After rocketing to fame along with her mega-viral “hawk tuah” second after which immediately 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 Celeb 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 Outdoors 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 earlier CPT occasion, 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 a bit 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.”
Former NFL Participant Hayes Pullard is the Co-Founding father of the Celeb Poker Tour
“I’ve Had a Lot of Time to Suppose”
After parlaying her viral second with a podcast that includes visitors 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 traders and resulting in accusations of a “rug-pull” rip-off by Welch and her workforce.
In late March, the US Securities and Alternate Fee (SEC) closed its investigation into the HAWK coin and concluded Welch wasn’t concerned in any foul play, in response to Worldwide Enterprise Instances. Across the similar time, Welch introduced again Speak Tuah.
As she was touchdown in Las Vegas on Friday afternoon, Self-importance Honest revealed a function 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 course of rebranding proper now,” she informed PokerNews. “I’ve had a number of time to assume. I wish to rebrand.”
What may that rebrand seem like? “I suppose you may have to look at and see.”
Although she was vindicated in court docket, many on social media have been important of Welch’s sudden return to public limelight, and Self-importance 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 mentioned 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 an enormous smile all through the match, 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 recognized 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 ultimately bled right down to her last chips as she fell in fifth place.
“Fifth place out of ten!” somebody from Welch’s pal group cheered.
Dern and CJ So Cool have 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 match!” Brooks mentioned.
CPT Recreation Evening VI Outcomes
The CPT will probably be again on Might 10 for a multi-table occasion. Within the meantime, try Friday’s Recreation Evening VI stream on YouTube.
*Photographs courtesy CPT & PokerGO
Connor Richards
Editor & Reside Reporter U.S.
