FORT WORTH, Texas – If you didn’t know any better, you would’ve thought 2024 World Champion Cassio Dias was at Simmons Bank Arena for the PBR Little Rock to compete.

He arrived at the arena with his Kansas City Outlaws teammates – still dressed in black and orange after their Monster Energy Team Challenge, presented by Camping World, matchup against the Missouri Thunder the night before – on Sunday at noon, strolling into the locker room in high spirits.

However, Dias’s name wasn’t in the draw, and he spent the afternoon supporting his friends rather than getting on bulls himself.

Dias is four months into recovery from a broken femur suffered at the 2025 Unleash The Beast season-opener in Tucson, Arizona, when Cliff Hanger flung him into the steel chutes.

He’s walking without a limp and appears healthy, but he’s not taking any chances.

“I’m feeling better every day, but I want to get it stronger and come back ready for Teams,” Dias said with Bruno Zecchin translating. “I’m craving to come back riding, especially being around the guys. I keep my hopes up to come back for the Finals. But I know that I’m not going to be 100% prepared, but I want to be 100% for Teams. But I’m hoping I can come back a little before that.”

After the injury, Dias underwent surgery and was unable to walk for a month. After hoping to win a second consecutive world title, he’s had to sit home and watch as the 2025 world title race went on without him.

When asked if he felt any frustration around that, Dias’s answer was unusually clipped.

“A lot,” he said.

But he threw himself into rehab and is recovering well. He rides his bike every day and does a daily ice bath, and is regaining strength by running around his ranch and working.

He’s also taken the time off to gain some perspective.

“There are two sides of it,” he said. “The first one is that I’m suffering because I like to be around, I love to ride bulls, I love to practice, I love to work with the bulls and be around the guys and be at events. And the other side of it is I think, this time, it’s good to break a little bit and look around, look at what’s happening around me, my family and everything. This side of things, I think it’s good.”

It’s been a special time for Dias personally as his wife Juliana gave birth to the couple’s first child in late February.

So it’s a new guy in the locker room these days, and not just because he’s a new dad.

While Dias wishes he had the opportunity to ride bulls alongside his buddies, the lack of pressure has allowed him the chance to relax a little bit.

“It’s a very dangerous sport, and when we’re here, you always are focused on your bull and doing a good job and being out of any injury, this kind of stuff,” Dias said. “And I used to be by myself in the locker room, very focused on my bull. I just put my AirPods in and listened to songs. Very focused. And now, I’m learning that it’s good having relationships in the locker room as well – talking with my friends, and talking about bulls, and knowing more about them and about the bulls, and having this kind of relationship. So I think when I come back, I’ll have the opportunity to have a new way to relate with my friends.”

In Dias’s absence this season, other riders have stepped into the hole left at the top of the UTB standings. No. 1 Brady Fielder, No. 2 Dalton Kasel and No. 4 John Crimber have each won two events this season, not to mention the resurgences of No. 3 Sage Steele Kimzey, No. 5 Luciano De Castro and No. 6 Keyshawn Whitehorse.

Even if he does return before the 2025 PBR World Finals in May, it might be too late for Dias to make a run at another gold buckle.

While Dias’s main focus is being at full strength for the Outlaws come the start of PBR Teams in July, we could see him back on tour sooner rather than later.

“I would love to come back for Albuquerque (on March 28-30) because it’s one event that I like very much,” Dias said. “I would love to win this event one day because I like it very much. But I’m waiting on God’s will so God puts all the knowledge and what is needed for Dr. Tandy (Freeman) to release me. The time God has is the perfect time.”

Photo courtesy of Todd Brewer/Bull Stock Media