This match feels like the one that many fans have been waiting for, a rematch between Filipino Money Match King Dennis Orcollo and possibly the best that the US has to offer on a pool table, Skyler Woodward.
These two met up back in September 2020 in a 9-ball race to 70 on a 9’ table, and aside from an early Woodward lead on day one, it was all Orcollo. Orcollo played better and better as the match went on, extended a two rack lead at the end of day one to a fourteen rack lead after two days and a final margin of victory of a whopping twenty three racks. (100-77).
This time is different though. This time, the match is on a 7’ table, a place where Skyler has always felt his most confident. In fact, Woodward has made it known for years that he will take on any player in the world, playing long races on a 7’ table. Another Filipino player who was thought to be unbeatable tried Woodward in this format a couple years ago when Alex Pagulayan stepped up to plate. It was one of the few times in Pagulayan’s career that he was dominantly beaten.
Orcollo is riding high right now, and has been dominating most events he has played so far this year. He already has over $40,000 in tournament winnings for 2021, more than twice as much as his nearest rival on the AzB Money List. Even with his dominating year, Orcollo knows he will have his hands full. “Sky is the master of the bar table and a very tough player but I’ve been winning a lot on a bar table and I’m playing very good right now. I think I could win or I wouldn’t play. It will be very close but I think I’m gonna beat him.” said Orcollo on the day before the match gets started.
Woodward isn’t lacking for confidence going into this match either. “Since I was 20, I had an open challenge to play anyone in the world on the bar table. Alex was the only one who accepted and look how that went. Dennis is one of the best players in the world, and a friend, but in a long race I feel I’m gonna beat him. I know it’s gonna be a good match because Dennis is just Dennis, plus he’s coming off those three wins in Alabama.” said Woodward.
With as evenly matched as Woodward and Orcollo look to be this time, action on the rail has been huge. Event coordinator Mike Hoang from Omega Billiards said the side action for this match is the largest he has ever seen in his time promoting events, and he expects a close match. “Neither player can bring anything less than their “A-Game” and expect to win this one. It’s going to be exciting with a ton of fireworks. I expect both players to make huge runs, and it will be interesting to see how each player reacts after sitting in their chair for one of those runs.” said Hoang.
The match happens at Stixx and Stones in Lewisville, Texas and kicks off at 6pm Central Time on Friday April 9th. The three day match will be a race to 150, playing winner break / rack your own 10-Ball. Day one will end when one player reaches 50 racks, and day two will end when a player gets to 100 racks. Fans who can’t make it to Texas to watch the event in person, can catch all of the action on Rackem TV’s online Pay Per View at www.rackem.tv.
The match is sponsored by Omega Billiards, Acme Billiards, Stixx and Stones, Muecci Cues, Diamond Billiard Products, Predator Arcos II, OB Cues, Simonis Cloth, D Reel Promotions, 8-Ball Players Club, Molina Mike, Docs Billiard Office, Dunski’s Dungeon, Aramith, Pat Diveney Cues, Rounceville, Off The Rail Apparel, James Hanshew, How Tips, Shelby Custom Cues, Digi Pool and the LBS Championship.
