PBR Sacramento: The 2026 PBR Unleash The Beast season heads west after a pivotal weekend in Tampa, rolling into Sacramento, California, for stop No. 7 of the season inside Golden 1 Center. With rider cuts in the rearview and more looming ahead, the world’s top riders are set to battle through the first event following the year’s second cut as the championship race tightens.
Action begins Friday, Jan. 30, at 6:45 p.m. PT, continues Saturday, Jan. 31, at 6:45 p.m. PT, and concludes with Championship Sunday on Feb. 1 at 1:45 p.m. PT, featuring Round 3 and the Championship Round. All four rounds will stream live on Paramount+. The Monster Energy Team Challenge will air on CBS Television Network at 12:00 p.m. ET on Sunday, Feb. 1.
SURVIVING THE CUT
Following New York City (Jan. 9–11), the first rider cut saw the top five Pendleton Whisky Velocity Tour competitors replace the bottom five UTB riders. After Tampa (Jan. 23–24), the second wave of cuts dropped riders ranked below No. 35, excluding those with remaining exemptions.
Among them is three-time World Champion Jose Vitor Leme, who enters Sacramento ranked No. 37 while competing under exemption status.
New invites this weekend include UTB debuts for Elijah Jennings and Wyatt Vineyard, alongside Velocity Tour standouts Andy Guzman, Wyatt Rogers, Kase Hitt, Grayson Cole and Manoelito de Souza Junior.
The next cut will follow Salt Lake City (Feb. 6–7), increasing the urgency for riders hovering near the bottom of the standings.
MONSTER ENERGY TEAM CHALLENGE RETURNS
The Monster Energy Team Challenge continues Friday night in Sacramento with two high-stakes 4-on-4 matchups.
New York Mavericks vs. Nashville Stampede
Carolina Cowboys vs. Austin Gamblers
It marks Nashville’s first METC matchup of the season, while Carolina and Austin renew a rivalry between the last two PBR Teams champions.
With only 10 UTB events counting toward METC qualification, every win matters as teams chase a spot in the four-team championship tournament.
The METC Championship Tournament will take place across three UTB events — Albuquerque (March 27), Billings (April 17) and Tacoma (April 24) — where teams will compete in a 7x7 elimination format to crown the inaugural Monster Energy Team Challenge champion.
REMATCH RECAP
Round 1 in Sacramento brings back several familiar showdowns as riders look to flip the script — or double down — against some of the rankest bulls in the game. A third meeting between Alex Cerqueira and Tecovas Triple Aught headlines the slate, with the series tied 1–1 after Cerqueira logged an 80.75-point ride in Palm Springs last March. This time, the balance is up for grabs.
Another reset comes for Clay Guiton, who draws Black Tie again after being tossed in just 2.99 seconds in Tyler, Texas, in 2023 — a different rider now, chasing a different outcome.
Perfection is on the line for Cort McFadden, who looks to stay unbeaten against Noslaw Extrasauce after an 85.25-point ride last year in Louisville. The night also brings a third chance for Eduardo Aparecido against Blown Away, following buckoffs in both 2023 and the 2024 World Finals as he searches for the breakthrough ride that has so far eluded him.
ON THE MEND
Sacramento also marks key return points for riders fighting their way back to full strength. After missing 167 days of bull riding following elbow surgery, Felipe Furlan is chasing his first qualified ride since going down at Freedom Days, where he earned Day 2 MVP honors for the Missouri Thunder before the injury ended his Teams season. This weekend represents the next step in a long recovery and a chance to finally turn the page.
Another resilience storyline follows Alison dos Santos, who continues to battle a loose shoulder joint after back-to-back weekends of dislocation. Still riding through instability, he is searching for the kind of qualified ride that goes viral for the right reason — and reminds fans exactly why he belongs on the elite tour.
Photo courtesy of Bull Stock Media