World Series of Poker Tournament of Champions 2006 Final Table [Full Episode]

The 2006 World Series of Poker played host to the Tournament of Champions that was headlined at the final table by one of the greatest ambassadors the game has ever seen, Mike Sexton. In honor of Sexton's illustrious career, relive this entire final table to celebrate his skills, passion, and dedication to the game.
Surrounded by his close friends and family, Mike Sexton passed away on Sunday, September 6th 2020.
At this WSOP final table with $1,000,000 up top, Sexton squares off against Daniel Negreanu, Mike Matusow, Andy Black, Darrell Dicken, and many others.
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[@PokerGO]

Please share your favorite Mike Sexton story or moment here in the comments.

[@michaelhendriks9006]

Once sat at a bar with a friend. Mike Sexton was sitting next to the table. My friend got off and went to the car. When he came back, he called me "Mike" from a few yards away. Sexton would rise his hand and wave to him.

[@nickkerr5714]

His voice brings me back to times playing hold em with friends and family with wpt playing in the background. Some of those at the table are now gone. I wonder if theyre playin with Mike at a table upstairs

[@buildinit6523]

negraneau is a mind reader

[@cyfawcett]

Just loved Sexton on the WPT broadcast. The man loved poker and it showed! RIP to a hell of a commentator and pro!

[@hokitokiho6479]

@@michaelhendriks9006 1l

[@mykestrada]

Damn. Lost another poker legend. R.I.P. Mike Sexton. - "May all your cards be live and all your pots be monsters."

[@ShredHeadJHJ]

OMG I thought you were joking. This really sucks. I consider myself a big fan of his :-(

[@rsaadk]

i can not believe it was so a gentleman

[@mjavor]

R.I.P. Mike.

[@Bella-hs2ew]

Pots be monstrous

[@trevorstrutt1]

@@Bella-hs2ew nope it's monsters.. lol ..may all your cards be live and pots be monsters ..forsure have played with him a ton and sat beside him whilst he announced it a whole lot lololol..don't correct people when u don't know ..

[@Horrorbuff2]

Poker wouldn't have reached the heights it did without Mike Sexton. Let's remember that although Moneymaker was certainly the peak of the poker boom, the WPT really got it rolling when it started in 2002, a year before Moneymaker. If the WPT was poorly presented, it would have halted poker in its tracks before it got started, but Sexton was all-class, likeable and had a trustworthy character; introducing millions to the beautiful game of poker. RIP Mike Sexton.

[@cyfawcett]

He is an absolute legend

[@17.2miles2]

Excellent comment.

[@dounghataiwataim5180]

Legend and​ class​ act​ rip

[@xilencered7788]

@@cyfawcett a fookin legend. RIP

[@dariomladenovski7047]

man I miss old poker, the commentary, the atmosphere the people were interesting to watch, the soul of the game got ripped apart by these soulless awkward nerds

[@defeatignorance8681]

Mike had more of an impact on the game of poker than nearly all others. His clear, concise and educated commentary is what made me interested in the game. I used to listen to him commentating to go to sleep because he had such a soothing voice and knew the game better than most. Can't even say how many times I've almost been to sleep only to hear Mike get excited and start telling the world exactly what would happen before it happened and make me wide-eyed staring at the TV learning from the best. The man is a legend and he will be missed greatly by many. Most of what I've learned I've learned from Mike. There's no doubt he is up there somewhere teaching someone how to play the game he loved. Rest in peace, Mike. I hope we can carry on with the vision you had for the game and make you proud.

[@nashs69on]

Absolutely. Mike helped me through a lot of sleepless nights back in the day. He will be known through eternity. RIP

[@gscgold]

Is hard to imagine him being gone , he was a pillar in the poker community

[@gordygreen7159]

Mike Sexton is Poker. What a Giant he was, I am not intelligent enough to define how Great this Legend is, I do not have the words.

[@commenter6722]

Very beautifully put.

[@rolandkennedy80]

Writing sexton helps a lot

[@tqsuited]

"One thing i'll always believe, as long as I live, is that people who dance enjoy life more than those who don't" - Mike Sexton (21:38).

[@marktheshark5901]

Straight facts.

[@straight_flizzy]

This actually made me think. I think I’m gonna force myself to dance more!

[@barneyboy8156]

@@straight_flizzy SF ... It's a metaphor for Life ...

[@straight_flizzy]

@@barneyboy8156 he meant it literally, and figuratively. Did you watch the video? He was a dancer. Sidenote* anyone who abbreviates trying to curse at someone is straight PUSSY!

[@sinatra222]

I miss the old days, back when players didn't tank for three minutes on every street.

[@dingdingdingdiiiiing]

-"all in" 1 second later: -"call"

[@beerme8949]

And players had personalities instead of being robots like today

[@mikehuly4208]

@@beerme8949 everyone of them was a character who had a crazy life story to get to be a pro poker player before the boom. Now it is just a bunch of nerdy virgins...

[@SharkAcademy]

To be fair, it was a much simpler game. I remember playing back then, game has evolved a lot

[@sagesarabia5053]

@@SharkAcademy how?

[@jamesmorris4530]

Full video in honor of mike. Classy move guys !

[@StreetSoulLover]

Thinking exactly the same thing...

[@jamesmorris1837]

Oh hey there James, nice name. RIP Mike, absolute legend of the game; wouldn't be as popular as it is today without him.

[@chocolatetownforever7537]

Soft spoken, a class act, always dressed impeccably, and one of the best poker players ever. Thats Mike Sexton.

[@brett4587]

R.I.P. Mike Sexton. Poker's greatest ever ambassador.

[@gordygreen7159]

Talk about hitting the nail on the head, what a Legend.

[@sharkuss845]

I met mike sexton in Montreal a few years back. We went to a bar one night for wpt promo and engaged in a lengthy conversation with him. Everything people said in the tribute was true. He treated me great even though I was a complete stranger. I asked him to tell me Stu Ungar stories. It went like this; he says stuey one day made a bet with billy Baxter (i think) that he could take a random deck of cards and flip over each card at a regular pace and when there was 1 card left he would be able to say which card it was. They bet 10,000 and stuey starts turning the cards over one by one until there’s 1 left. Then he says “it’s the 8 of clubs” and turns over the last card and it was indeed the 8 of clubs. Billy Baxter couldn’t believe it but stuey later told Mike he had a way to figure out what the last card would be (I can’t recall the method used but mike explained it to me). Anyways it was a great night and mike sexton is a Legend

[@samiam7342]

that bet was against bob stupek, not billy baxter.................

[@portorico2319]

sharkuss, he only did what any decent person would do, and don't forget he was a stranger to you, and as for what stuey did, its a well known magicians trick

[@mydogsbestfren7490]

@@portorico2319 call it what you wanna call it, that still takes a sharp mind to do it at the speed Stu did it at, and the story only adds to the mystique of Stu Ungar

[@brianlohse7672]

@@portorico2319 your wrong has nothing to do with a magic trick.

[@ellaser93]

That 3-7 hero call is one of my all-time favorite moments in poker. Especially with Negreanu's commentary afterwards.

[@fredsullivan2777]

Hatchem won it all in 2005 with 7-3

[@supremeleaderarmy9164]

@@fredsullivan2777 Edmonton beat Calgary 7-3

[@Yoshida83318]

Mike is a true gentleman hard to find these days, He was Amazing for the Game of Poker. 💞🙏🙏💞

[@japanda900]

Was? He isnt dead yet. He's still got a couple all in shoves left in him.

[@japanda900]

Oh mike sexton. My bad. Sexton is the father of modern poker. Evey poker player should have to go to poker history class. Mile sexton would have an entire semester dedicated to him.

[@behzadbb9667]

God bless him

[@andrewosborne3213]

I thought u meant matusow and was like wtf are u talking about yhen realized it was sexton and got sad 😢

[@dounghataiwataim5180]

Rip Mike​ great​ guy

[@CNT536]

I once sat to his right of a WSOP event. He knocked me out and shook my hand. RIP.

[@chefjordanp5901]

Thank you for all you’ve done for the game Mike. A true ambassador

[@michael2305]

Are you talking to a thumbnail brother?

[@Grunge_Cycling]

@Hill Monica Oh no

[@cincinatus90]

@@michael2305 nope, hes honoring a legend

[@jrmelt5803]

He's dead. He can't hear you. He can't reply to you. He can't read this.

[@johndicarlo225]

Well, we don't know that for sure yet that he can't see this... thanks Mike !!

[@UnderTheMillkyWay]

I love watching these old poker tourneys. I fall asleep most nights watching the older legends play.

[@dazzosheps]

I was 15 in 2003 when I discovered the WPT on Sky TV. The first voice I heard for anything poker related was Mike Sexton. It was his, and Vince Van Patten's voices and viewer friendly commentary that made me fall in love with the game. They don't condescend new players to the game and explained everything in such a way that you felt like you were part pf the action. Mike was simply captivating. I never met him, but you read so many warm stories where he was happy to give his time to talk to people and take photos etc. He was not just an ambassador of the poker world, but to all of human kind. You'll be missed by all Mike.

[@deadmansgulf911]

“May all your cards be live and your pots monsters...”. RIP Mike Sexton

[@davidmurphy5405]

RIP sexton... this is the finest game any man could have hoped to played....with the toughest players in the world. What a piece of great history bravo guys

[@Cramer123]

Class act by PokerGo releasing this in light of what Mike is going through. He’s an amazing ambassador

[@roc804]

I just finished his audiobook, Life's A Gamble. Mike himself is the narrator. I highly recommend it. Rest in peace Mike.

[@nicolasarias2666]

RIP Mike Sexton. Truly Loved

[@omidkasa]

RIP MIKE SEXTON. Him and his buddies stu ungar and chip reece already started a game up there. Thank you for all the great moments and memories❤️❤️

[@damightybenstein]

If I recall, Amarillo Slim just revived the Super Bowl of Poker in Heaven and all three of those guys were among the nine that made the first main event final table.

[@Ricky.913]

The Mike vs Mike hand, at 57:00 mark, is the classic hand.... just awesome. Thank you for posted this video.

[@HonorableNed]

theres no better feeling than winning something youve worked so hard for, and going back to your support group and hearing "you deserve this."

[@Larez121]

I was a sophomore in college, 2003 when the poker boom hit. Watched pretty much every episode of the WPT back then. Mike you were THE Ambassador of Poker. Thank you for your classy, insightful, sometimes hilarious broadcasts. RIP Mike Sexton.

[@MichaelLawhorn-nv7jn]

One of the best hall of famers, the best poker player's, and the best announcers in the game

[@twitterlegend5066]

I was in Vegas once on break from a tournament and walked out of the bathroom and bang, Sexton was right in front of me, and i said"Hey Mike" and without word he tapped my shoulder and said "gl this series Sir" and i said thanks. Yep i was star struck

[@sicilianjoe]

38:31 "The thing is, Lon, because Sexton is an announcer, he can see the other person's whole cards...that's a big advantage for him." RIP Mike Sexton

[@buckfuttler2877]

ah, the Golden Age....god i miss this time in poker history. it will never be the same. RIP Mike Sexton!

[@lafondawilliams]

Guy said Jesus you cant win with 666 trip 6 that's swimming upstream 🤣 that's hilarious

[@KDBBM]

Watched this again 15 years later. Time flys too fast

[@KDBBM]

I watched a year before it happened

[@defeatignorance8681]

Feels like yesterday doesn't it? Time flies. The poker world feels empty without Mike. The man taught me more than most ever has and didn't even know the impact he had on so many lives.

[@KrolKaz]

What are his best books on the subject?

[@adreantejed4199]

Mike is a true gentleman hard to find these days, He was Amazing for the Game of Poker. 💞🙏🙏💞

[@pokerman9108]

@@adreantejed4199 in jail I believe

[@icybluw881]

It is hard to watch poker without him...he brought the game to life for me. He was a gentle and joyous being and I feel lucky to have watched his commentating when he was alive. Never met him but I will miss him.

[@scbluesman13]

Mike Sexton defined what it meant to be an ambassador of the game. Always such a class act.

[@TP_Gillz]

what a legend of the game. Donated half his winnings. True gent

[@sallykouba2352]

I have seen as Mike Sexton have donated... Big man and very good poker player, I don't know who of new generation poker would be donate half of they win :( RIP Mike Sexton and all helps from France for his family :(

[@moneyindabank]

Most players donate half to the IRS.

[@jpkaneshida5075]

The hand at 56:40 never gets old & is an all time fave, one of the greatest calls ever in such a prestigious game, and made by a true OG legend. It also happens to be one of the most entertaining & funniest too.

[@nicholi2789]

“You just got pwned real bad there” 😂😂😂

[@CreamySpoon]

Darrell Dicken has the demeanor of, "Man I just time traveled from 2020. Why all this talking? How am I not crushing this table???"

[@sanderk9289]

Lol pretty accurate

[@bettyjane6684]

😆👍🏻👏🏼

[@maxpal27]

RIP MIKE SEXTON LOVE YOU BROTHER!

[@Tennisfiles]

A visionary, a class act, a champion, a legend. I'm glad to relive watching him win this today. Thanks for posting.

[@tylerrice5027]

Sat through this for the second time just to see Mike Sexton win it again. Guy was nothing but class. No tanking, no equations, just playing the game. Dude is definitely missed!!!

[@MOONRAK3R23]

Hang in there Mike, We’re praying for you 🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏

[@bardo0007]

He didn't make it. RIP.

[@christophera3330]

I am sure praying helps a lot.

[@royallwind3937]

@@christophera3330 Not the time, brother. Let people mourn/respect the man in their own way.

[@cincinatus90]

@@kevwoods6827 he was being sarcastic you dummy

[@jwfmsu1990]

For all of his accomplishments, Mike Sexton's greatest moment was making Matusow speechless at 57:50.

[@scottwessels458]

Thank you, Mike, for giving us all a chance to make money doing what we love. Class personified, never a brat. Perfect ambassador for the game. Godspeed, and we'll all miss you on the rail.

[@shadowdawg04]

Man I really miss the 2000's vibe... great players, great commentators... almost perfect!

[@rudistorm3348]

me too

[@XaviRonaldo0]

What would WSOP be without Norman Chad guy makes me chuckle so much.

[@muckurhand68]

RIP Mike. Now your up in Heaven with the Poker gods and true friend Stu Ungar.

[@simpleman283]

That is Amazing. Stu was f ed up but he had it all, so tragic. I'm all in. 👍

[@MrKydaman]

Great on felt and in the booth. It's easy to be a fan of Mike Sexton.

[@oriondx72]

57:24 sexton with a great call and matusow is speechless! Priceless.

[@porcelinaofvastoceans]

One of the coolest calls ever

[@francophile4082]

Daniel's commentary after the call makes it even better! Im sure Mike enjoyed being praised.

[@h.r.jackman2777]

2003 to 2008 best of poker on TV

[@WTFisJu1c3]

We really need more complete tables like this please PokerGo.

[@Nit_PokerOS]

Mike Sexton was a class act all around! I was brought up playing home games in my teens and twenties. I was taught poker is a gentleman's game. I have always kept my game that way. No trash talk, belittling or any of today's garbage. Sexton was a consummate gentleman at the table and a player to look up to!

[@richj6596]

I just heard that Mike Sexton has passed away, such sad news, he was such a great commentator and player. RIP may all your pots be monsters.

[@jonr4164]

In a world full of nonsense and deceit, Mike Sexton's old-school integrity and character is greatly sought after and missed greatly. RIP Mike Sexton. He had a heart of gold and and a reputation to match. Big shoutout to Boslok too, slaving away as a taxi driver and scooping 4th in a really tough field was also a class act. IDK how many times i watched this one but it really was a great experience every time, no nits tanking, or bad editing.

[@sleepnosis]

RIP Mike Sexton. Played poker like such a boss.

[@jamesmorris4530]

Rest In Peace mike Sexton. What an absolute legend

[@LEFTaTIP]

Your comment is premature, Mike hasn't passed away......

[@Coins_4_Flip]

@@LEFTaTIP he passed on Sunday.

[@gscgold]

Watching this in 2021 is bittersweet Vegas has changed so much along with the poker scene. This was the peak of the poker boom.

[@rockwithyou2006]

this was actually the beginning of the boom

[@thomasgould8857]

Thank You Mike Sexton ❤

[@cllowboyking5152]

Always enjoyed Mike's professionalism. ♠️♣️♦️♥️

[@donpickett202]

Loved this man, he's the first person to make tv poker enjoyable, his expertise was legendary. Rest in peace gentle sir

[@FeedEmFishHeads2153]

DNeg is the man! And so is Mike! DNeg very graceful in defeat, he recognized who he lost to, a true legend and over the years he’s become a legend in his own right. That’s why he’s one of my favorites, very classy and positive, and always has fun no matter what

[@mikeparkis9377]

I've learned alot about poker from watching you and Vince, thank you kindly.....RIP Mike Sexton

[@JohnG57]

Thank your for this broadcast, always good to watch the great ones.

[@tommygiuliano6811]

Rest In Peace Mike. Say Hi to Stu for us ❤️

[@WormWorld94]

3:24" pushes all in with those big strong arms "💪 🤣🤣 i love the narrators .

[@dustinwills7122]

RIP Mike! You will always be remembered as one of the greats!

[@xilencered7788]

That call with 3s crushed Matusow's soul 😂

[@billythekid2215]

I miss these days of poker 4x opens, no sense of position, pot odds, ranges, ughhhhhhhhhh can we go into a time machine, ONE TIME.. ICM suicide @30:00

[@h.r.jackman2777]

This is AMAZING!! I remember watching these games back in 2005/2006 and loved them and still do. Thanks for posting! Some real history here.

[@Triple316]

Wow congratulations 🎊 Mike! That was a great final table. I enjoyed watching it from 3am-7am here in Florida this 24th day of January 2021- Thanks!

[@christophervalentin1486]

They should bring this tournament back and name the trophy the Mike Sexton trophy. Every bracelet winner qualifies for that years event. Any person who makes the main final table and the top 10 for the player of the year makes the tournament.

[@damightybenstein]

Don't forget the sponsor exemptions.

[@johnjohn-ne8fw]

Thx for playing this. A reminder that life is bittersweet. Painful knowing that it's gone forever but enjoyed so much

[@XrayRick1]

Mike the mouth almost swallowed his tongue on that hero call! LOL

[@Masscollect1]

Every now and then I like coming back to watch mike take this down. Great guy.

[@gmiller9177]

Mike seemed like one of the nicest guys ever and I am truly saddened to hear this news. Mike, RIP, and know that you have touched a lot of people without ever meeting lots of them and you made poker so enjoyable to so many! Condolences to his family.

[@juliuseillya9944]

Prayers for the great Mike Sexton!! A TRUE poker ambassador. As for Mike Matusow's last hand, I don't blame him for moving all in there at all. Back in the day that may be looked as as a blowup, but in today's game with his chip stack it is what it is.

[@dravinbarnyard1325]

Man, what I wouldn’t give to be playing poker in this era. So many legends of the game.

[@easytofool]

woah this video is incredibly surreal to watch now. sobe adrenalin rush. chris ferguson being a beloved celebrity with fans. GIGABET?! wtf happened to him? poker was so wild back then.... take me back

[@ro2466]

Mike Saxton made almost what people would call Impossible calls in this event. He played perfect and luck was in his favour. A true Champion of Champions

[@ChatWithHutch]

Thanks PokerGo for putting the full ep online. Really hope Mike pulls through.

[@Ematched]

He's already moved to hospice care, which is end-of-life care.

[@Ematched]

@slicer1028 :(

[@ChatWithHutch]

@slicer1028 sad sad

[@simpleman283]

So glad this was here for all of us to see. We love poker and the good guy.

[@XKobe]

Finally a full episode, thank you.

[@DadgeCity]

This was a great show.

[@gorlaf]

thank you for replaying this... Mike is enjoying this while playing many hi limit tables

[@andrewptob]

Mike Sexton played incredibly well in this tournament. Glad he won a big money tourney like this. I also loved his commentary for the WPT. He was instrumental in the WPT’s success. RIP Mike Sexton.

[@nicholi2789]

This was very entertaining. Great classic poker content. Far more entertaining than modern tournament poker. Sexton sure did card rack once the heads up play started though, caught a lot of big hands.

[@mgri07]

RIP to a poker legend. Loved watching him host the WPT when it first launched. One of the greatest poker ambassadors ever

[@sharongardner2023]

Sure going to miss watching him play and his commentary

[@zoner1nz]

RIP Mike, great player and commentator. Very humble player.

[@joejr.michaels1731]

Thanks for the many memories Mike....RIP Buddy :(

[@WormWorld94]

" and Jesus is gonna move all in " 🤣🤣🤣 I'm on the floor.

[@RCBates1]

This was a good moment for Mike Sexton. And today i am real glad for Mike.

[@RCBates1]

R I P Mike. You will never be forgotten.

[@jimmytwotimes802]

The best commentating duo there is.

[@Coins_4_Flip]

RIP Mike Sexton 🙏

[@kenbrohere]

R.I.P Mike Sexton..true legend and gentleman.

[@SCripshow4]

Everything that man did was incredible. Just finished this & had a tear in my eye. As a poker player I can only hope to have an illustrious, seasoned career such as him. But more importantly I hope I can inspire people, make people laugh, & do as much as he did for the world he lived & breathed. It's a bit bitter sweet to have the thought that no matter the titles, no matter the glory, no matter the kindness overflowing from that man, he succumbed to such a fate. The world's average of decent humans went down when Mike Sexton passed away. This will not be my only time watching this. P.S. HOW TF IS 2006 14 YEARS AGO ALREADY?! I remember being a young teenager watching this. Now years into a poker "career" I wonder if those were the best days. "I wish there was a way to know you're in the good ol' days before you've actually left them" -Andy Bernard

[@damightybenstein]

I'm starting to think that those WERE the best days. A one-two punch of both Black Friday and the pandemic, while several years apart, did a part in solidifying that.

[@regblkss]

Rip Mike! It was a pleasure listening and watching you

[@jaegur6819]

RIP to a true legend and a pioneer of the game.

[@bronco7up]

A legend. A deserved title

[@mydogsbestfren7490]

" I could never make denim work " - Norman Chad and you know what, Norm? That's O. K.

[@KHallesy]

I Love all of these players! All so polite and great players but also have fun with each other! And so great. I miss Sexton and may he Rest In Peace! He accomplished his life dream and made Poker more entertaining and better for everyone!

[@charlesmclaughlin7235]

I miss these great days of poker! I wish they have the other touarment of Champions available to watch especially the 2005 tournament of Champions! Is there a site where all of them are available to watch?