INDIANAPOLIS - One slip cost him what might have been a historic ride, but after coming off Asteroid early Saturday, Valdiron de Oliveira said he will eventually ride the bull.

During  the final matchup of the 15/15 Bucking Battle, Oliveira felt like he was in a good position to make the whistle, when his bull rope slipped to the left and his hand came out at 5.29 seconds. 

"For me, I felt good," said Oliveira afterward. "I don't think it's very hard to ride. I think the next time I try, I can ride the bull."

The marquee matchup of the night brought the crowd inside the Banker's Life Fieldhouse to its feet.

'I think the next time I try, I can ride the bull.'

Asteroid was marked 46.75 points out of a possible 50.

Oliveira said Asteroid was quick and fast, and that "he's a little bit strong," but not so strong that he can't stay on for 8 seconds.

"All the riders say the bull is strong, but, for me, I felt good," Oliveira said. "I want to try one more time."

Oliveira, who is less than 20 points shy of the lead in the world standings after having covered Slim To None in Round 1 of the Built Ford Tough Invitational, said it's not about earning respect or winning the World Championship.

He simply said, "I need to ride the bull."

Douglas Duncan won the round with 90.75 points on Bad Blake.

Despite an ailing hip, Douglas Duncan puts up 90.75 points on Bad Blake to win the 15/15 Bucking Battle in Indianapolis Saturday.

"I definitely got lucky drawing that bull," he said. "There were definitely some harder ones in there, and I got the pick of the litter and got the one everybody wanted. When you get bulls like that, you definitely need to capitalize on those opportunities."

Duncan has been suffering with hip trouble. After winning the round, he said he was going to take it one day at a time.

"It's funny, just a bull's certain style or the way I drag that hip over there, those bones spurs catch, and it really bugs me," he said. "Then you make a good ride and it won't hurt. What do you do?"

He's put off surgery for more than 18 months.

'When you get bulls like that, you definitely need to capitalize on those opportunities.'

Earlier in the evening, Duncan said he was thinking about hip surgery next week, but is now wondering about his decision.

As he made his way around the arena signing autographs, Duncan said his ultimate decision will be based on whether or not he can be competitive.

He came up short in the opening round of the event when he bucked off Longbranch at 7.7 seconds, but collected 200 points along with the 90.75 score on Bad Blake for winning the next round.

"It's every day," he said of his hip pain. "If I can't go through with my daily routine and stuff without it throbbing and bugging me, I'd rather have it fixed. At the end of the day it's whether I can be competitive, and I still feel like I can be competitive, so I don't know what I'm going to do yet."

Duncan was one of two qualified rides in the third of a series of 15/15 Bucking Battles.

Guilherme Marchi also made a strong effort on Cooper Tires Grey Ghost for 88.25 points. Three other bulls made their cases for consideration in the running for World Champion Bull: Smackdown, with 46 points; Delco, with 45.25 points; and RMEF Gunpowder & Lead, with 45 points.