NORTH LITTLE ROCK, Arkansas – Jess Lockwood looked at his dad, Ed, on the back of the bucking chutes Sunday at AT&T Stadium during The American and his eyes beamed with confidence.

Gone was the Lockwood snarl that had been so accustomed to him during the 25^th PBR: Unleash The Beast. Gone was that beat-red, angry exasperated look of “What is going on?” Gone was a painful grimace from a torn left MCL and the agony of defeat.

Instead, Lockwood could finally say, “I feel normal again.”

The youngest PBR World Champion was giddy with excitement following his 88.5-point ride on Fire & Smoke to begin the PBR-sanctioned bull riding event at The American on Sunday.

Lockwood became even more enthusiastic when he learned that he had drawn More Big Bucks for the Shoot Out Round.

There were indicators or signs of trepidation for Lockwood, who was ranked 22^nd in the PBR world standings following the Winstar World Casino & Resort Iron Cowboy, powered by Kawasaki.

Lockwood impatiently waited for the bull riding finale to start and within seconds he was spurring his way to 90 points aboard More Big Bucks to win The American and $100,000.

“I am not going to lie, this year has been terrible up until this day,” Lockwood said during the post-event press conference. “You hear people say you are a World Champion and sitting where he is in the world standings and just riding bad. I hadn’t been good and I would agree with it.”

Lockwood earned 120 points toward the world standings courtesy of the victory. The Volborg, Montana, bull rider heads into this weekend’s Bad Boy Mowdown ranked 18^th in the world standings.

The Volborg, Montana, bull rider is 6-for-20 (30 percent) at the premier series level.

Lockwood will look to end his streak of four consecutive buckoffs on Unleash The Beast when he squares off against Wild Onion (0-0, PBR UTB) in Round 1. Fans can watch the event exclusively on RidePass beginning at 8:30 p.m. ET.

The 2016 Rookie of the Year is four weeks removed from tearing his left MCL in Anaheim, California.

“This is the best I have felt and looked all year,” Lockwood said.

Lockwood admitted in Arlington that when the PBR season began two months ago that he bristled of the talk of a World Championship hangover over slump.

He had heard his good buddy, Cooper Davis mention the challenges of being the reigning champ, as well as the struggles two-time World Champion Justin McBride went through during his title defenses.

Regardless, Lockwood didn’t think too much of it.

Just stick to bull riding, so he thought.

Instead, the internal and external whispers of what’s going on began to grow louder as he began to struggle.

Expectations levels are greater once you become a World Champ.

“Everyone talks about how hard it is,” Lockwood said. “I now understand it.”

Lockwood is now the one yelling, though.

The third-year pro let out a big, celebratory “Woooo!” during his victory lap around the dirt on Sunday afternoon as he waved his right arm in a circular fashion, cowboy hat in hand.

An exorcism of two months of frustration had finally occurred.

Lockwood had not looked this confident, excited and relaxed since he won three consecutive rounds at the 2017 PBR World Finals to win the world title last year.

One of those bulls, fittingly, was More Big Bucks.

X18 MORE BIG BUCKS ~ this bull sure has a special meaning in my heart, out of the 4 times of getting on this bull I’ve been 90-90.5 every time and won each event I’ve got on him at, 2 of those being the @pbr World Finals, which ultimately that round win led to my World Title, and the most recent the @rfdtvamerican , i can thank @chadbergerbuckingbulls enough for the great stock they bring for us to compete and win on! @dewalttough @ariatinternational @tenzingoutdoors @pneudart @yeti

A post shared by Jess Lockwood (@jesslockwood7) on Feb 28, 2018 at 10:20am PST

More Big Bucks to Lockwood is the equivalent to Catfish John to Davis.

Lockwood is 4-for-4 aboard More Big Bucks at all levels of competition and has won over $1.3 million.

Reigning Stock Contractor of the Year Chad Berger said you could tell a light switch went off for both Lockwood.

“It was a perfect bull for him to draw,” Berger said. “He has a high confidence level on that bull too. Not only did he go in thinking he could ride him, but it was good for his confidence level. Look for both of them guys to do better in Little Rock.”

However, the biggest payday Lockwood got last weekend from More Big Bucks may just be the mental purge he so desperately needed.

“I felt like myself today,” Lockwood concluded. “I felt like everything clicked again finally. Hopefully it carries the momentum into the rest of the year.”