As the PBR's Unleash The Beast bucks into Los Angeles, California’s Crypto.com Arena Feb. 25-26 during the 13th event of the 2023 Unleash The Beast campaign, PBR.com is highlighting some of the series’ latest winners, top competitors and beyond as the Unleash The Beast rages on!

BRITO'S BACK IN BUSINESS: Rafael Jose de Brito won his first career PBR event in Eugene, Oregon, last week, not only catapulting 137.5 points up the standings to the No. 5 spot, but also overtaking Daniel Keeping to earn the No. 1 spot in the 2023 Rookie of the Year race. As one of the standouts in the inaugural season of the PBR Team Series, the 2022 Texas Rattler started the weekend with an 87-point ride aboard Reba McEntire’s The Hammer before securing a spot in the championship round with an 88-point ride on All Shook Up. Brito then took a chance selecting Black Gold as his final dance partner of the evening, as the animal athlete had never allowed an opponent to ride for more than six seconds in his 13 career outs. However, the gamble worked out for Brito, as he lasted the 8 to record a career-high 91-point ride in front of the Eugene faithful to secure his first Unleash The Beast buckle. Brito appears to be back in the form he showed for the Rattlers during the 2022 Team Series and at the beginning of the 2023 UTB season, when he started his premier series career going 4-for-4, including an impressive 90.75-points romp on Mike’s Motive. He now finds himself with a Round 1 matchup against Ho-Pac Saturday evening in Los Angeles. 

STILL NO. 1: Despite his first finish outside of the Top 10 in a premier series event this season, Jose Vitor Leme maintained his position atop the Unleash The Beast standings for the third consecutive week. Leme went 1-for-2 on the weekend, riding Chiseled for 88.25 points in Round 1 before suffering an injury while being bucked off by Punchy Pete in Round 2 and being unable to compete in the championship round. He finished 12th, extending to 662 points in the Unleash The Beast Standings, 115.5 points above No. 2 Andrew Alvidrez. The Brazilian had his six-out ride streak end in the championship round at the previous UTB event in Tulsa after he had overtaken the No. 1 spot by winning the week before in Sacramento and placing second in the 15/15 Bucking Battle. Leme will look to resume his usual Top 10 placement this weekend, beginning with a Round 1 showdown against Sock Monkey.

For all of the statistics, stories and standings heading into this weekend's PBR SoCal Showdown, be sure to check out this week's Game Notes and stay tuned to PBR.com and PBR social media channels!

Photo courtesy of Josh Homer/Bull Stock Media