PUEBLO, Colo. – Heading into Week 3 as the PBR Camping World Team Series prepares to invade Amerant Bank Arena for the first-ever PBR Teams: Freedom Days, it’s rather apparent that the (5-0) Carolina Cowboys have the attention of each of the league’s other nine squads.
Having stormed into both Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, and Duluth, Georgia, en route to crafting a flawless start to the 2024 season, Jerome Davis shouldn’t be surprised his guys are doing what they’re supposed to do. What he can be a bit shocked at is how easy they’ve been making it look in the process.
Set to face the (2-3) Missouri Thunder Friday night during the third game of the evening, they’ve got all of the momentum, talent and drive in the world to keep this thing going. We know they’ll get a few qualified rides on the board, as they consistently have this season. It’ll eventually come down to seeing what Ross Coleman and friends can drum up as they look to improve on their current No. 6 rank.
Once that outcome has been decided is when the real fun starts. For the electric supporters set to experience Freedom Days in-person, at least!
RELATED: What to Watch For: No. 1 pick John Crimber leads Freedom into first Florida homestand
Enter the (1-3) Florida Freedom, who haven’t lived up to the fiery expectations Paulo Crimber may have imagined once upon a time. His son, John Crimber, has surely done all he can to power his unit to the winner’s circle at 4-for-4 on the year.
But outside the ever-talented cowboy, it’s been a bit of a puzzle in seeing what may work best for the rest of the crew.
The same could be said for the (1-4) New York Mavericks, who have been dealing with their own imperfect start to the season while seeing what they have both in the locker room and on the dirt.
Between losing Vitor Losnake for a bit, who was recently designated to Injured Reserve, and knowing Braidy Randolph has been riding with a broken foot means they’ve been ailing in real life and on the scoreboard. Rookie Marco Rizzo is on the team’s Protected Roster but remains unable to compete as he continues to ramp up recovery efforts from his lower-body complications suffered during the premier series season.
While both squads find themselves in the bottom third of the league standings as the Week 3 slate quickly approaches, there’s no room, or time, for excuses in professional bull riding.
RELATED: Week 3 PBR Camping World Team Series power rankings
2024 PBR Camping World Team Series Standings: 1. Carolina Cowboys (5-0) 2. Arizona Ridge Riders (3-2) 3. Nashville Stampede (3-2) 4. Oklahoma Wildcatters (3-2) 5. Kansas City Outlaws (3-2) 6. Missouri Thunder (2-3) 7. Texas Rattlers (2-3) 8. Florida Freedom (1-3) 9. Austin Gamblers (1-3) 10. New York Mavericks (1-4) They, and each of the other eight squads set to give their all this weekend, have to deal with the cards they’re dealt. Beginning Friday night!
Lineups and draw are in for the third of 12 regular season showdowns, so we’re taking a closer look at Friday night’s matchups, rematches and beyond, with some additional game preview insights, latest team transactions and everything you need to know ahead of the weekend’s first slate of action-packed games!
With the 5-on-5 circuit set to resume the drama in Sunrise, Florida, let’s break down the starting lineups for Friday night’s competition inside Amerant Bank Arena (With coverage set to begin at 9 p.m. EST via Merit Street).
PBR TEAMS: FREEDOM DAYS STARTING LINEUPS *Denotes a rematch (3-2) Oklahoma Wildcatters vs. (3-2) Kansas City Outlaws Kase Hitt vs. Mr. Nasty Sandro Batista vs. Soul Train Eduardo Matos vs. Muddy Jake *Brennon Eldred vs. Sundance Cort McFadden vs. Modelo Julio Cesar Marques vs. Boomerang *Clay Guiton vs. Fierce’s Dirtnap Koltin Hevalow vs. Body Roc Josh Frost vs. The Kraken Cassio Dias vs. Bamboozled REMATCHES Brennon Eldred vs. Sundance (6.94 seconds in Duluth, Georgia) Clay Guiton vs. Fierce’s Dirtnap (6.53 seconds in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma)
Wildcatters vs. Outlaws Game Preview Both the expansion squad Oklahoma Wildcatters and Kansas City Outlaws have enjoyed productive starts to their respective seasons, as each of the squads bring matching 3-2 records into Friday night’s showdown. Which mean someone’s dropping to .500 on the season when the first of 12 showdowns comes to a close inside Amerant Bank Arena. Both squads have a rider ranked inside the Top 5 of the MVP race, with Cassio Dias holding onto the No. 1 spot while youngster Cort McFadden continues to represent his Wildcatters at No. 5. With the heavy-hitting lineups and early-season stakes on the line, we expect the opening game to see several qualified rides. Exactly how you want to start the weekend!
Had Oklahoma not recently suffered a no-score effort during its Week 2 finale against the (1-4) New York Mavericks, they would be the lone team bringing four wins into the weekend. That’s not the case, however, as they failed to record a ride against the league’s other expansion unit. That should very much have J.B. Mauney in each of his riders’ ears, as the brown and blue squad has already proven they can compete with the best when their guys are riding well. Rookie Clay Guiton is off to quite the spicy start himself, now 3-for-5 on the year after picking up a huge pair of conversions in Duluth, Georgia. Paired against Fierce’s Dirtnap Friday night, who dispatched the youngster in a close 6.53 seconds during a Week 1 showdown, can the No. 2 selection in the 2024 PBR Teams New Rider Draft help get his Wildcatters past the 2024 World Champion and his orange and black contingent?
Dias, who came just one ride score short of capturing the 2023 PBR Teams MVP honors, hasn’t forgotten just how close he came to glory during his own rookie 5-on-5 campaign. And with two-time MVP Jose Vitor Leme 3-for-4 on the year, we expect his fellow Brazilian to very much challenge him in the long run. Which means Dias will be as motivated as ever in Week 3 to both extend his lead atop the individual aggregate board as well as fueling his Outlaws to what would be a welcome 4-2 record. Koltin Hevalow needs to get back in the ride column if Kansas City wants to take down one of the youngest and deepest teams in the league. But if Brennon Eldred can add another 1.06 seconds to his attempt atop Sundance (after being dispatched in a heartbreaking 6.94 seconds last weekend in Duluth), they’ll be in this one, 100%.
(1-3) Austin Gamblers vs. (3-2) Arizona Ridge Riders Dalton Kasel vs. Chupacabra Eli Vastbinder vs. LA Legs Kaique Pacheco vs. Oreo Eduardo Aparecido vs. Big Chew Callum Miller vs. Late Hit JaCauy Hale vs. High Plains Drifter Ramon de Lima vs. Johnny Walker Red Keyshawn Whitehorse vs. Too Tall Jose Vitor Leme vs. Peanut Luciano De Castro vs. Hawk
Gamblers vs. Ridge Riders Game Preview This is one of the biggest games of the season. For several reasons, as both squads have been annual contenders in Las Vegas during the league’s first two PBR Teams Championships. Because both of the squads are littered with talented riders and backed by marketing-minded organizations which understand the importance of featuring their guys as all-stars. Most importantly, for this season, the showdown will serve as the ultimate benchmark, as the struggling (1-3) Austin Gamblers will test the (3-2) Arizona Ridge Riders to see if the black and white squad can fend off an ever-desperate Austin team which finds itself off to its slowest start in Teams history.
Thankfully, after some opening weekend scares, Kaique Pacheco was able to return to action en route to recording his first qualified ride rocking green and black. Leme, now 3-for-4, has been holding down the fort for the most part, while Kasel is riding at a 50% clip, now 2-for-4. But the trio hasn’t been able to power the Gamblers through their first two weeks like in years past, despite having an added threat in Pacheco. Callum Miller (0-for-1) and Ramon de Lima (0-for-3) are back in the lineup and will look to help Austin shift gears. With just six of the league’s 10 teams getting a guaranteed spot inside T-Mobile Arena this fall, knowing the bottom four seeds have to duke it out at South Point in order to make the final eight, the Gamblers can’t afford fall behind too far in the standings, making this a must-win.
Starting the season 2-0, the Ridge Riders are now 3-2 five games into their season after going 1-2 in Week 2. Which, after looking electric during the opening showcase in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, is a bit of a disappointment considering the team’s expectations for year three. Continuing to serve as the only squad which has found itself competing on Sunday during the 2022 and 2023 PBR Teams Championships, they’ve consistently been one of the most competitive squads since day. And that won’t change anytime soon as long as Eduardo Aparecido, Luciano De Castro and Keyshawn Whitehorse keep rocking with Arizona. Knowing Whitehorse (3-for-5) and Aparecido (3-for-6) are right next to each other in the MVP race, seventh and sixth, respectively, means they’re converting when they need to for the most part. However, it was only Aparecido who made the 8 during the team’s most recent battle, resulting in a loss. The only thing more concerning than a one-ride game is a zero, which the team managed during its first Week 3 effort. Which means Colby Yates should have his guys ready to get back in the win column come Friday night!
(2-3) Missouri Thunder vs. (5-0) Carolina Cowboys Felipe Furlan vs. Air Marshall Cooper Davis vs. Firewater Grayson Cole vs. Good Derek Kolbaba vs. West Coast Boudreaux Campbell vs. Chute Boss *Adriano Salgado vs. Smooth Criminal Dawson Gleaves vs. Soul King Daylon Swearingen vs. Mesquite *Paulo Eduardo Rossetto vs. Eyes On Me Sage Steele Kimzey vs. Slick Rick REMATCHES Adriano Salgado vs. Smooth Criminal (4.22 seconds in Duluth, Georgia) Paulo Eduardo Rossetto vs. Eyes On Me (89.75 points in Duluth, Georgia)
Thunder vs. Cowboys Game Preview The hottest team in the league in the (5-0) Carolina Cowboys vs. a group who’s figuring it out, now all the way up to the No. 6 seed in the Missouri Thunder. They and the Stampede, who have both trended toward the basement of league standings in years past, now both find themselves above the postseason cutline if the season ended today. The reality, however, tells us there are 10 regular season showdowns remaining, so Ross Coleman needs his guys to dig deep if they want to keep pace with the no-loss Cowboys.
In a bit of a “roster shakeup” last weekend, he benched his pair of veterans in Boudreaux Campbell and Andrew Alvidrez to see what the young guns could bring to the table while facing adversity. While they eventually squeaked out a 174-89.25 win over the Ridge Riders, they’ll likely need a little more firepower if they want to knock off the trending Cowboys. Missouri’s top-ranked cowboy in the MVP race is Briggs Madsen (2-for-3) at No. 16, who put on a show during the season-opener in Oklahoma City. Unfortunately, the team’s next representative doesn’t show up until the No. 23 spot, with Grayson Cole (2-for-4) the unit’s only other rider in the Top 25. It’s been nice to see Cole step up for Missouri, but it means the guys they expected to be leading the way aren’t quite performing just yet. If that changes early on in Week 3, they’ll have a shot to dethrone the league’s frontrunners.
RELATED: #InCaseYouMissedIt: Carolina Cowboys clean house in Duluth
With the season’s only perfect game and league-best 5-0 record, there’s no reason the Cowboys shouldn’t be favored in this game. Cooper Davis and Sage Steele Kimzey are doing their thing. Daylon Swearingen is chipping in clutch rides, while Derek Kolbaba and Adriano Salgado have solidified themselves as quality threats in the middle of the lineup. Things are going smoothly for Jerome Davis and company as the checkered flag squad continues to rack up the wins. Salgado has a rematch with Smooth Criminal less than a week after seeing the bovine athlete send him to the dirt in 4.22 seconds last weekend. We’ve seen the Brazilian pop off this year already, so will a second chance in Sunrise prove to be the winning formula? Averaging 244 points per game, roughly three conversions per session, they are definitely the top contender as things sit heading into Week 3. But a few losses, or close calls, could easily shake things up, as each of the league’s teams have only competed in four or five games. This is a big one for both teams, but Carolina should be able to take care of business.
(1-4) New York Mavericks vs. (1-3) Florida Freedom Mauricio Gulla Moreira vs. Buck Caden Bunch vs. Bullet Ernie Courson vs. Boujee Boy Thiago Salgado vs. Stryker *Davi Henrique de Lima vs. Smooth Steel *Alex Cerqueira vs. Ghost Face Braidy Randolph vs. Boo Ray Joao Lucas Campos vs. Little Rascal Leandro Machado vs. Taz John Crimber vs. Kodiac REMATCHES Alex Cerqueira vs. Ghost Face (2.84 seconds in Albuquerque, New Mexico) Davi Henrique de Lima vs. Smooth Steel (1.93 seconds in Nashville, Tennessee)
Mavericks vs. Freedom Game Preview They’re both technically in their inaugural seasons, with the Mavericks being an expansion team and the Freedom freshly relocated to Florida. They’re both set to experience what fans inside the new arenas they call home will greet them with in 2024 (with the Mavericks’ first-ever PBR Teams: Maverick Days set to invade Barclays Center next weekend, August 9-10). They’re both in dire need of an early Week 3 win, as each team brings just one win into Friday’s finale. But only one of the squads has 18-year-old phenom John Crimber. And this weekend, that’s the home team.
Set to embrace the home of the National Hockey League’s (NHL) Stanley Cup Champion Florida Panthers, officially becoming in-arena neighbors, the Florida Freedom have a chance to use their hometown crowd to help turn around their rough start to the season. Well, their rough 1-3 record that is, as the team in general hasn’t looked too bad overall. Crimber has obviously led the way so far, now 4-for-4 during his rookie season as he puts the red, white and blue contingent on his back. Throw out a four-ride loss to the Cowboys to start their season (which helped to create the league’s highest-scoring game in Teams history) and they’re just 1-2, or essentially should be 2-2 had they not run into the red-hot Carolina squad. Perhaps Alex Cerqueira can help stir up some luck, as the veteran prepares to endure a rematch with Ghost Face during the final showdown of the night. Knowing the Mavericks have only combined for two rides through 25 outs, they may be able to steal the win if Crimber makes the 8. But it’s better to be safe than sorry, especially in front of what should be a supercharged audience, so somebody else in the Florida lineup would be wise to rise to the occasion.
Fresh off its franchise-first win, courtesy of Leandro Machado’s successful dance, New York has some momentum to roll into Game 4 after getting the chance to celebrate for the first time Sunday. They, hopefully, weren’t partying too hard, as they now have to go head-to-head with the only rider to remain perfect with more than three outs recorded in Crimber. They’ve been able to drum up some magic already this season, with a pair of free agent signees in Machado and Davi Henrique de Lima turning in the team’s pair of qualified rides thus far. Lima actually has a rematch with Smooth Steel Friday. But after seeing the cowboy get launched to the dirt in just 2.84 seconds during the most recent Unleash The Beast stop inside The Pit, we wonder if the Brazilian will be able to come in clutch for his year one squad. Former Texas Rattlers’ standout Braidy Randolph is beyond due to record his first ride with the Mavericks, as his 0-for-5 start to 2024 is not that New York was hoping for when they selected him during the Expansion Draft. Paired against Boo Ray, he’s got a good opportunity to find the ride column Friday.
Friday Night Bye Games: Nashville Stampede, Texas Rattlers
RELATED: Rattlers giving back to Texas community with Chevron Showdown and 800 for 8
TRANSACTIONS The Texas Rattlers released Tevin Weston from the Reserve Roster.
FOLLOW ALONG This weekend’s PBR Teams: Freedom Days showcase in Sunrise, Florida is set to begin Friday, Aug. 2 at 7:45 p.m. EST as the Oklahoma Wildcatters and Kansas City Outlaws kick off the three-day showdown inside Amerant Bank Arena.
With competition set to resume Saturday, Aug. 3 at 7:45 p.m. EST, the second of ten homestand events will conclude Sunday, Aug. 4 at 2:45 p.m. EST as squads look to close out the weekend in the win column!
Fans can tune into Merit Street Media and the Merit+ App on Friday, Aug. 2 beginning at 9 p.m. EST (one hour delay) to take in the four opening night games. The first three games of night two’s slate, airing on Saturday, Aug. 3, will also air on Merit Street Media and the Merit+ App starting at 9 p.m. EST, while Sunday’s entire slate of games will be broadcast on Merit Street Media and the Merit+ App beginning at 3 p.m. EST.
RELATED: Where to Watch: Freedom Days
This season’s second “Game of the Week,” featuring the Oklahoma Wildcatters and Florida Freedom, is set to air on CBS Television Network on Sunday, Aug. 4 at Noon EST.
Spanish broadcasts of all three days of action will also air on TUDN, with night one’s action airing on Saturday, Aug. 3 at 3 p.m. EST, Saturday’s games airing on Sunday, Aug. 4 at 3 p.m. EST and all of Sunday’s showdowns set to be shown at 3 p.m. EST on Monday, Aug. 5.
Fans can keep an eye on PBR.com and @PBR social media channels for the latest news, scores, wrecks and more! And be sure to download the Merit+ App to watch all of this season’s exclusive action!
Photo courtesy of Andy Watson/Bull Stock Media