“King of the Minor Leagues?” – Bryn Kenney Dismisses Phil Hellmuth’s GOAT Status

Kenney Calls Hellmuth “King of Triple A”

In a recent appearance on Digital Social Hour, Bryn Kenney — a player whose live tournament winnings exceed $67 million according to The Hendon Mob — was asked for his thoughts on Hellmuth’s standing in the poker world.

Sean Kelly, the show’s host, who boasts over a million followers, posed the question about Hellmuth’s status, setting the stage for some pointed comments.

Kenney began with some polite recognition, acknowledging Hellmuth as “the biggest winning WSOP player,” and admitted that Hellmuth’s WSOP career was “impressive.” However, the compliments ended there.

Kenney quickly shifted to a critique, arguing that Hellmuth lacks credibility among poker’s elite because he doesn’t compete at the highest levels of the game — particularly in the world of high-stakes tournaments.

“He’s played some high rollers and hasn’t really fared very well in them,” Kenney said. He went on to make his now-infamous analogy, comparing Hellmuth’s poker career to playing in the “Triple A” — the highest level of Minor League Baseball — implying that while Hellmuth might dominate at the WSOP, his record doesn’t stand up when facing the toughest competition in the smallest, most elite fields.

“If you’re playing against mostly amateur players at the World Series, you’re great at beating amateur players. It’s like you could be the King of Triple A,” Kenney said, making it clear that he believes Hellmuth’s success is mostly due to his opponents rather than his skill level.

Phil Hellmuth Strikes Back: Defending the WSOP

Unsurprisingly, Hellmuth was quick to respond, taking to X (formerly Twitter) to defend both his legacy and the reputation of the WSOP. Hellmuth didn’t mince words when it came to setting the record straight about his place in poker’s “big leagues.”

To me the @WSOP (World Series of Poker) is the “big leagues.” Always has been, always will be. It’s aggravating to me when people lie about me and my legacy. For the record, I am winning over $1.5M in “High Rollers.” (Easy to confirm this on HendonMob)

You said I wouldn’t play… https://t.co/ISfqZD5J3y

— phil_hellmuth (@phil_hellmuth) October 5, 2024

He refuted the claims that he struggles in high rollers, pointing out that he’s up over $1.5 million in those events — an easy fact to confirm on Hendon Mob, as he pointed out.

Phil Hellmuth also referenced his $1.6 million heads-up challenge on High Stakes Duel, suggesting that Kenney wasn’t around when the opportunity arose. He signed off with his trademark #POSITIVITY, but it was clear that the comments had struck a nerve.

Bryn Kenney Doubles Down: “Let’s Play for $1 Million”

The clash didn’t end there. Kenney doubled down with a tweet of his own, directed right back at Hellmuth. In his response, Kenney claimed that he’s been ready to take on Hellmuth and dismissed the idea that Hellmuth ever wanted a fair fight.

I’ve told pokergo I’m ready to play from the beginning, we know you get to cherry pick who you were playing. Let me know when the offer is there to play me for 1m, I’ll be there.

Also if you wanna showcase how good you arent, I’m happy to crossbook 100% in any triton series

— Bryn Kenney (@BrynKenney) October 5, 2024

But that wasn’t the only gauntlet thrown down. Kenney added an additional challenge, suggesting a crossbook bet for any upcoming Triton Series event, raising the stakes even higher. For those unfamiliar, a crossbook bet allows players to wager on who performs better in the same tournament — a pure competition of skill and results.

Will We See the Ultimate Showdown?

The back-and-forth between Kenney and Hellmuth has the poker world buzzing. The WSOP, often considered poker’s equivalent of baseball’s World Series, is where Hellmuth has built his reputation, with 17 bracelets to his name and countless final table appearances. But Kenney isn’t interested in WSOP history — he’s focused on testing Hellmuth against the most skilled players, in the highest stakes, and in small, elite fields like those found in Triton events.

The question now is whether Hellmuth will rise to Kenney’s challenge. Is he ready to prove himself against Kenney in a $1 million heads-up match or crossbook during the Triton Series?

For fans, it’s an enticing prospect — two of poker’s most recognized figures putting it all on the line to settle who really belongs in the “big leagues.”

Until then, we’re left with the words, the challenges, and the anticipation of whether these two titans of the poker world will finally meet face-to-face on the felt to settle the score.