Starting lineups, draw revealed for PBR Palm Springs
Arizona Ridge Riders, Oklahoma Wildcatters set to continue 6 vs. 6 Monster Energy Team Challenge March 21.
By James Youness
FORT WORTH, Texas – When the stretch of late-season, three-day showcases begins, cowboys throughout the tour understand that the 2025 PBR World Finals: Unleash The Beast are RIGHT around the corner.
Exactly where we’re at ahead of this weekend’s Wrangler PBR Greater Palm Springs, with the Week 18 showcase set to kick off three-straight, four-round contests.
And for as much as No. 1 Brady Fielder has been defending his spot atop the pack in competitive fashion, the past two weekends have been dominated by just one cowboy … as Dalton Kasel has been ON FIRE.
So, it’s only right he gets the first mention as he looks to stay RED HOT as both the tour’s No. 2-ranked cowboy and as a known threat when competing in sunny California.
Tasked via a dance with Pearl Harbor during Friday night’s opening round inside Acrisure Arena, will the 26-year-old advance his ride streak to seven after producing perfect performances in each of his last two appearances?
Speaking of streaks, the Australian frontrunner in this year’s gold buckle race has a chance to christen the PBR history books himself, as Brady Fielder is bringing a MASSIVE 12-out ride streak out west.
Now flawless in an eye-popping, four-straight contests, Fielder hasn’t tasted defeat in head-to-head fashion in a whopping 34 days, last shed to the dirt back on February 15 in Indianapolis, Indiana.
Kasel became the first man to capture three event titles on the season last weekend. Fielder joins John Crimber and Lucas Divino with a pair of wins, respectively.
But from there, a majority of this year’s events have been up for grabs, which is a drastic change from the 2024 campaign where Cassio Dias stole nearly a third of the circuit’s honors.
So, with a combined 12 different cowboys having climbed atop the shark cage already this year, fans shouldn’t be surprised if a fellow veteran in Dener Barbosa turns up the heat as he continues to climb the UTB standings.
Having recorded nine different Top 15 efforts throughout the tour’s first 17 showcases, he’s got an opportunity to keep his name in the gold buckle marathon by staying the course and staying healthy.
Something the Brazilian has had troubles with in the past but very much seems to be finding his groove again during his age 30 season.
Coming off consecutive Top 10 finishes, the cowboy prepares for an 8-second effort atop Schott In The Dark Friday night as he looks to crack the Top 15 in the Golden State.
When it comes to ins and outs for Week 18, both No. 11 Austin Richardson and No. 13 Sandro Batista will be on the shelf for another week, alongside the likes of Jose Vitor Leme and Hudson Bolton, who have missed a majority of the season at this point.
Missouri Thunder standout Boudreaux Campbell was a late add to the group doctoring out as well, replaced by Alex Cerqueira, while No. 8 Lucas Divino was a true last-minute subtraction from the lineup, thus paving the way for veteran Mauricio Moreira to get his chance to make some noise.
Coming off a big win at the PBR Stockyards Showcase Thursday evening in Cowtown Coliseum, home to both the 2025 PBR World Finals: Unleash The Beast – Eliminations and Ride For Redemption stages, can Moreira bring some momentum from Fort Worth, Texas, to the sunny confines of Palm Desert, California?
Of course, a world title contender in No. 3 Sage Steele Kimzey will return to the chutes after welcoming another child to the family last weekend, set to resume his quest for the coveted gold buckle during a showcase aboard Mo Money.
And with a fellow veteran like Derek Kolbaba back in the draw for the first time since getting banged up in Sacramento, California, the field seems loaded with talent.
Throw in some added drama from another spicy Monster Energy Team Challenge, presented by Camping World, and the opening night of action out west is shaping up to be one of the most electric sessions of the season!
Looking to complete a clean 3-0 sweep over the Oklahoma Wildcatters, can Head Coach Colby Yates lead his Arizona Ridge Riders to a perfect slate after piecing together their worst season of PBR Camping World Team Series during the summer series’ 2024 iteration?
Lineups and draw are in for the eighteenth of 23 regular season Unleash The Beast showdowns, so we’re taking a closer look at Friday night’s matchups, rematches and everything you need to know ahead of the weekend’s opening slate!
With the premier series primed to invade Palm Desert, California, March 21-23, we’re breaking down starting lineups for competition inside Acrisure Arena (With coverage set to begin at 8 p.m. PT via PBR’s YouTube channel and Ride Pass on Pluto TV).
PBR PALM SPRINGS STARTING LINEUPS Kaiden Loud vs. Triple Aught Derek Kolbaba vs. Haymaker Carlos Andre de Oliveira vs. Mesquite Mason Taylor vs. The Paint Elizmar Jeremias vs. Hard Core Slinger Vinicius Pinheiro Correa vs. Iron Banana Kaique Pacheco vs. Fatal Attraction Koltin Hevalow vs. Lever Action Julio Cesar Marques vs. July Leonardo Castro vs. Quick Show Paulo Eduardo Rossetto vs. Midnight City Adriano Salgado vs. Mud Bog Dener Barbosa vs. Schott In The Dark Daniel Keeping vs. One Chance Alan de Souza vs. Old Spice Ethan Winckler vs. Time Traveler Claudio Montanha Jr. vs. Mr. Gold Alex Cerqueira vs. Aces & Eights Anderson de Oliveira vs. UB Smooth Joao Ricardo Vieira vs. Wicked Edge Aaron Williams vs. Irish Car Bomb Felipe Furlan vs. The Intimidator Leandro Zampollo vs. Crime Scene Mauricio Moreira vs. Big Chew Daylon Swearingen vs. Mr. Demon *John Crimber vs. Cold Creek Andrew Alvidrez vs. Cracky Chan Sage Steele Kimzey vs. Mo Money Dalton Kasel vs. Black Harbor Brady Fielder vs. Slick Rick Everton Natan da Silva vs. Smokey Guilherme Valleiras vs. Mr. Wilson Eduardo Aparecido vs. Rank Frank Hagen Braswell vs. The Colonel Bruno Carvalho vs. Buckaroo Kase Hitt vs. Blown Away Nick Tetz vs. Regulator Clay Guiton vs. Nefarious Luciano De Castro vs. Ghost Face Dustin Herman vs. Iceman Keyshawn Whitehorse vs. Shot in the Dark Cort McFadden vs. In My Blood *Denotes Rematch (METC) = Monster Energy Team Challenge matchup
REMATCHES John Crimber vs. Cold Creek (87.5 points in Cheyenne, Wyoming)
OUT DUE TO INJURY/OTHER Jose Vitor Leme (injury) Hudson Bolton (injury) Austin Richardson (injury) Sandro Batista (injury) Boudreaux Campbell (injury) Lucas Divino (injury)
FOLLOW ALONG This weekend’s Wrangler PBR Greater Palm Springs in Palm Desert, California, is set to begin Friday, March 21 at 7:45 p.m. PT as the world’s top-ranked cowboys look to put the finishing touches on their 2025 campaign down the home stretch inside Acrisure Arena.
The action will continue Saturday, March 22 at 6:45 p.m. PT with the second round before concluding Sunday, March 23 at 1:45 p.m. PT with Round 3, followed by the short go, as riders look to capture crucial UTB points in the race for the 2025 PBR World Championship.
