KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – For the seventh time in organization’s history, PBR’s (Professional Bull Riders) Pendleton Whisky Velocity Tour will buck into Knoxville, Tennessee, returning to Thompson-Boling Arena at Food City Center on March 15, 2025, with PBR Knoxville.

For one night only, some of the best bull riders in the world will battle the sport’s rankest bovine athletes in the ultimate showdown of man vs. beast in one of the most exciting and unpredictable live sporting events to witness.

PBR’s return to Knoxville comes on the spurs of one of the organization’s most dynamic individual seasons in 2024 as the Velocity Tour held 30 regular-season events across four months, including 12 weekends with two events held simultaneously. Welcoming more than 356,000 fans throughout the season, the Velocity Tour hosted 20 sold out event days, marking its most successful season in attendance since its inception in 2015.

The upcoming PBR Knoxville will be the 22nd event of the new individual season for the PBR’s expansion series. Eventgoers will watch on as riders vie for crucial points in the race to be crowned the 2025 PBR Velocity Tour Champion.

When PBR’s Velocity Tour was last in Knoxville in March 2024, Thiago Salgado (Navirai, Brazil) delivered a perfect 2-for-2 performance to win event inside Thompson-Boling Arena at Food City Center.

Salgado, who rides for the Florida Freedom in the separate PBR Teams league, got off to an electric start, winning Round 1 as he went the distance aboard Kapt’n Krunch (Young Cattle/Rocking A) for 86 points. The reserved Brazilian’s dominance continued in the championship round when he posted a round-best, 88-point ride on Whip (Richardson Land & Cattle Co.) to cement his event win.

Courtesy of the golden finish, Salgado collected 136 Velocity Global points in the race for the 2024 Velocity Tour Championship. Salgado logged two other three Top 15 finishes en route to finishing No. 29 in the title race.

Other past PBR Knoxville Invitational event winners include: Brandon Davis (2023 – Cabot, Arkansas); Tye Chandler (2022 – Celina, Texas); Joao Henrique Lucas (2020 – Bastos, Brazil); Dylan Smith (2019 – Ararat, Virginia) and Ryan Miller (2018 – Waterloo, Indiana).

The bull riding action for PBR Knoxville begins at 7 p.m. ET on Saturday, March 15. All competing bull riders will get on one bull each in Round 1. The Top 12 will advance to the championship round later that evening for one more out and a chance at the event title.

Tickets for the one-day event go on sale Friday, Oct. 25 at 10 a.m. ET, and start at $15, taxes and fees not included. Tickets can be purchased online at ticketmaster.com and PBR.com, at the Thompson-Boling Arena at Food City Center Box Office during operating hours, or by calling PBR customer service at (800) 732-1727.

PBR Elite Seats are available for avid fans who want an exclusive VIP experience while enjoying the world’s top bull riding circuit. These tickets, available in three tiers, offer premium seats, personal on-site concierge at the PBR fan loyalty booth, and more. For more on elite seats call (800) 732-1727, or to purchase visit Ticketmaster.com.

For more information about the PBR and the 2025 PBR Pendleton Whisky Velocity Tour schedule, or to purchase tickets, visit PBR.com.

Stay tuned to PBR.com for the latest news and results and be sure to follow the sport on all social media platforms at @PBR.