UFC fighter Antonio Trocoli won $122,330 at the 2025 World Series of Poker’s Colossus tournament, highlighting his growing interest in poker over MMA due to the financial benefits, despite planning to continue fighting.
UFC fighter Antonio Trocoli recently made headlines by winning big at the 2025 World Series of Poker’s Colossus tournament. With a buy-in of just $500, he walked away with $122,330, competing against 16,300 players. Trocoli shared that the tournament was challenging, requiring immense patience, but his private lessons with former WSOP winners were invaluable.
“That was the biggest hit of my career,” Trocoli told MMA Fighting. Previously, he’d won prizes in Brazilian real, like R$48,000 (around $8,600 USD), but never such a significant amount in dollars. The Colossus, known for its massive field, was a dream come true for him. Many Brazilians have tried for years without reaching the final table, making his achievement historic.
His girlfriend, Mackenzie Dern, also a top-ranked UFC strawweight, participated in the tournament. She got into poker by watching Trocoli play online and has had success in celebrity tournaments, though she lost early this time. “I have to be more serious, like he does,” Dern admitted. Trocoli agreed, noting, “She’s more loose in there.”
The winner of the Colossus, Courtenay Williams, took home $542,540. Trocoli now sets his sights on the Millionaire Maker tournament, with a $1,500 buy-in, promising over $2 million to the winner. Even finishing sixth could earn him around $600,000.
Despite his growing poker prowess, Trocoli isn’t leaving the UFC. At 34, he’s 0-2 in the promotion, with losses to Shara Magomedov and Tresean Gore. A back injury forced him out of a February fight, but he hopes to return to the octagon in August. Yet, he envisions a future as a poker player—and maybe a Navy SEAL—post-fighting.
“When you compare the two, getting punched in the face or making money sitting on a chair?” Trocoli mused. He loves staying in shape, but the allure of making money in hours is undeniable. “We fight because we love this shit,” he said, reflecting on the sacrifices fighters make for the sport.
“MMA is good, but you have to stop your life for two months to prepare for a fight,” Trocoli continued. Winning a bonus is great, but his recent success at WSOP has him reconsidering. Injuries and the grind of MMA have taken their toll, and he’s contemplating focusing solely on poker. “I’ve made more money in poker than fighting,” he concluded. “It’s stupid if I don’t choose to live off poker after fighting.”