FORT WORTH, Texas – With the PBR having officially joined forces with UFC (Ultimate Fighting Championship) and WWE (World Wrestling Entertainment) earlier this year as TKO Group Holdings acquired the world’s top-tier bull riding venture, the group of entities are already up to some cross-venture fun. 

Enter the TKO Takeover, presented by VeChain – as the three organizations are set to unite for a historic weekend in Kansas City, Missouri.  

Primed to invade the home of the PBR Camping World Team Series’ Kansas City Outlaws, riders from each of the league’s 10 teams are set to kickstart the three-showcase event inside T-Mobile Center on Thursday, April 24, thus paving the way for UFC Fight Night on Saturday, April 26, and WWE Raw on Monday, April 28.  

The industry’s best bull riding, mixed martial arts and professional wrestling – all in one venue for one unforgettable weekend! 

Without spilling too many of the beans, we can merely suggest that fans of the Outlaws, the Missouri Thunder or any of the league’s other eight teams get their tickets SOON before the event is sold out! 

Fans can read on to learn more about the first-ever PBR Knockout showcase, and stay tuned to PBR.com, @PBR social media channels and everywhere you watch PBR LIVE and FREE! 

What is PBR Knockout: Missouri vs. The World? 
Set to take place Thursday, April 24, 2025, PBR Knockout is a PBR Teams exhibition event comprised of a field of riders representing each of the ten (10) PBR Camping World Team Series organizations.  
The event is geared towards a “Missouri vs. the League” format, with the league’s rivals out of the Show-Me State (the Missouri Thunder and Kansas City Outlaws) teaming up to defend their home state dirt while competing against the circuit’s other eight squads. 

What will Thursday’s event format look like? 
The opening round of competition will begin with four head-to-head games which will feature 3-vs.-3 matchups: 

Game 1: Texas Rattlers @ Austin Gamblers 
Game 2: Arizona Ridge Riders @ Oklahoma Wildcatters 
Game 3: Nashville Stampede @ Carolina Cowboys 
Game 4: New York Mavericks @ Florida Freedom 

Each of the four game winners will be the team that accumulates the highest aggregate score across their three bulls. 

The head coach for each of the four winning teams will then select two of their three riders that will come together to form a team of eight, which will serve as the “away” team and “World” entity in Missouri vs. The World. This joint-force squad will then compete against the “home” team made up of Missouri Thunder and Kansas City Outlaws riders. 

The event will then feature an event Championship Game, which involves an 8-vs.-8 game between Team Missouri and “The World,” aka the eight riders selected from the four winning teams during the head-to-head matchups. 

The team with the highest cumulative score in the 8-vs.-8 Championship Game will be crowned the event champion. 

RELATED: 2024 PBR World Champion Cassio Dias set to return to action at TKO Takeover

Who’s competing at PBR Knockout: Missouri vs. The World? 
32 total riders with affiliation to one of the league’s 10 PBR Camping World Team Series squads will earn a chance to stand out within the unique competition format. 

The Thunder and Outlaws will each select four riders from their respective rosters to compete.  

The other eight teams will each send three riders to be utilized.  

Riders ranked within the Top 20 of PBR’s Unleash The Beast standings are ineligible to participate in the one-off showcase, thus creating an additional opportunity for coaches of each of the ten teams to get another look at some prospective or up-and-coming talents ahead this summer’s fourth season of camaraderie-driven action. 

Preliminary rosters are expected Wednesday, April 16, with final rosters expected by Tuesday, April 22. And let us say, there’s at least ONE rider fans will be welcoming back to the chutes with wide-open arms, regardless of which team they’re cheering for!  


How are bull matchups and buck order determined?  
For the four head-to-head games, 24 bulls will be sorted into eight pens of three, set by the PBR Livestock Director.  

The pen draw will be conducted on Tuesday, April 22, with coaches receiving their bull pens immediately after. Coaches will then have until Wednesday, April 23, to submit their team’s matchups and the order they wish their three riders to compete in. 

For the Championship Game, there will be two pens of eight bulls, which will also be drawn during the bull pen draw on April 22. One will be drawn to the Missouri Thunder/Kansas City Outlaws team and the other to the “World” entity.  

All bulls in both pens for the Championship Game will be in a pre-set buck order. Immediately following the final head-to-head game, coaches from Team Missouri and the designated head coach described below must quickly submit their matchups. 

The coaches from the Missouri Thunder and Kansas City Outlaws will work together in selecting their matchups.  

The head coach of the squad that compiles the highest aggregate score during head-to-head competition will be designated as the “World’s” spokesman and effectively act as the head coach of the team, thus responsible for selecting the team’s matchups.   

What’s up for grabs? 
While the event itself will serve as an exhibition session, meaning rides and buckoffs won’t officially count toward or against career riding stats, $50,000 in cash prizes will be available for the field, with $16,000 guaranteed to the winning squad (meaning each of the team’s eight riders will receive at least $2,000).  

Riders able to record a qualified ride will receive a $500 bonus for each 8-second conversion, with each of the 32 attending riders receiving $750 for showing up. Pending the number of qualified rides logged, additional prize money may be allotted to the cowboy with the event’s highest-scored ride. 

Of course, anytime the boys are donning their matching uniforms, bragging rights are always up for grabs. And with year four of 5-on-5 competition right around the corner, these outs can also serve as potential tryouts for guys looking to ensure themselves a spot on one of the league’s 10 teams.  

Where can fans catch all of the action?  
Fans can catch the unique showdown exclusively via the PBR App (pbr.com/watch) and RidePass on Thursday, April 24, beginning at 9 p.m. ET.  

In addition, the PBR Knockout: Missouri vs. the World LIVE opening ceremony is set to kick off the action via PBR’s YouTube channel and PBR’s Facebook page at 8:45 p.m. ET Thursday night before the main event.  

Photo courtesy of Bull Stock Media