By the Numbers: Lucas Divino skyrockets to No. 4 rank via flashy finish in NYC
Austin Gamblers' veteran was .04 seconds from a perfect 4-for-4 showing inside Madison Square Garden.
By James Youness
FORT WORTH, Texas – If it seems like the premier series pack is ebbing and flowing week in and out lately, we’d confirm that’s pretty much the case as the youngsters and veterans continue to swap roles atop any given event’s leaderboard.
With the Top 5 finishers from PBR’s Unleash The Beast event two weekends back in Albany, New York, featuring five cowboys under the age of 25, it was clear the kids would keep the old hats honest once again in 2025.
But a quick glance at the tour’s most recent results suggests the sport’s established competitors aren’t just looking to keep pace – they believe they have a collective chance at securing the coveted gold buckle themselves, with each of last weekend’s Top 5 contenders at the PBR Monster Energy Buck Off at the Garden at least 24 years of age.
Exactly what’s atop the mind of Lucas Divino, who skyrocketed from the No. 15 spot to the No. 4 rank courtesy of his event-winning performance inside Madison Square Garden Jan. 3-5 as PBR sold out three-straight days of epic bull riding action.
As one of four riders to go 3-for-4, he remained the only cowboy to finish the three-day, four-round showcase above the 250-point aggregate mark and only man to record three conversions marked above 80 points.
While his opening night didn’t end with a qualified ride, the veteran came to ride when Saturday and Sunday rolled around. Initially besting Fierce’s Dirtnap in Round 2 for 86.25 points, the Brazilian got some momentum rolling before improving to 2-for-3 on the weekend aboard Pack Rat via an 87.25-point effort.
Continuing to crank up his scores as the weekend progressed, Divino opted into a dance with Punchy Pete during his third short round appearance of the year.
Which proved to be the right choice, as only two other men converted in Sunday’s Championship Round. Matching the bull’s every move while putting the finishing touches on his stellar weekend, Divino earned an 88.75-point score alongside his first event win of the season.
Since starting his 2025 campaign with consecutive Top 10 finishes in Tucson, Arizona (ninth), and California, Ontario, (third), he’s now up to four Top 15 performances on the season, with a No. 15 finish in Albany joining his top dawg honors from Week 7 in NYC. Add in a 19th-place finish in St. Louis, Missouri, and the veteran has knocked down at least one bull in five of seven events this year.
Just two weeks after seeing fellow veteran Derek Kolbaba (who managed another favorable finish in NYC via his fifth-place effort) win his first premier series event in seven years, Divino broke a winless streak of his own via his HUGE victory Sunday, which represented his first UTB win in nearly five years, dating back to February of 2020. The win also serves as the 31-year-old’s third career premier series win, coming just months after helping his Austin Gamblers secure the 2024 PBR Teams Championship inside T-Mobile Arena.
Now 10-for-18 (55.56%) on the season as one of five cowboys on tour with 10 conversions to their name throughout the first seven events of the season, he’s in rare company in a year where the rides are coming in … they’re just coming from all sections of the standings.
And for all that Divino accomplished on the dirt in Week 7, fans took in the first-ever Monster Energy Team Challenge (METC) Friday night, as the New York Mavericks defeated the Florida Freedom on hometown dirt to kick off the 6 vs. 6 team-based game within a game.
Knowing the hometown Mavericks captured the win, improving to a perfect, 3-0 record all-time competing in their home state, means the Concrete Cowboys take pride performing in the Empire State.
And it also means UTB fans around the country will be treated to an additional layer of opening night excitement for the next few months, with the Carolina Cowboys and Nashville Stampede set to renew their own rivalry this weekend in the Windy City!
We’re already seven events into the 2025 campaign, and with Tuesday rolling around, it’s time for another action-packed addition of By the Numbers as we analyze Divino’s triumphant run, the first-ever Monster Energy Team Challenge showcase and dozens of other outlying numerals from last weekend’s spic showdown in New York, New York!
.04 Short: Lucas Divino had a hell of a weekend as he captured his first premier series event title in nearly five years. The only way he could’ve one-upped himself was by producing a flawless 4-for-4 slate. Something he came damn close to doing Friday night. Just .04 seconds away from completing his attempt atop Umm, Divino was slung to the dirt in heartbreaking fashion. Thankfully for the smile-forward talent, he brushed off the close call and gave his all during each of his next three outs. But a closer look tells us Divino’s 7.96-second effort is the closest he’s come to a qualified ride without actually finishing the job. Bringing 28 total buckoffs above the seven-second mark into the Week 7 showdown, his 29th (dancing with Umm) will likely remain the closest call of his career, with his 7.91 seconds of work atop Kemo Sabe in January of 2024 representing his previous closest call. Regardless, Divino went on to knock down each of his next three opponents, taking home a whopping $45,833 in prize money and 145 UTB points, skyrocketing to No. 4 overall.
Second-Place Sandro: 25-year-old Sandro Batista has been around throughout the 2025 season – but his 3-for-4 effort inside Madison Square Garden represents the first time this season where he’s been around the top of the event leaderboard. Successfully recording at least one qualified ride in six of the tour’s first seven outings, he’s found his footing but just hadn’t been able to piece everything together. That changed in NYC, as the Brazilian bested First Class (78.25 points) and Old Testament (82.25 points) en route to beginning his slate with a 2-for-2 run. Stumbling a bit in Round 3, a session which saw just a combined 10 successful attempts, he returned to the chutes as motivated as ever.
Capturing the short round win, his first of the season, courtesy of a flashy 89.25 points in front of his loving family members, he exited his showdown with Say When with his third conversion of the night. Solidifying his runner-up effort, he collected a sound 106 UTB points en route to improving his rank to No. 9, now 9-for-18 on the season. One of just eight riders on tour with at least nine conversions to their name, Batista enters the approaching Week 8 slate in Chicago ranked No. 9.
Six-Straight: Counting consecutive events with bulls ridden may seem like a bit of a stretch sometimes. At the same time, knowing how important consistency is to this sport means it’s surely worth keeping an eye on said streaks. Just ask No. 8 Keyshawn Whitehorse, who’s grinded his way to a Top 10 spot in the tour’s standings via his six-event riding streak. Sure, his big 3-for-4, third-place showing inside Madison Square Garden (which earned him a welcomed 93 UTB points and $18,183 in winnings) went a long way in propelling the veteran from No. 25 to No. 8 …
… but it also served as the 27-year-old’s fourth Top 12 effort on the season, as the Arizona Ridge Riders’ standout has been feeling himself. Providing the lone ride of the weekend across four rounds to surpass the 90-point mark, Whitehorse reminded the pack he’s eyeing the big prize when he was scored a rank 90.75-pointer atop Tyrone to win the second round. Now 10-for-16 on the year, he was one of four different cowboys to capture round wins in the Big Apple.
Four Rounds, Four Winners: Running away with a clean sweep is likely amongst several riders’ bucket lists in 2025. That said, the competitive pack rarely allows the same rider to collect more than one or two round wins within any given event, let alone all four during the tour’s first four-rounder of the season. But we can dream, can’t we?!
We’ve seen the Monster Energy athlete in Jose Vitor Leme enjoy his time in New York City before – which was once again the case Friday night as the two-time World Champion returned to the lineup with quite the roar: a round-winning, 89.75-point dance with Roc Wit It. And while it was the veteran’s only conversion of the weekend, he was able to parlay it into a No. 13 finish, awarded 28 UTB points en route to defending his No. 7 spot in the standings. Knowing Whitehorse stepped up to the plate and swung for the fences in Round 2, besting his opponent for an event-high 90.75 points, it was clear round wins were being reserved for the old hats inside MSG. Continuing said trend en route to collecting his fourth round win of the young season, No. 2 Dalton Kasel teamed up with Huckleberry for a sound 89 points as he claimed the third session, officially tying No. 1 John Crimber for the most round wins on tour with four in seven events.
Rounding out the honors as one of just three cowboys to make the 8 in the circuit’s most recent short round, Sandro Batista recorded one of the flashier marks of the weekend, scored 89.25 points.
Game 1, Win 1: After an up and down opening season of roller coaster-esque thrills during year one as an expansion unit within the PBR Camping World Team Series, the New York Mavericks couldn’t have drummed up a better outcome during last weekend’s first-ever METC showcase. Defeating the Florida Freedom 173.25-80 during Friday night’s series debut, the Mavericks enjoyed their home market advantage in the Big Apple. Seeing Mason Taylor team up with Tulsa Time for a rank 88.5 points, while Mauricio Moreira bested Mahan for a quality 84.75 points of his own, they outperformed Florida by an entire qualified ride and then some, as Alex Cerqueira was the lone rider rocking red, white and blue to make the 8, awarded just 80 points for his dance with Blue Suede Shoes. Remaining flawless in their home state after piecing together a perfect 2-0 record during the team’s inaugural PBR Teams: Maverick Days back in August, the squad improved to 3-0 within the confines of the Concrete Jungle. With Head Coach Kody Lostroh on-hand to guide his men to the winner’s circle, his team’s 93.25-point win over an east coast rival will remain a bright spot for the second-year squad to build on.
