PUEBLO, Colo.— Alisson de Souza has yet to crack the Top 35 of the world standings since making his United States debut on Feb. 21, but don’t be surprised to see the talented Brazilian inside the top half of the rankings come season end.
Souza is next set to compete at the 15th annual J.W. Hart PBR Challenge on Saturday night and a victory at the prestigious summer event could help the talented 24-year-old continue his push up the world standings.
The No. 49 ranked bull rider in the world is only 9-for-26 (34.62 percent) in 14 events at all levels this season, but RidePass commentator Colby Yates has seen glimpses of why Souza won two of the largest rodeos in Brazil – Barretos (2017) and Rio Verde (2015).
Yates said that Souza was one of the most impressive riders on RVT that has yet to earn a full-time spot on the 25th PBR: Unleash The Beast.
“There is a great boatload of new Brazilians,” Yates said at the end of the first half. “There are like 15 of them. But to be honest, Alisson Souza has really impressed me. He is probably one of the most impressive Brazilians in the locker room (on the Velocity Tour).
“The other Brazilians that have come over here are not as consistent as Silvano Alves or the guys that totally dominated as soon as they came over, but a lot of them are in their first year and have potential.”
RELATED: Alisson de Souza travels nearly 70 hours and 4,500 miles in debut weekend
Alves is the marquee rider set to compete Saturday night at the Wise Country Fairgrounds in Decatur, Texas.
The three-time World Champion highlights the 40-rider field that includes No. 12 Fabiano Vieira, No. 14 Keyshawn Whitehorse, No. 19 Valdiron de Oliveira, No. 32 Cody Campbell, No. 35 Tye Chandler and No. 40 Koal Livingston.
Tickets are still available and can be purchased HERE.
Alves is coming off a PRCA bull riding victory at the Bandera Pro Rodeo in Bandera, Texas.
Whitehorse is the lone Sydney Global Cup rider set to compete in Decatur before making the long journey to Australia to represent Team USA.
Seven Dust is 53-5 in his career at all levels of competition, and the Gene Owen and Jack Clark bovine superstar has only been ridden three times in 43 outs on the PBR’s premier tour.
The 8-year-old bovine athlete is 8-1 this season with an average bull score of 43.8 points in nine trips.
Here is a look at Seven Dust’s Top 3 buckoffs this season:
Seven Dust bucks off reigning World Champion Jess Lockwood (New York)
In his first event as the reigning World Champion, Jess Lockwood had a rank matchup against Seven Dust in the New York 15/15 Bucking Battle inside Madison Square Garden.
It was the first meeting between the two since Lockwood rode the Gene Owen and Jane Clark bovine superstar for 87.5 points in Tulsa, Oklahoma, last August.
However, this matchup went in favor of Seven Dust and the veteran bull blasted Lockwood in 5.8 seconds for a season-high 45.75 points.
Seven Dust eliminates Aparecido from Iron Cowboy
Eduardo Aparecido was unable to defend his 2017 crown at Iron Cowboy this past February when he ran into Seven Dust in the second round at AT&T Stadium.
Aparecido lasted 5.98 seconds before Seven Dust slipped him off his back for a 44.5-point bull score.
Stetson Lawrence gets tossed in Sioux Falls
Seven Dust was marked 44 points when he sent Stetson Lawrence to the dirt inside the Denny Sanford PREMIER Center in a quick 2.57 seconds.
The buckoff was Seven Dust’s second straight in under 3 seconds, and the bull heads into Decatur with a streak of three consecutive buckoffs in under 2.87 seconds.
Follow Justin Felisko on Twitter @jfelisko