FORT WORTH, Texas – The 2025 PBR (Professional Bull Riders) World Finals: Unleash The Beast – Ride For Redemption got underway in front of a capacity crowd Wednesday night in Fort Worth, Texas, as Maverick Smith (Cabool, Missouri), Bob Mitchell (Steelville, Missouri), Murilo Henrique de Oliveira (Pereira Barreto, Brazil), Yan Victor Cunha (Assis Brasil, Brazil) and Callum Miller (Warwick, Queensland, Australia) delivered crucial rides to advance to the second night of the middle stage of bull riding’s crown jewel and keep their hopes of a berth to the Championship alive.
The opening night of Ride For Redemption at Cowtown Coliseum featured 22 invites vying for five available spots to the second night of the ride-in stage of the 2025 PBR World Finals. Smith, Mitchell, Oliveira, Cunha and Miller earned those five spots as the top scores across two rounds.
On the second night of competition in Ride For Redemption on May 15, they will join the 20 riders who did not advance via Eliminations. Each of those 25 riders will attempt two bulls each, and the Top 5 riders in the aggregate will earn the final berths to the Championship on May 17-18 in nearby Arlington at AT&T Stadium.
Smith won Ride For Redemption by going a perfect 2-for-2. He rode Johnny Rocket (Richardson Land & Cattle/Rick Carr/Gene Baker) for 87.5 points in Round 1 and Whiskey Trip (Lari Crane/Gene Owen) for 76.75 points in Round 2.
As the only other rider to be flawless Wednesday evening inside Cowtown Coliseum, 2022 PBR Rookie of the Year Mitchell finished second to keep his Championship hopes alive.
After riding Noslaw Extrasauce (Flying S Bucking Bulls) for 84 points in Round 1, Mitchell went the distance on Stewey (JD Nix Rodeo Co.) for 78.25 points in Round 2.
Oliveira parlayed a Round 1-winning ride into a third-place finish.
With the high-marked ride of the night, the surging Brazilian bested Smooth Violation (Farris Cattle/Big Schott Rodeo) for an unrivaled 87.75 points.
Fourth was Cunha.
Despite being bucked off in Round 1, tossed by Bamboozle (Farris Cattle/Big Schott Rodeo) in 4.75 seconds, Cunha rallied with the highest-scored ride in Round 2 when he made the 8 on Army Slasher (Bernard Tallman/Farris) for 87 points.
Miller earned the final berth to the second night of Ride For Redemption by finishing fifth.
Going 1-for-2, the Australian lit up the scoreboard in Round 1 when he conquered Prince Charming (Viducic/Julian Cattle) for 86.75 points.
The 2025 PBR World Finals: Unleash The Beast – Ride For Redemption continues on Thursday, May 15, at 7:45 p.m. CT. Tickets are still available and can be purchased at the Cowtown Coliseum Box Office, online at PBRWorldFinals.com and AXS.com or by phone at (800) 732-1727.
PBR Unleash The Beast
2025 PBR World Finals – Ride For Redemption
Cowtown Coliseum – Fort Worth, Texas
Event Leaders (Round 1-Round 2- Event Aggregate)
1. Maverick Smith, 87.5-76.75-164.25
2. Bob Mitchell, 84-78.25-162.25
3. Murilo Henrique de Oliveira, 87.75-0-87.75
4. Yan Victor Cunha, 0-87-87.00
5. Callum Miller, 86.75-0-86.75
6. Alex Cerqueira, 0-86-86.00
7. Braidy Randolph, 85.5-0-85.50
8. Lucas Martins Costa, 85-0-85.00
9. João Lucas Campos, 78.5-0-78.50
Ezekiel Mitchell, 0-0-0.00
Marco Rizzo, 0-0-0.00
Caden Bunch, 0-0-0.00
Grayson Cole, 0-0-0.00
João Henrique Lucas, 0-0-0.00
Marcus Mast, 0-0-0.00
Aaron Williams, 0-0-0.00
Junior Patrik Souza, 0-0-0.00
Guthrie Long, 0-0-0.00
Ashton Sahli, 0-0-0.00
Kase Hitt, 0-0-0.00
Maikon Calixton Rocha, 0-0-0.00
Jean Carlos Teodoro, 0-0-0.00
Photo courtesy of Bull Stock Media
