Final Day of USOP Osaka Concludes; Duy Manh Ho Takes Mystery Dragon Title
The sun was shining over Osaka this morning as the Dojima River Forum opened its doors for the final day of USOP Osaka x Japan Gold Dragon. After a brief hiatus, the organisers proved they haven’t lost their touch, delivering an unforgettable festival of poker that put players at the heart of every decision. From responding in real time to demand for more high roller events, to bringing in Japanese entertainment icon GACKT for a star-studded party that gave one lucky winner a golden ticket, the series was packed with memorable moments. It all wrapped up with two distinctive finales — the SE7EN Dragon Championship, which crowned its champion in the early hours, and today’s Mystery Dragon, where the final envelopes and bounties were revealed.
Mystery Dragon Final Day
Closing the series in dramatic fashion, the Mystery Dragon event brought a uniquely Japanese twist to the bounty format. Players who found a specific envelope took to the stage, drew a samurai sword, and revealed their prize in front of the crowd; a spectacle that felt unmistakably at home in Osaka. Taking place over two days, with 83 hopefuls registering for the morning flight yesterday, and 207 in the second flight in the evening.
Taking home the first-place prize, along with a plethora of other rewards was Hawaii’s Duy Manh Ho. Ho ended Day 1B as third in chips , but during Day 2 he stormed his way to the Mystery Dragon title, collecting the top prize along with an extra 750,000 in bounties. A key turning point during his run was during the final 16, holding seven-deuce of clubs, he jammed and was up against aces. The flop came out seven-jack-deuce. Ho credits this hand as a pivotal moment, saying
After that, I came out smelling like roses
At the final table he gained early momentum by doubling through chip leader Takamaru, before watching Maasa deliver the knockout blow on the very next hand. From there, Ho never looked back, eliminating both previous chip leader Dots with a flopped set of queens and Maasa soon after when his pocket eights held against ace-ten.
Three-handed play saw chips moving quickly until Ho’s turned straight ended Korin’s impressive run in third. Despite the exit, Korin walked away with more than 1 million in bounties, including two Samurai sword pulls. Heads-up play against Nakai lasted just 30 minutes, with Ho’s pocket fours holding against ace-deuce to seal the victory. In the end, Ho proved himself the ultimate bounty hunter of USOP Osaka 2025.
SE7EN Dragon Championship
The SE7VEN Dragon Championship brought a different kind of energy to the Dojima River Forum, with each player carrying not just their own hopes but also the pride of their nation. Representatives from seven countries: America, Thailand, Singapore, China, Japan, Korea and Indonesia took their seats , giving poker fans a rare chance to cheer for national glory as well as the individuals. It was a format that added an extra layer of excitement and reinforced the forward-thinking and player-focussed nature of USOP.
The SE7EN Dragon Championship at USOP Osaka drew a field of 55 entries, each competing for both personal glory and national pride. After hours of play, the final table was set with Yuxin Niu leading on 1,450,000 chips and Yoon close behind on just over a million. One of the standout stories was Shikkususensu, who had already placed 7th in the Mini Main Event and showed remarkable stamina by making back-to-back final tables.
The SE7EN Dragon Championship final table provided a mix of excitement and suspense as the field narrowed from six to one. The action kicked off with Li Zixuan falling in 9th place after a short-stacked all-in from the big blind, quickly setting the tone. Akimaru followed in 8th, eliminated by Arm’s back-to-back aces when a rivered full house sent him home. Roulette was next, exiting in 7th after a straightforward knockout by Kei, who added chips to his stack. Shikkususensu’s run ended in 6th with a flopped nut straight, doubling up Kei and keeping the tournament alive. An eagle-eyed commentator saved AK James by alerting tournament staff to a missed flush , keeping him afloat. Unfortunately, James then bowed out in 5th after a dry board favoured Kei’s dominant pocket pair, while Arm fell in 4th, outmuscled by Yoon’s premium hand. Yoon’s reign ended in 3rd when Niu’s river steal clinched a brutal twist, setting up a heads-up clash. In the final hand, Yuxin Niu’s daring call with queen-nine against Kei’s king-queen turned the tide, with a lucky river crowning Niu the SE7EN Dragon – Asia Championship Champion after an epic showdown.
Looking Ahead
With USOP Osaka wrapped, attention now turns to GLPC – Powered by USOP – HANOI 2025 , kicking off on October 10 at the Grand Vista Hanoi. The series is set to be massive, with a 7 billion VND guaranteed kickoff event attracting up to 1,000 entries. Players can expect high-stakes action, deep stacks, and a chance to see the next wave of USOP champions emerge. After an unforgettable Osaka, fans and players alike will be keen to see whether the series’ top performers continue their momentum in Vietnam.
