OKLAHOMA CITY – For the second week in a row, the Team USA Wolves members Cody Jesus and Ryan Dirteater finished first and second in the opening round of an Unleash The Beast event.

Jesus rode Major Threat for 88.25 points and Dirteater was 87.25 points on Bulls Eye to take home first and second place at the Express Ranches Invitational inside Chesapeake Energy Arena on Friday night.

“I own two bulls that are half-brothers to that bull,” Jesus said. “They are all kind of related in a way. They are the same age and same year they were born. Most of them bulls that are out of the left are usually right there and that is how my bulls are. Everything is right out of the left and they spin just like him.”

Dirteater added, “That bull won the Fort Worth (ABBI) Classic (event) and the bull really bucked and had a lot of kick. I knew I had a chance to place in the round if I just did my job and he did his job. It worked out.”

The Wolves were the only team out of all the teams set to compete next weekend at the 2019 WinStar World Casino & Resort Global Cup USA in Arlington, Texas, that posted two qualified rides in Oklahoma City in Round 1.

There were only six rides in a total in a night dominated by the ABBI Classic Bulls.

Jess Lockwood (Team USA Eagles) and Joao Ricardo Vieira (Team Brazil) were the only two other Global Cup riders in Oklahoma City on Friday night to hear the 8-second buzzer with 86 points on Yatesy Down Under and 82.5 points on Sin City, respectively.

Jesus – the No. 5 ranked bull rider in the world – is quickly evolving into quite the force for the Wolves.

“Shoot, I am just trying to stay on my bulls tonight for now,” Jesus said. “Ride two more tomorrow and then we will focus on Global Cup.”

Jesus paused before adding.

“But momentum is building fast and I can feel it,” he said.

The pendulum is certainly swinging in Jesus’ favor of late as he then went on to conquer Cochise for a career-high 91.5 points to win his first 15/15 Bucking Battle late Friday.

Jesus is now tied with Team USA Eagles member and world No. 1 Lockwood for the most round wins on the Unleash The Beast (4).

He earned 250 world points Friday to go from No. 13 in the world to a career-best No. 5.

Dirteater let out a grin when asked about how valuable Jesus will be for the Wolves at Global Cup even before he made a rank ride on Cochise.

“Jesus doesn’t know how good he can be,” Dirteater said. “He can be a World Champion.”

Jesus is set to take on Stone Cold Crazy (5-4, UTB) in Round 2 on Saturday night.

The 20-year-old is looking to win his first premier series event, but he will have to hold off his Wolves’ teammate.

Dirteater is the defending champion here in Oklahoma City after riding three-time World Champion SweetPro’s Bruiser for 93.25 points last season, and he would love to win a second consecutive belt buckle in his home state.

The Hulbert, Oklahoma, native squares off against Bandit (3-1, UTB) in Round 2.

Fans can watch the conclusion of the Express Ranches Invitational Sunday at 4 p.m. ET on CBS Sports Network or on RidePass Saturday night at 7:45 p.m. ET.

“I love it here,” Dirteater said. “It is close to the house. This one and Tulsa. The fans are amazing. The family is here. Even the employees remember me and are real friendly.”

Follow Justin Felisko on Twitter @jfelisko