NASHVILLE, Tenn. – The reigning PBR (Professional Bull Riders) Teams Champion Nashville Stampede, today announced a defining, late-season acquisition, signing nine-time World Finals qualifier Chase Outlaw (Hamburg, Arkansas) to the team’s protected roster, away from the Oklahoma Freedom’s reserve roster.

"Chase [Outlaw] is a man who puts hard work, loyalty and family above all else, which aligns perfectly with the Stampede's philosophy,” said Tina Battock, General Manager of the Nashville Stampede. “We welcome the energy and grit he'll bring to our team and like all of Outlaw Nation, embrace his big personality and talent for big rides."

"We were looking to add toughness to our lineup, and we think Chase really embodies that," said Justin McBride, Head Coach of the Nashville Stampede. 

Dubbed “The Toughest Athlete in Sports” by USA Today, and featured as a main character in the Prime Video docuseries “The Ride,” Outlaw is one of PBR’s grittiest, most colorful, and popular riders. Persisting through several injuries that would end the careers of many, including breaking 30 bones in his face, Outlaw has been an annual World Championship contender, qualifying for the PBR World Finals nine times.

Since making his PBR debut in 2012, Outlaw has won seven premier Unleash The Beast events, all the while logging 17 90-point rides. In individual competition, Outlaw has twice finished inside the world’s Top 10, including a career-best result in 2019 when he concluded the year No. 3 in the world after being locked in an intense three-way battle until the final outs of season for the World Championship.

Despite battling numerous injuries the past few seasons, Outlaw was drafted in the third-round of the inaugural PBR Teams Draft in May 2022 by the Oklahoma Freedom.

Making his debut for the team in late August at the PBR Camping World Team Series event in Austin, Texas, Outlaw instantly made an impact.  In just his second out in the league, Outlaw prevented his team from being shut out by the Carolina Cowboys, riding Mad Child for 84.5 points.

The very next weekend, Outlaw delivered his career-first 90-point ride in PBR Teams, topping Big Black for a mammoth 90.25 points en route to Oklahoma’s victory against Nashville. The game win was part of Oklahoma’s 3-0 outing that led them to be crowned the Winston-Salem, North Carolina event winners.

Outlaw’s success in the Teams format continued at the Freedom’s inaugural homestand in September 2022. Tapped to represent the Freedom in the Bonus Round, the Arkansas-native delivered the league’s most memorable ride of the season, covering YETI World Champion Bull Woopaa for a monstrous 94.5 points to cement his team’s second consecutive event win.

The Oklahoma Freedom concluded the regular-season No. 3 in the league with a 16-12 record. Despite an 88.5-point ride from Outlaw atop Bobkat, the Freedom lost to Nashville, facing a must-ride situation in the first Last Chance playoff game. Rallying when it mattered most, the Freedom eliminated the Missouri Thunder and Kansas City Outlaws to advance to Round 2. In their game against the Carolina Cowboys, Outlaw helped punch his team’s ticket to the Semifinals when he rode Homegrown for 89 points.

The Semifinal featured a showdown between Oklahoma and Arizona. Despite an 89.25-point score atop Norse God from Outlaw, the Freedom ultimately lost. The team ultimately concluded the season fourth after falling to the Texas Rattlers in the third-place game.

Throughout the season, Outlaw went combined 9-for-18 covering 50% of his animal athlete opponents, scored 90 points or more three times.

Outlaw was sidelined for the start of the 2023 campaign, returning earlier this month for Oklahoma’s final game of their homestand, the sixth event of the 10-event regular season, when they played Arizona. Despite being bested by Falcon Eddie, Outlaw’s trademark grit was on full display.

Outlaw joins the Stampede with the team currently ranked No. 7 in the league, having battled numerous injuries, going 6-13 to date. Among their season highlights was an upset win against the No. 1 Austin Gamblers in Oklahoma City when the squad became just the second team this season to defeat the seemingly unbeatable Gamblers.   

For more information about Nashville Stampede, visit pbr.com/teams/stampede/, Nashville Stampede on Facebook, @NashvilleStampede on Instagram, or @Nash_Stampede on Twitter.

The PBR Camping World Team Series next travels to Greensboro Coliseum in Greensboro, North Carolina, for PBR Cowboy Days, the three-day homestand for the Carolina Cowboys, Sept. 22-24. Action begins at 7:45 p.m. EDT on Friday, September 22, 6:45 p.m. EDT on Saturday, September 23, and 1:45 p.m. EDT on Sunday, September 24.

On the opening night of action in Greensboro, Outlaw and the Stampede will take on the Texas Rattlers, followed by the Missouri Thunder (Sept. 23) and Carolina Cowboys (Sept. 24).

PBR RidePass on Pluto TV will offer replays of all the PBR Camping World Team Series action from the 2023 season. Check https://pluto.tv/en/live-tv/pbr-ridepass for the latest programming schedule to relive the highlight reel worthy moments from this season thus far.

Photo courtesy of Josh Homer/Bull Stock Media