FORT WORTH, Texas — After 33 men assembled in the Lone Star State for the richest event in the history of freestyle bullfighting, the Ultimate Bullfighters (UBF) Fort Worth Freestyle during the 2022 Professional Bull Riders (PBR) World Finals, one leaves Cowtown Coliseum in the No. 1 spot. The top prize of $50,000 didn’t have far to go, just about four hours south of the Stockyards to Lytle, the hometown of 2020 UBF World Champion Chance Moorman.
A total of $150,000 was paid out in four days of competition over two weekends. The first weekend featured 15 bullfighters battling it out for their chance to qualify for the second weekend and the semifinals on May 20. Three men made their way there to meet the 15 qualifiers that earned their spot via the PBR and UBF’s Bulls Gone Wild event series, which started on March 10, 2022.
Those 18 men who met in the semifinals fought their way on Friday to the final 12 on Saturday. In six head-to-head matches, the top six would make it to the Championship Round on Saturday night.
Those six in the final round, where a whopping $100,000 of total purse would be awarded, included: Roper Rich (Eaton, CO); Ely Sharkey (Ainsworth, NE); Dekevis Jordan (Madill, OK); Colton Orcutt (Kersey, CO); Aaron Mercer (Calgary, Alberta); and Moorman.
Rich, out in Round 1, went up against qualifier Dylan Idleman and advanced by half a point at 84 to Idleman’s 83.5. Round 2 went to Sharkey against Arkansas cowboy Noah Krepps at 86.5 to 81.5, respectively. Getting to the halfway point in the 12-man round was Jordan at 87.5, moving on by two points after a valiant re-fight from Brazil’s Wagner Miqueline. Orcutt took Round 4 in the one-on-one bout against another qualifier in Mississippi’s Jacorey Golden, whose impressive run ended just short.
A massive 92 pushed Moorman to the Championship over Saturday’s top-marked fighter in Tyler Mansell, who put up a huge 90.5-point fight. The final qualifier fight would be Cauy Kraut against Canadian Mercer, who would prevail by a point with a 90-point effort.
With everything on the line, the stage was set. Then the madness ensued.
Six solid fights, with Moorman matching his UBF world record score of 93 points from the 2020 World Finals, a score also familiar to fellow finalist Jordan, who did so on April 21. The man who’s already won three events this year has yet another one, this one for the most money ever at a single event, with a trick making a nod to his late mentor Ross Hill. Jordan and Rich both put up scores of 90.5, with Jordan winning the tie-breaker due to fighter score. Orcutt, Mercer and Sharkey ended up fourth through sixth at 87.5, 86 and 81.5.
Next up on the UBF schedule for the 2022 regular season is the stand-alone event in Dublin, Georgia, on July 1-2. A pair of qualifier series events take place in Paris, Texas, also on July 1-2, with the second in Elkhorn, Wisconsin, on July 2-3. Lebo, Kansas, another stand-alone event, is on tap for July 4.
For tickets, merchandise, standings and more information, visit UltimateBullfighters.com.
Official results from the Ultimate Bullfighters’ Fort Worth Freestyle Finale in Fort Worth, Texas, at Cowtown Coliseum on May 21, 2022. (Name – Score, Payout)
Round 1
Roper Rich — 84, Advances to Championship Round
Dylan Idleman —83.5, $2,500, Eliminated
Round 2
Ely Sharkey — 86.5, Advances to Championship Round
Noah Krepps — 81.5, $2,500, Eliminated
Round 3
Dekevis Jordan — 87.5, Advances to Championship Round
Wagner Miqueline — 85.5 (On re-fight), $2,500, Eliminated
Round 4
Colton Orcutt — 83.5, Advances to Championship Round
Jacorey Golden — 81, $2,500, Eliminated
Round 5
Chance Moorman — 92, Advances to Championship Round
Tyler Mansell — 90.5, $2,500, Eliminated
Round 6
Aaron Mercer — 90, Advances to Championship Round
Cauy Kraut — 89, $2,500, Eliminated
Championship Round
- Chance Moorman — 93, $50,000
- Dekevis Jordan — 90.5, $25,000 (Wins tiebreaker based on fighter score)
- Roper Rich — 90.5, $10,000
- Colton Orcutt — 87.5, $7,000
- Aaron Mercer — 86, $5,000
- Ely Sharkey — 81.5, $3,000
