World’s rankest bulls, cowboys set to invade Fiserv Forum March 1-2.
By James Youness
FORT WORTH, Texas – Week 15, here we come!
Which is kind of crazy to say, as it truly doesn’t feel like we’ve already endured three and a half months of premier series action.
Between seeing the tour’s cowboys share weekend honors while seeing a few bovine athletes continue to climb the rankings, it’s been another action-packed season of theatrics.
And with the 2025 PBR World Finals: Unleash The Beast a mere 10 weekends away, the drama will only continue to rise as the tour’s top talents duke it out for any advantage they can establish heading into everyone’s favorite two weeks in Texas.
Just ask a guy like Austin Richardson, who had been enjoying a bit of a bounce-back campaign throughout the first half of the 2025 slate. However, he saw his odds of securing a Top 15 spot, thus locking in a spot to compete inside AT&T Stadium, after securing a HUGE win last weekend in Jacksonville, Florida – his first of the season.
Up to the No. 7 rank as one of eight different riders who stayed perfect inside VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena, he put the finishing touches on his victory courtesy of an epic 91.5-pointer aboard Eyes On Me, which only sets the stage for the WWE-inspired cowboy to run it back this weekend when the tour returns to the Midwest Saturday night.
If we remember correctly, the last time Richardson won it all, he returned to the chutes the following session to double-down on a hot streak, something he’ll look to do in Milwaukee during his Round 1 dance with I’ll Make Ya Famous as he looks to cut down the 269-point differential separating him from No. 1 Brady Fielder, who also managed a 3-for-3 showcase last time out.
As noted, the veterans have very much held down the winner’s circle this season, with zero wins credited to rookies so far throughout the ever-competitive 2025 slate.
A man worth keeping an eye on this weekend, and honestly, for the rest of the season, is No. 14 Anderson de Oliveira. Continuing to assume the pole position for the 2025 PBR Rookie of the Year race, the 38-year-old Brazilian is attempting to become the oldest first-year to receive the honors.
But after seeing Elizmar Jeremias come alive lately, which included a rank 90-pointer during Round 1 last weekend in Jacksonville, the cowboy will need to continue adding some Top 10 feats to his resume if he wants to sustain, or even grow, his current 68.63-point advantage over his fellow countryman.
Sage Steele Kimzey looks determined and ready to give it another go after successfully besting each of his bulls in Week 14. As does No. 2 John Crimber, who also went 3-for-3 within his Florida Freedom’s home-state stomping grounds, which served as a much-needed rebound after returning from injury only to be greeted with an 0-for-4 stretch.
Hell, anybody in the Top 10 right now could be primed to pick up a win come Championship Sunday in Fiserv Forum, which only makes these late-season showdowns even spicier.
Knowing just nine opportunities remain to collect ever-important UTB points means the boys will be bringing their best effort.
Watching on as the pack succeeded in 56% of their matchups in Jacksonville suggests we could see quite the competition inside the home of the NBA’s Milwaukee Bucks – something tens of thousands of dedicated bull riding supporters set to swing by wouldn’t mind!
With a majority of the field healing up, the tour is about as collectively healthy as it’s been since the season-opener back in Tucson, Arizona.
Welcoming Daniel Keeping back to the chutes Saturday, who’s missed the past five events, last competing in Houston, Texas, the Texas Rattlers’ ace has a chance to grind his way back into favorable position. Ranked No. 32 during his return, he’s set to dance with Question This.
A new name, and face, in the draw includes Pokey Houghton, who accepted an invite to the top tour after winning a Pendleton Whisky Velocity Tour event last weekend in Reno, Nevada.
Just 19 years old, the St. George, Utah, native prepares to make his UTB debut Saturday night as he looks to survive the requisite 8 atop Midnight Tiger.
Lineups and draw are in for the fifteenth of 23 regular season Unleash The Beast showdowns, so we’re taking a closer look at Saturday night’s matchups, rematches and everything you need to know ahead of the weekend’s opening slate!
With the premier series primed to invade Milwaukee, Wisconsin, March 1-2, we’re breaking down starting lineups for competition inside Fiserv Forum (With coverage set to begin at 8 p.m. CT via PBR’s YouTube channel and Ride Pass on Pluto TV).
PBR MILWAUKEE STARTING LINEUPS Anderson de Oliveira vs. Air Marshall Trace Redd vs. WinRocks Headache Joao Ricardo Vieira vs. I Hate You Daniel Keeping vs. Question This Felipe Furlan vs. Bruised Ego Boudreaux Campbell vs. Modified Ride Leonardo Castro vs. Sandman Claudio Montanha Jr. vs. Angel’s Envy Alan de Souza vs. Crazy Cat Leandro Zampollo vs. Sparky’s Poker Face Clay Guiton vs. Foolish Pride Eduardo Aparecido vs. Home Slice Bruno Carvalho vs. Bad Intentions Vinicius Pinheiro Correa vs. Hoka Hey *Mason Taylor vs. Mr. Nasty Koltin Hevalow vs. Ram Rod Paulo Eduardo Rossetto vs. Ready Teddy Dener Barbosa vs. Outcast Adriano Salgado vs. Fierce’s Dirtnap Kaiden Loud vs. Big Red Thiago Salgado vs. Bugatti Elizmar Jeremias vs. Magic Tough Julio Cesar Marques vs. Lap Dancer Bob Mitchell vs. El Sicaro Pokey Houghton vs. Midnight Tiger Dawson Branton vs. Sauced Up Wyatt Rogers vs. Hotel Gunsel Daylon Swearingen vs. Reinstate Hank *Keyshawn Whitehorse vs. Lapua Sandro Batista vs. Slingin’ It Andrew Alvidrez vs. Cactus Jack *Cort McFadden vs. Down to Fly Austin Richardson vs. I’ll Make Ya Famous *Sage Steele Kimzey vs. Skippy Kaique Pacheco vs. Cowboy Train Lucas Divino vs. Spunky Energy Dalton Kasel vs. Power Trip Luciano De Castro vs. Whatchamacallit *John Crimber vs. Peterbilt Brady Fielder vs. Easy Labor *Denotes Rematch (METC) = Monster Energy Team Challenge matchup
REMATCHES Cort McFadden vs. Down to Fly (87 points in Denver, Colorado) John Crimber vs. Peterbilt (89.25 points in Las Vegas, Nevada) Keyshawn Whitehorse vs. Lapua (88.25 points in Salt Lake City, Utah) Mason Taylor vs. Mr. Nasty (1.28 seconds in Newark, New Jersey) Sage Steele Kimzey vs. Skippy (87 points in St. Louis, Missouri)
OUT DUE TO INJURY/OTHER Jose Vitor Leme (injury) Derek Kolbaba (injury) Hudson Bolton (injury)
FOLLOW ALONG This weekend’s PBR Milwaukee in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, is set to begin Saturday, March 1 at 7:45 p.m. CT as the best bull riders in the world prepare to put on a show inside Fiserv Forum.
Competition will conclude Sunday, March 2 at 1:45 p.m. CT with Round 2, followed by the short go, as riders look to improve their respective ranks during the dramatic Week 15 showdown.
