Monster Energy Team Challenge Preview: New York Mavericks vs. Florida Freedom
The series of exhibition games begins this weekend at the PBR Monster Energy Buck Off At the Garden, presented by Ariat, in New York City.
By Darci Miller
FORT WORTH, Texas – The Unleash The Beast returns to Madison Square Garden in New York City this weekend, and with it comes the debut of the PBR Monster Energy Team Challenge, presented by Camping World.
In case you missed it, the Monster Energy Team Challenge is the latest addition to the Unleash The Beast schedule, bringing a taste of Teams into the individual season we all know and love.
All but two regular-season UTB events in 2025 will feature a PBR Teams rivalry game baked into Round 1. For those 15 weekends, the final 12 outs of the opening round will be a 6-on-6 game, with all outs counting both towards the UTB event and the game results.
The head-to-head rivalry games are: Arizona vs. Oklahoma; Austin vs. Texas; Carolina vs. Nashville; Florida vs. New York; and Kansas City vs. Missouri.
At the PBR Monster Energy Buck Off At the Garden, presented by Ariat, on Jan. 3-5, fans will be treated to the hometown New York Mavericks taking on the Florida Freedom.
With the first Teams action in more than two months, it’s sure to be a doozy of a matchup.
One of the PBR Camping World Team Series’ first expansion teams, joining the inaugural eight teams along with the Oklahoma Wildcatters for the 2024 season, the Mavericks had a rough go of it. They finished the regular season ranked No. 10, tied with the Arizona Ridge Riders with an 11-17 record but with the league’s lowest riding percentage. Their No. 1 pick in the expansion draft, Vitor Losnake, missed all but the first event of the season with an injury.
However, there was a glimmer of hope at the PBR Teams Championship. The Mavericks placed second in the Ride-In Round to earn a spot at the Championship inside T-Mobile Arena. They ultimately finished eighth in Las Vegas, but the roster boasts Mason Taylor, Mauricio Moreira, Leonardo Castro Ferreira, and Marco Rizzo, in addition to up-and-comers Hudson Bolton and Maverick Smith. We have to think this squad has mightily underperformed thus far.
Unlike the Mavericks, the Freedom truly thrived in 2024. In their first season in their new home of Florida, the boys in red, white and blue stormed to a third-place finish in the standings and held the second-highest riding percentage in the league. Leading the charge was John Crimber, who won both the regular-season and Teams Championship MVP awards in his PBR Teams debut campaign. The Freedom finished the regular season riding three or more bulls in nine of their last 11 games.
In Las Vegas, their hot streak came to an end, as they went 2-2 to finish fourth overall. But Crimber went 4-for-4 for his second MVP award of the season, and with a supporting cast of Alex Cerqueira, Joao Lucas Campos and Thiago Salgado, the roster remains deep heading into 2025.
A RIVALRY RENEWED
2024 Record: 2-2
Despite having very opposite seasons overall, the Mavericks and Freedom were deadlocked in their 2024 season series.
The first time they played each other, the Mavericks spoiled the Freedom’s hometown event with a 174.5-156.75 victory at Freedom Days. The Mavericks were victorious again at their own hometown event, earning an 85.75-0 win over the Freedom to improve to 2-0. The Freedom finally got on the board in Greensboro, North Carolina, taking the Mavericks down with a 262-86.75 victory.
Then came the postseason, and the Freedom triumphed when it mattered most, sending the Mavericks to the first Last Chance Game with a 262.75-178.5 victory. The Mavericks’ journey would end with a loss in that Last Chance Game, while the Freedom would advance to Championship Sunday.
Can the Freedom return the favor and hand the Mavericks a loss on their home turf, or will the Mavericks get it done in the Big Apple? The numbers would give Florida the edge, but New York has never lost at home, going a perfect 2-0 at Maverick Days this summer.
Don’t miss any of the action! The Monster Energy Team Challenge will conclude Round 1 in New York, which begins at 8 p.m. ET on RidePass on Pluto TV, the PBR’s YouTube channel and the PBR app.
