ARLINGTON, Texas - Like heavyweight prizefighters, Bushwacker and Asteroid stepped on the scale in front of the media outside Cowboys Stadium.

Asteroid, who holds three of the Top 4 bull scores in 2012, weighed in at 1,398 pounds, while reigning World Champion Bull Bushwacker was a stout 1,737 pounds.

Bushwacker will make his season debut Saturday night, when he and Asteroid match up in the final round of the Dickies® Iron Cowboy III.

Bushwacker was making his first public appearance since having bone spurs removed from both hind legs in early January.

'[Bushwacker] was ready to go a month ago.'

PBR Livestock Director Cody Lambert said, "From what I heard, Kent [Cox, Bushwacker's handler] said he was ready to go a month ago."

Bushwacker was a bit heavier than Cox predicted, but still looked light on his feet.

In fact, just last week he chased Cox to a fence line and hooked him several times in the shins and lower leg before actually throwing him over the fence.

"I've never had him chase me like that," Cox said, "except for when he was 2."

Members of the Dallas/Fort Worth media peer in at the contenders.

Cox said that back then, Bushwacker didn't know any better, and did "everything at 100 miles an hour."

Now he's considered to be one of the smartest bulls competing on the Built Ford Tough Series.

"You might get away with doing something once," Cox explained, "but he'll remember, and he won't let you do it again."

He's been unridden in his past 39 outs, but hasn't been bucked since the final round of the PBR World Finals in late October.

'You might get away with doing something once, but he'll remember, and he won't let you do it again.'

Lambert called him the "ultimate competitor" and added that he's "close to impossible, but not impossible" to ride.

Asteroid has been unridden this year in establishing himself as Bushwacker's main competition for the second year in a row.

Although he's quite a bit smaller than Bushwacker - 339 pounds lighter, to be exact - Lambert said Asteroid is every bit as competitive as his rival.

"He turns it on as soon as they open the gate," said Lambert.

In 2011, Bushwacker was the high-marked bull in 10 of 14 outs, including the final round in Las Vegas, where he was marked 47.5 points. Asteroid was the only bull to outscore Bushwacker in the four outings in which wasn't the high-marked bull.

(From left to right) Luke Snyder, Colby Yates, Jese Byrne and Ryan Dirteater attend the weigh in.

"It was head-to-head, and could have gone either way," said Lambert.

Asteroid was brought in earlier today from his ranch in Louisiana.

After pacing in his chute, he eventually stood along the fence line and allowed Gene Melton, his handler, to rub the top of his head prior to the press conference.

'He turns it on as soon as they open the gate.'

Clint Adkins hosted the event with Lambert. Luke Snyder, Ryan Dirteater, Colby Yates, Ross Coleman and bullfighter Jesse Byrne were also on hand for the hour-long session.

Reigning World Champion Silvano Alves and current No. 2 Valdiron de Oliveira also attended the event, but arrived after the official weigh-in.

The Iron Cowboy III is Saturday beginning at 8 p.m. and is preceded by a concert from Dierks Bentley, who will perform at 7 p.m.

Watch the action from Arlington live at 9 p.m. ET on NBC Sports Network.