PUEBLO, Colo. – The PBR is gearing up for the biggest fight in bull riding.

On Saturday, May 18, at the PBR World Finals at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, UFC Hall of Famer Cowboy Cerrone will climb aboard Twisted Steel, owned by UFC president Dana White.

It all went down in January when Cerrone was on hand to see Twisted Steel buck in person at the Monster Energy Buck Off At the Garden, presented by Ariat, in New York City.

It was as if Twisted Steel knew the fighting pedigree he was representing, battling Caden Bunch in the chutes before the gates even opened. And when they did finally open, Bunch was on the ground in 2.46 seconds.

Bunch, of course, is no slouch. After a breakout season for the Florida Freedom (formerly Oklahoma Freedom) during the PBR Teams season, Bunch won the first Unleash The Beast event of the season and is one of the top Rookie of the Year contenders in 2024. He went on to win his second event in Milwaukee earlier this month and is ranked No. 7 in the Unleash The Beast World Championship standings.

But Cerrone looked indifferent about the performance of Twisted Steel, who scored 43.75 points for his outing.

“I’m not too impressed with him,” Cerrone said. “What do you guys think, MSG? You think I should give Twisted Steel a shot and get on him?

“I’m dead serious. I’ve never said no to a fight, and I think I should give it hell.”

Astounded, announcer Matt West had to clarify – was Cowboy Cerrone really challenging Dana White’s Twisted Steel to an 8-second matchup?

“One thousand percent,” Cerrone said. “I’m ready.”

The wheels were put in motion, and a few days later, Dana White himself took to social media to answer Cerrone’s challenge.

“My bull is a legit badass,” White said. “The last PBR guy that rode him – a professional bull rider – lasted 2.5 seconds. So, Cowboy Cerrone, I accept your challenge. And listen, you’re going to have to train and get ready for this, so I think the best date would be Saturday, May 18, at the PBR Finals at AT&T Stadium in Dallas, Texas.”

White also upped the ante, throwing in some financial stakes.

“I will donate $50,000 to the charity of your choice for you to ride him,” White said. “If you last 8 seconds, I’ll give you $100,000.

“Cowboy Cerrone vs. Twisted Steel. Saturday, May 18. AT&T Stadium. Dallas, Texas. I’ll see you there.”

Since that out in January, Twisted Steel has had four more outs – and four more buckoffs. The last was in Jacksonville, Florida, where he dispatched Koltin Hevalow in 5.39 seconds. Hevalow, ranked No. 5 in the standings, has had two unsuccessful attempts on Twisted Steel.

“He’s a bitch in the box,” Hevalow said. “I got out him, and he was in the gate away from my hand and just bucked me off, plain and simple.

“He slammed me on my head, so I know I went down trying.”

Hevalow had some… practical advice for Cerrone as he trains for his out.

“Just keep a foot on each side and your ass in the middle and hang on,” he said.

He’s also less than bullish (no pun intended) on Cerrone’s chances of staying on for 8 seconds.

“I’d rather step in the ring with Donald Cerrone than say what’s going to happen,” Hevalow admitted with a laugh.

Twisted Steel has been ridden three times in 37 outs across all levels of competition. One of those qualified rides belongs to Andrew Alvidrez, who scored 88 points during the 2023 PBR Camping World Team Series season.

The two are scheduled for a rematch in Round 1 of this weekend’s PBR Albuquerque Ty Murray Invitational – the final PBR Major of the 2024 season – at the Pit in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Action begins Friday, March 22, at 9:30 p.m. ET on RidePass on Pluto TV.

Cerrone himself will be on hand to check out his opponent’s stuff one more time before he’s the one climbing into the chutes.

Another of Twisted Steel’s qualified rides belongs to Braidy Randolph, who made the whistle at the 2023 PBR World Finals, where he finished fourth overall.

“The first time I got on him, he bucked me off – hit the ground pretty hard,” Randolph said. “The second time, he did it to me again. Third, about the same. And then the fourth time, I got on him at World Finals, and I got him figured out then.

“Every time I got on him, he’d beat me around the corner to the left and slam me. So I realized I couldn’t let him beat me around. I just kind of had to beat him, and I finally did.”

Randolph’s advice for Cerrone?

“Don’t let him beat you around the corner, and you should be alright,” he said.

Then he grinned.

“Don’t let him get ya!”

Photo courtesy of Andy Watson/Bull Stock Media