By the Numbers: John Crimber starts 2025 slate with win No. 1 in Tucson
19-year-old phenom exits season-opener as lone man to go 3-for-3.
By James Youness
FORT WORTH, Texas – With the 2025 Unleash The Beast season set to feature 23 different regular season events throughout its sixth-month campaign, any one of the tour’s 40 competitors very much have a chance to rack up some sincere points and momentum via an event victory.
However, after seeing sophomore standout John Crimber secure the first of the bunch last weekend in Tucson, Arizona, we have a feeling the youngster is going claim several more titles during his second go around the premier series circuit.
Which means each of the other men sharing a locker room with the sport’s “next big thing” are going to have fight, claw and ride their way into the winner’s circle like never before.
Even if the kid continues to make friends with his on-dirt enemies.
Watching on as Crimber put on quite the show as UTB debuted its 2025 slate inside Tucson Arena Nov. 15-16, fans enjoyed seeing the superstar rip off his tour-high 92.5-point dance with Ricky Vaughn, one of the very bulls 2024 World Champion Cassio Dias teamed up with last spring to ensure Crimber finished No. 2 last season.
And while he’s been friendly with the reigning Champ and other top-tier competitors as he prepared to make waves in year two, his flawless 3-for-3 slate was easily the loudest and boldest statement of the weekend.
Throwing down three of the rankest rides of the weekend, in a slate where the pack produced a combined 37 conversions, it was clear who wanted it most during the event No. 1.
Only time will tell if this hot start will lead to a 2025 PBR World Championship, though!
Back like we never left, PBR.com is busting out the first By the Numbers of the season as we take a closer look at Crimber’s epic start to the season, as well as several other standout performances and outlying numerals from the circuit’s season-opener in Tucson, Arizona!
Keep it 100: There’s no universe where we don’t start the first dive of the season off without the man himself in Crimber. If Dias was revered as the best bull rider on the planet since capturing his 2024 honors, it’s been Crimber who’s earned his share of the spotlight since capturing both of the PBR Camping World Team Series’ pair of MVP awards, both regular season and Championship editions. And when you consider he’s the only man with a 100% ride percentage intact amongst the 40 competitors in Week 1, it’s easy to understand why the 19-year-old was smiling and celebrating during the season-opener.
As the only man to produce a perfect 3-for-3 performance on the weekend, he exited matchups against Sucker Pop (89.5 points), Sometimes I Fly (87.25 points) and the aforementioned Ricky Vaughn (92.5 points) to complete his trio of conversions. Which isn’t much of a surprise for any Florida Freedom fans out there. After earning just one event win during his rookie season (despite recording five different runner-up efforts during the regular season and finishing No. 2 at both the 2024 PBR World Finals: Unleash The Beast – Eliminations and Championship showcases), Crimber wasn’t wasting any time in setting the tone this time around. Taking home a whopping 142 points, he’s officially 58 points ahead of No. 2 Dalton Kasel, who made it clear 2025 could also be his year.
Meant 2 Be: He's been a groomsman far too many times to not have been the groom himself yet. Finishing No. 4 overall in 2024, we know he’s beyond capable of stringing some quality appearances together. But that hasn’t and won’t stop Dalton Kasel from grinding his way to another championship-caliber season. He’s just got to stay healthy and out-work the John Crimber, Cassio Dias and Jose Vitor Lemes of the bull riding world: which is never an easy task. And after seeing the 25-year-old secure his first podium appearance during the inaugural opportunity of the season, we believe he’s on track to do just that.
Nine riders may have turned in fruitful 2-for-3 performances inside Tucson Arena in Week 1. But none were as high in the aggregate score as Kasel’s pair of conversions were, with the Muleshoe, Texas, native besting Dangerous Medicine (88.75 points) and All Hat No Rattle (89.25 points) in convincing fashion. “Mr. 90-Pointer” wasn’t able to seal the deal in the short go, eventually tossed to the dirt by Always Been Crazy in a competitive 6.20 seconds. But he sure looked like the Dalton Kasel we’ve all come to know and love over the years. Which means the kid has a good chance to challenge the likes of Crimber and company during his sixth season of premier series action.
Top 3: Check the receipts, folks – Because we had a feeling Koltin Hevalow was going to make some noise early and often this season! Exactly what the 21-year-old did in Tucson as he cruised to a third-place finish via his own 2-for-3 effort. Recording conversions aboard I’m A Hostage (87.25 points) and Chateau Montelena’s Montana Jacket (88 points), the youngster propelled himself to his first podium finish of the year, which is a good sight for fans of the Smithville, Missouri, native.
Having achieved five total Top 3 appearances in 2024 (including a win in Salt Lake City, Utah, flanked by a runner-up effort in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and a trio of third-place finishes) en route to producing a career-best No. 10 rank at season’s end, he’s already got a Top 3 placement to his name through just one event. Hell, he would’ve had either a No. 1 or No. 2 finish, depending on potential score, had he survived his short round out aboard UTZ BesTex Smokestack. Eventually hitting the dirt in a heartbreaking 7.63 seconds, he was forced to settle for his third-place finish. Awarded 63.5 points for his third-place showcase in Tucson, he’s one of just three cowboys above the 40-point mark so far. If he can continue his hot start, there’s no telling exactly how far up the standings he can climb. But we’ll be here for each and every attempt!
2024 PBR Brazil Champ: Over the years, we’ve watched on as various PBR Brazil-founded talents like Jose Vitor Leme, Cassio Dias and beyond have made their respective journeys to stateside competitions, eventually flourishing in the spotlight and then some as they got comfortable under the bright lights. And while we’d love to compare Rogerio Venancio to said greats, the reigning 2024 PBR Brazil Champion who stormed into his first UTB competition and produced a 2-for-3 showing, that would simply be unfair to those who flashed in the past. Instead, we’ll share that this kid seems to have the skillset and work ethic to compete on the grandest of bull riding stages. Making him 100% worth keeping an eye on here as he continues to navigate the waters of his rookie premier series season. Teaming up with Airdrop for a quality 85-point go during his first-ever UTB out, the Brazilian made quick work of his animal athlete before qualifying for his career-first short round via his 84.75-point score atop Cracker Jack. Getting a feel for what top-end talent looks and feels like during his head-to-head showdown against Coach, he was humbled in a quick 3.06 seconds. Still managing an eighth-place finish during his premier series debut, it was a step in the right direction for a man who could find himself competing for a world title here sooner than later. If that’s not a promising sign for the international cowboy, we’re not sure what is!
Feels Like the First Time: While a majority of the opening weekend’s pack of riders have endured these waters before, it still felt like a bit of a warm-up session as everyone was getting back into the swing of things. However, knowing the pack bested 21of its 40 bovines on Friday night meant the boys were indeed rested and ready to ride. And when more than half of the pack records a qualified ride on opening night, we had a feeling fans were in for one HELL of an opening-weekend showcase!
No man out-performed Kaiden Loud during the opening draw, however, as the 19-year-old earned his first round win of the season courtesy of a flashy 90.5-pointer aboard Oyster Creek Brawler. It was good to see the youngster back in the chutes and showing off his bulls again after spending most of the 5-on-5 season nursing some injuries. When night two rolled around, it was Elizmar Jeremias who topped the charts, eventually winning the second round with the first 90 of his premier series career. Dancing with Constant Payne for the highest-marked score of his career, the Florida Freedom representative soared to the top of the perf leaderboard before exploding onto the dirt in celebration. Having shown some flashes of his own during the most recent summer series, he quickly made a case as a contender with an effort like that one. Topped only by Crimber’s 92.5-point go atop Ricky Vaughn, this was a sincere start to the season for the Brazilian.
Featuring three 90s, three different round-winners and 10 different riders who recorded at least two qualified rides in three opportunities, it’s safe to say the UTB season-opener was a success.
The idea Younts Brody’s Pet and Man Hater each recorded epic 46.5-point bull scores en route to splitting the inaugural YETI Bull of the Event title simply means they’ve set the bovine bucking bar pretty high this time around. Bring on Ontario!!!
