Premier series pack set to kick off 2025 UTB slate in Tucson, Arizona, Nov. 15-16.
By James Youness
FORT WORTH, Texas – When the sun goes down in beautiful Tucson, Arizona, Friday night, the lights, cameras and action will surge up as the world’s best bull riders kick off PBR’s 2025 Unleash The Beast campaign in epic fashion.
Forty men. Forty bulls. One night of head-to-head competition that we’ve missed sincerely.
Since crowning 2024 World Champion Cassio Dias inside AT&T Stadium some six months ago, a lot has changed in the world of Western sports. Hell, even within the Unleash The Beast landscape itself, with different format and scoring changes set to debut throughout the 2025 journey.
New guys will be in the draw. A few old hats have hung ‘em up.
This isn’t your grandfather’s premier series-opener. This is the beginning of what should be the most dramatic, electric and competitive UTB season in PBR history.
And just because a majority of the pack had a good three to four weeks off, it doesn’t mean they’re going to be greeted with a warm-up pen on night one.
In fact, when you consider the level of bovine athletes set to buck at this year’s season-opener, it’s clear that fans are going to be treated to quite the night one showcase.
Anytime Man Hater is in the draw, we’re intrigued, let alone starring in event numero uno. And knowing UTZ BesTex Legend is set to get involved in the opener means rank scores will very much be available in the first short go of the season. Sprinkle in the likes of Coach, Fast Flow, Exodus, Hell Right and friends and it’s easy to see why the riders are ready to fire on all cylinders as well.
2024 PBR Unleash The Beast World Championship Standings: 1. Cassio Dias (41-for-76) 2. John Crimber (29-for-66) 3. Eduardo Aparecido (30-for-70) 4. Dalton Kasel (27-for-62) 5. Alan de Souza (35-for-67) 6. Kaiden Loud (19-for-62) 7. Sage Steele Kimzey (14-for-39) 8. Brady Fielder (25-for-69) 9. Kaique Pacheco (19-for-46) 10. Koltin Hevalow (22-for-68)
Naturally, each of the Top 10 finishers from the 2024 slate are back in the draw this time around, having grinded their way back on tour after producing quality 5-on-5 efforts.
And while it would be easy to suggest a pair of top-tier riders like John Crimber or Cassio Dias are viewed as the two riders most likely to exit the 23-event showcase with a new buckle to add to the collection, a deeper glance suggests it could be the likes of Australian sensation Brady Fielder or Sage Steele Kimzey who may be amongst this season’s favorites to win it all.
There’s something about Fielder’s lanky frame and J.B. Mauney-like moves that allow him to both dominate and show off his bulls. For a guy who seemed to run into more than his fair share of odd 70-point re-ride-worthy outs, he’s put that patch in the rearview, making the most of his last year-plus on the big stage.
Turning in a career-best No. 8 on Unleash The Beast in 2024 via an impressive 25-for-69 slate, he attempted the third-most bulls on tour last winter, knocking down his bulls in round play before becoming a bit of a Championship Round mainstay.
However, it was his blazing hot summer stretch which has us believing he can make another run in 2025.
Winning the tour’s first-ever Great 8 Award as the most efficient cowboy on tour amongst riders who attempted at least 20 bulls, the international talent ended his third season of PBR Camping World Team Series fun with a league-leading 70.59 ride percentage. Knocking down seven out of 10 bulls throughout the camaraderie-driven season, he racked up a trio of 90-point efforts en route to finishing No. 2 in the MVP race, trialing only 19-year-old John Crimber.
While he won’t have his Texas Rattlers’ Head Coach Cody Lambert selecting bulls for him over the course of the next six months, he’s got plenty to build on from his productive summer. Yet, the Australian won’t be in action this weekend, so fans will have to stay tuned to see his 2025 debut!
Which paves the way for a guy like Sage Steele Kimzey to make some noise early.
One of the hottest riders during last year’s 2024 PBR World Finals, if not the last few events of the season, the seven-time PRCA Champion understands what it means to get the job done. And after helping his Carolina Cowboys execute one of the most dominant regular season runs in league history in 2024, the veteran is more than prepared to get off to a hot start this time around.
Having run into some injury complications during his first full season participating in the premier series, he’s got a green light and good bill of health heading into this weekend’s PBR Tucson. And with 5-on-5 trade rumors buzzing, he’s somebody worth keeping an eye on this weekend.
Lineups and draw are in for this season’s inaugural Unleash The Beast showdown, so we’re taking a closer look at Friday night’s matchups, rematches and everything you need to know ahead of the weekend’s opening slate of games!
With the premier series circuit set to invade Tucson, Arizona, Nov. 15-16, we’re breaking down starting lineups for Friday night’s competition inside Tucson Arena (With coverage set to begin at 7 p.m. MT via Ride Pass on Pluto TV).
PBR TUCSON STARTING LINEUPS Paulo Henrique da Silva vs. Good Riddance Mauricio Gulla Moreira vs. All Hat No Rattle Leonardo Castro vs. El Sicaro Adriano Salgado vs. Tesla Boudreaux Campbell vs. Crossover Daylon Swearingen vs. Trig JaCauy Hale vs. Sonny B *Mason Taylor vs. Sky’s The Limit Claudio Montanha Jr. vs. El Chapo Derek Kolbaba vs. Powerstroke Heitor Santos Ferreira vs. Brown Bomber Clay Guiton vs. Vindicated Lucas Divino vs. Joe Hawk Paulo Eduardo Rossetto vs. Bad Bad Bull Dustin Martinez vs. Cowboy Train Alex Cerqueira vs. No Man’s Land *Keyshawn Whitehorse vs. Highwire Nick Tetz vs. Sometimes I Fly Sandro Batista vs. Tchoupitoulas Marco Rizzo vs. Border Crisis Anderson de Oliveira vs. Cracker Jack Cort McFadden vs. Mikey’s Surprise Jose Vitor Leme vs. Foul Motion Julio Cesar Marques vs. Benjamin Ranklin *Andrew Alvidrez vs. Taylor’s Cowtown Throwdown Elizmar Jeremias vs. Crazy Times Dener Barbosa vs. Rowdy Rogerio Venancio vs. Airdrop Austin Richardson vs. Big Country Joao Ricardo Vieira vs. Down to Fly Thiago Salgado vs. Flatliner Kaique Pacheco vs. Snap Chatter Koltin Hevalow vs. I’m a Hostage Sage Steele Kimzey vs. Whiskey Trip Kaiden Loud vs. Oyster Creek Brawler Alan de Souza vs. Younts Brody’s Pet Dalton Kasel vs. Dangerous Medicine Eduardo Aparecido vs. Cliff Hanger John Crimber vs. Sucker Pop Cassio Dias vs. Washita Red *Denotes Rematch
REMATCHES Andrew Alvidrez vs. Taylor’s Cowtown Throwdown (7.93 seconds in Billings, Montana) Keyshawn Whitehorse vs. Highwire (3.26 seconds in Fort Worth, Texas) Mason Taylor vs. Sky’s The Limit (88.25 points in New York, New York)
OUT DUE TO INJURY/OTHER Brady Fielder (excused) Eduardo Matos (excused) Daniel Keeping (excused) Cody Jesus (excused) Luciano De Castro (excused) Wingson Henrique da Silva (injury) Vitor Losnake (injury) Kyler Oliver (injury) Ramon de Lima (declined) Felipe Furlan (declined)
FOLLOW ALONG This weekend’s PBR Tucson showcase in Tucson, Arizona, is set to begin Friday, Nov. 15 at 6:45 p.m. MST as the best bull riders in the world prepare to compete in the first of 23 regular season events, starting inside Tucson Arena.
With competition set to conclude Saturday, Nov. 16 at 6:45 p.m. MST with Round 2, followed by the Championship go, the quest to earn the most Unleash The Beast World Championship points is on!
Tune-in information for this weekend’s PBR Tucson showcase can be found here.
Fans can keep an eye on PBR.com and @PBR social media channels for the latest news, scores, wrecks and more!
