Missouri Thunder complete METC sweep of Kansas City Outlaws with third straight win
The Thunder toppled the Outlaws 84.75-81.25 at the PBR Little Rock to take home the series trophy.
By Darci Miller
LITTLE ROCK, Ark. – On Saturday night at the PBR Little Rock, Ross Coleman got a trophy for his birthday.
The Missouri Thunder head coach celebrated as his team notched another win over their in-state rival Kansas City Outlaws in the PBR Monster Energy Team Challenge, presented by Camping World.
It may not have been pretty, but the 84.75-81.25 victory secured a clean sweep of the three-game series – and the accompanying trophy – for the Thunder.
It’s a somewhat shocking turnaround for the Thunder, who went 1-3 against the Outlaws in 2024 and finished No. 6 in the 2024 regular season to the Outlaws’ No. 1.
“Our guys have been doing so good in the UTB and the momentum has carried over to our team in the events that we’ve had in this team series,” Coleman said. “Everybody’s improving. All our guys – Felipe (Furlan), Paulo (Eduardo Rossetto), Boudreaux (Campbell). They’re really, seriously working their way up. They’re improving, and that’s all we can ask for.
“We all feed off of each other all the time. I think that’s one thing that’s really important, is what they’ve been doing besides our events. It’s been cool to see them improve, even when we’re not there.”
This win was delivered by Campbell, who rode Cutter for 84.75 points in the Thunder’s second out. The Outlaws got their points from Koltin Hevalow’s 81.25-point ride on The Player.
Ever since the Thunder acquired Campbell last year, he’s been a sparkplug for the team. The Thunder’s 2024 record (12-16) was significantly better than it was in 2023 without Campbell (8-20), and he’s kept the locker room light and having fun.
A good vibe and positive attitude, Coleman says, means only good things for his riders.
“Having that attitude, knowing we can still go improve, and having a little more of a smile on our face even if a lot of guys got bucked off, I promise you, their mindset is going to be feeling better about things tomorrow,” Coleman said. “Yeah, they’re going to take that and learn from it, but when they leave that arena, it’s over with. So we can continue to keep on learning and getting better. That’s the most important thing I can tell you about these guys, is we can just get better every day, and make each other better by being around each other.”
The Thunder and Outlaws kicked off the Show-Me Showdown slate of the METC in Sacramento, California, at the end of January, with the Thunder earning a 172-86.75 win. In mid-February, they faced off again in Indianapolis, and the Thunder exploded for a 348.75-169 victory.
Then came the win in Little Rock, and Coleman and General Manager Luke Snyder can take the trophy back to Missouri.
Of note: it’s the first trophy the Thunder have won. Sure, it’s for a series of exhibition games, but no trophy is to be taken lightly.
“Everything we can do like that (gives us a boost),” Coleman said. “When we take our trophy back to Bass Pro Shop at home, Mr. Johnny Morris and JP Morris, they’re going to be very, very excited about that. And it means a lot to us. It really does. Any win means a lot. If we can continue to improve, and we can feed off each other and know that we’re still going to get better every day, it’s just what we love. So yeah, taking them trophies back to Mr. Morris is huge.”
For any fans wanting to get in touch with the Missouri Thunder owner, tune in for UTB broadcasts on the PBR’s YouTube channel. Owner John Morris is a regular in the chat each weekend, as avid a fan as anyone there.
“It’s so much fun,” Coleman said of having engaged ownership. “They love everything about this bull riding world, and they obviously own our team, and they’re huge followers. Every single weekend, they’re on YouTube. And Johnny and JP, his son, they’re with Luke at the office every single day. The work that Luke puts in and the leadership that he has, and the vibe we get in the locker room with Boudreaux and the crew, it’s just a positive, fun time, and that’s what it’s all about. We love what we do.”
While the Show Me Showdown is complete for the METC, and the Thunder won’t see team action again until the 2025 PBR Team Series season starts up in July, there’s more fun ahead for Coleman during the UTB season.
“I don’t know all the details, but I know it’s going to be a heck of a damn show, and it’s going to be huge,” Coleman said. “If you can get J.W. together with our crew, it’s just going to be like the good old days. I can’t wait.”
Everything’s coming up roses for the Missouri Thunder. Only time will tell if it’ll continue into the 2025 season, but right now, it’s a hell of a birthday present for their delighted coach.
“I got to celebrate this win tonight with these guys and be in the locker room, and I got to bring my boy Cruse all the way from Texas here today,” Coleman said. “He’s a big fan of this whole situation, too. This whole deal with the Missouri Thunder and my family at home, and my wife and kiddos, they’re just pumped every single weekend when they watch these guys ride. They get to come over to my camp, and my wife’ll cook for them. It’s just a special gift tonight to bring my boy Cruse here behind the scenes, in the locker room with us. And we’re very excited about the win. That’s the best birthday present you can get.”
