From Trash to Gun Talk: Maurice Hawkins and The Viral Fight

The controversial assault on poker pro Maurice Hawkins , known for his record 21 WSOP Circuit rings, has finally been laid bare. After a video of the fight went viral, the player who attacked him, Eugene Castaneda, shared his side of the story, revealing the whole shocking event – from a simple argument to both men potentially reaching for weapons – that happened during a high-stakes cash game in Florida.

The Background of Maurice Hawkins’s fight: Bad Blood and Bad Debts

Eugene Castaneda, who admitted he was the one punching Hawkins, gave an interview in which he shared his point of view. He said the bad feelings were built up over a long time, and not just because of a single poker hand.

Financial Issues: Castaneda brought up Hawkins’ alleged financial issues, which affected the integrity of their private game. He claimed Hawkins borrowed $20,000 from a respected elderly player named “Rusty” and “never paid it back,” causing Rusty to stop playing. This history meant Hawkins was treated differently: he was the only player in the cash game who was not permitted to play on credit “due to his history.”

Past Behavior: Castaneda first revealed that his feelings toward Hawkins were negative long before the night of the fight. He claimed he first met Hawkins 17 years ago and that the pro “was rude to him from the beginning,” leaving an impression Castaneda “always remembered.”

Round One: An Argument Over Words

The argument that led to the punches started over a strange topic: nationality.

Hawkins claimed his nationality was “black-American.” Castaneda corrected him, saying it wasn’t a recognized nationality, which set Hawkins off.

The argument quickly got personal, with Hawkins using slurs and repeatedly challenging Castaneda. Hawkins allegedly asked, “Why are you so angry? You want to box about it?” Castaneda took the challenge seriously, replied “F**k yes,” stood up, walked around the table, and started punching the seated Hawkins.

Hawkins’ View: The pro denied starting the fight, claiming he was a victim of a “sucker punch” and “sneak attack” while he was sitting down.

“Basically, a guy got mad because I said that I was African-American, that was my nationality, and he came over to sneak one through,” Hawkins said in the interview with Pedro Green on YouTube. “He wanted to beat my a**.”

Watch the initial assault video here:

The Escalation: Guns Enter the Picture

The situation went from a fistfight to a potential shootout when the players were separated:

Right after the fight was stopped, Hawkins walked outside to his car, parked about 100 feet away. Eugene Castaneda said the other players immediately feared Hawkins would get a weapon, prompting Castaneda to go to his own truck for protection quickly.

Hawkins came back inside, demanding an apology. Castaneda refused. Hawkins then said, “Try me now,” and reached toward his pocket. Fearing Hawkins was pulling a weapon, Castaneda reached for his own gun and said, “You think you’re the only one with guns here?”

Other players panicked, and a witness recording the scene was heard saying, “bro, they all got guns.” Hawkins finally backed down, saying repeatedly, “bro, I’m just playing.”

Hawkins’ response to the incident on X (Twitter):

The Narratives are hilarious . A guy tried to sucker punch me and sneak attack me . While I am in my seat. Then you post I got my ass whoop. Fucking hilarious . What you think happens . If I don’t get grabbed . When I got to my feet . Here you go . The truth of what happened . pic.twitter.com/Kz5mZSRA3R

— EatingOnAllStages (@mauricehawkins) November 28, 2025

Aftermath and Assault Charges

In what can only be described as a uniquely strange ending to a near-violent encounter, the high-stakes cash game actually resumed shortly after the two players were separated and guns were briefly involved. It turns out, even a near-brawl isn’t enough to end a good-running poker game.

The session continued for hours, but the atmosphere was far from relaxed. Castaneda admitted he finished the night playing with his gun still in his pocket, and the other players mainly stayed silent. He observed that the table was tense and “no one brought up the incident ‘out of fear that it might spark back up.'”

Amazingly, despite the physical fight and the threats, both men walked away from the table as winners: Hawkins pulled in a $7,000 profit, and Eugene Castaneda finished up $2,300 for the night, having recovered from being down $3,000 earlier.

Why the Attacker Finally Spoke

Though he had just been involved in a fight that nearly turned into a shootout, Castaneda “didn’t initially want to speak publicly about the incident.” He only decided to step forward and tell his side of the story after watching Maurice Hawkins’ public response on social media.

Last week, Castaneda said in an interview that he felt compelled to share his version because Hawkins was trying to “falsify the story. I felt the need to clarify what happened.” This was his primary motivation – to correct the narrative that made him look like an unprovoked aggressor.

The most significant consequence is now legal: Hawkins officially pressed criminal charges against Castaneda, publicly posting that “Actions have consequences.”

The guy who attacked me , while sitting in my chair. Now has a warrant out for his arrest and will be tried for Assault. Actions have consequences. Now put some music to that .

— EatingOnAllStages (@mauricehawkins) December 10, 2025

Authorities issued a warrant for Castaneda’s arrest on December 10, proving that even a heated argument at a private game can have serious legal repercussions. As of the latest report, Castaneda had not yet turned himself in to the police, nor has he obtained legal counsel.

Hawkins, on the other hand, has acquired a new attorney.

He tweeted: “Just know I am a brand name. My new lawyers are going to make sure everyone understands that.”