While the poker world craves for a heads-up grudge match between Daniel Negreanu and Phil Hellmuth, the one and only Tony G wants to get in on the fun. The G wants to have a high-stake heads-up showdown against his buddy and former nemesis Phil Hellmuth. Tony G is ready to go any time, and PokerStars wants to host it, but even though Hellmuth has yet to even acknowledge, this will be hilarious hijinks if it ever happens.
The Poker Brat vs. Tony G. That's great television. Heck, where can I get in on producing this gem? It's a battle between two villains and there's no shortage of people who hate both guys. But let's face it, who doesn't want to watch Tony G try to tilt Phil Hellmuth during a lengthy heads-up battle? Even if The G drops a cool million, I think he'd gladly pay that price knowing that he got under Hellmuth's thin skin.
The two were jousting at the tables during the peak of the online poker boom. The G loved to trash talk with anyone and every one. He did not discriminate in his willingness to verbally joust with anyone. The bigger the bully, the more Tony G talked smack. It's like that's his secret special power. The more he yapped, the more he won because his opponents were unable to handle his relentless needling.
Tony G and Hellmuth had many battles over the years including several fun matches on The Big Game where Hellmuth went on massive mega Tony G tilt aka MMTGT. That's when he busted out the tricycle chatter. Hellmuth was such a bad player that he couldn't even have a real bicycle, so he needed to ride a tricycle like a little kid. The image is funnier than the actually barb with Hellmuth in his black jacket and black hat and sunglasses peddling down the hallway of a casino on a tiny tricycle.
After Daniel Negreanu dropped $1.2 million against his online nemesis Doug Polk, Negreanu decided he'd like to be the one with the edge and tried to find a easy mark and mook like Hellmuth. Negreanu took umbrage when Hellmuth criticized his play without actually watching the hands. Hellmuth said he'd accept Negreanu's heads-up challenge, but the details have yet to be worked out between Kid Poker and the Poker Brat.
But that did not stop Tony G from taking shots at his buddy. The G wants Hellmuth to play him at any stakes now that he's no longer a politician in Lithuania.
"When it's safer to travel, I'm taking @phil_hellmuth for a dance on the felt," tweeted Tony G. "High stakes Hold'em for charity. Who can set this up? International TV is a must!"
PokerStars responded and offered to host the battle. Now the ball is in Hellmuth's court.
Tony G won $7.2 million in tournaments over his career but he made tons of cash as one of the owners of PokerNews. He's #162 all-time on Hendon Mob yet the top player in Lithuania.
Hellmuth is currently ranked #21 on the Hendon Mob all-time money list with $24.1 million in tournament earnings. Hellmuth claimed he won millions in cash games, including private games in Silicon Valley where he fleeced tech nerds.
Hellmuth won 15 bracelets at the World Series of Poker. No one has been more dominant even though he plays a hefty diet of tournaments with 165 cashes and $15 million in WSOP winnings. Hellmuth has more WSOP runner-up finishes than most people have bracelets. The Poker Brat finished in second place 11 times, including five runner-ups since 2011. He also has four third place finishes since 2003.
