris Moneymaker winning the World Series of Poker (WSOP) Main Event, before declaring his pride in joining him.

“To join him alongside this great lineup of athletes and poker pros is a great honour for me,” said Buffer.

Johnny Walker called PokerStars a ‘world-class act.’ Chris Coyne, Chief Marketing Officer, Stars Interactive Group told the press to “expect to see these major stars getting involved in promotions, events, campaigns, content and more.” Akkari talked about MMA and poker being big “passions” for the Brazilian people before stressing that “it’s an honour to have such incredible athletes in our corner.”

It’s not the first time that PokerStars has added stars from the world of sport to their ranks. Cristiano Ronaldo, Neymar Jr, Usain Bolt, and Rafael Nadal have all represented the brand, and the Olympic gold medal winner, Fatima Moreira de Melo still does.

PokerStars climbed into bed with the UFC back in December, and in April announced UFC-themed Spin & Gos.

6-Plus Hold ’em joins SCOOP

The 12-gauge shotgun to the head impact that Short-Deck has had on the world of poker, thanks to the Triton Poker Series, continues to send bits and pieces of skull across the globe after PokerStars announced that their version (6-Plus Hold ’em) would be available in a tournament format, soon.

$22, $215 and $2,100 buy-in 6-Plus Hold ’em multi-table tournaments (MTTs) will debut on May 17 at 14:30 (ET), as side events during the  Spring Championship of Online Poker (SCOOP), and in On-Demand Sit & Go format at $2.50, $7 and $15 sometime during the month.

It marks the first time that an online operator has dropped their KFC bucket to take a punt on an MTT version of the new boy on the block, and the others will soon follow. PokerStars is restricting the new games to the dot-COM, dot-UK and dot-EU clients for the time being. Popular cash games derivatives Showtime and Fusion are also rumoured to be returning in MTT format sometime before reindeer start taking the piss out of Rudolph’s red nose.

200 billion hands 

PokerStars can turn off the tap.

After spending $2m on their 200 Billion Poker Hands promotion, the golden moment occurred during an 8c/16c cash game where the six players involved in the hand each won $10,000.

Severin Rasset, Director of Poker Innovation and Operations at The Stars Group, called the milestone, “almost inconceivable.” Before calling the promotion a “privilege to give back to every PokerStars player that has made this happen.”

And we will end with news from UFC 237 where Jessica Andrade body slammed Rose Namajunas into the earth’s core to win the Women’s Strawweight Title. Rumours are rife, that should Rob Yong attempt to steal Lex Veldhuis from the PokerStars lineup Andrade will be visiting him.

https://youtube.com/watch?v=aCheg8bYRk4