From a monster championship-round ride in Milwaukee to midweek drama in Denver and breakout wins on the Velocity Tour, the PBR calendar delivered a week that reshaped standings and momentum across every level of the sport.

On the Unleash The Beast… 

Milwaukee delivered two nights of pressure-packed bull riding at Fiserv Forum, and Dalton Kasel left Wisconsin with the loudest statement of all.

Friday night opened with Hudson Bolton claiming the first-round win from an 89.50-point ride on Ghostship Warrior, setting the tone for a leaderboard stacked with title contenders. Marco Rizzo and Jose Vitor Leme followed close behind, while Julio Cesar Marques stayed steady to protect his lead atop the world standings.

Championship Saturday belonged to Kasel.

After entering the short round trailing Koltin Hevalow by just three-tenths of a point, Kasel answered with the highest score of the season — a 92.55-point hammer on Lights Out — to secure his second UTB victory of 2026 and pull within two points of Marques in the standings. Hevalow nearly answered with 90.15 points on UTZ BesTex Smokestack, but came up just short, finishing second.

Alex Cerqueira capped a perfect 3-for-3 weekend in third, while Lucas Divino rounded out the Top 5. In the championship round, Magic Potion bucked off Rizzo — his 57th consecutive buckoff at the elite level — extending the all-time record. The weekend also delivered milestones, including Jess Lockwood’s 50th career round win.

Monster Energy Team Challenge…

Friday night in Milwaukee doubled as the second battleground for the Monster Energy Team Challenge, with two head-to-head games adding extra action to the weekend.

The Kansas City Outlaws defeated the Oklahoma Wildcatters, powered by Koltin Hevalow’s 87.70-point ride on Home Slice, while the Missouri Thunder edged the Arizona Ridge Riders by just 0.05 points behind Kade Madsen’s clutch 88.10-point ride on Catching Gears.

On the PBR Pendleton Whisky Velocity Tour…

The Velocity Tour delivered a jam-packed stretch of momentum-shifting rides and breakthrough performances, with riders cashing in big points as the early-season standings continue to take shape.

Denver (Midweek): Bruno Carvalho proved unbeatable at the National Western Stock Show, going a perfect 3-for-3 to win the Denver PBR Chute Out and outlast a 90-rider field. The Brazilian stayed clutch under pressure, sealing the midweek title with rides on Forbidden Legacy, Wild Mustard and Smokin Hot to earn 119 Velocity Global points.

Charleston: Grayson Cole finally broke through after three Top-10 finishes, winning Kubota PBR Charleston with back-to-back rides of 87.30 points on Midnight Tiger and 86.30 points Saturday. Despite a short-round buckoff, Cole’s two-ride total secured his first win of the season and vaulted him to the top of the Velocity standings. Dener Barbosa finished second, while Mason Taylor claimed third with consistent rides across the weekend.

Ontario: Home-state fans got their moment as Wyatt Vineyard captured the first event win of his career at Toyota Arena, going 2-for-3 to win the Pendleton Whisky Velocity Tour stop in Ontario. Vineyard opened with 85.70 points on Wild Willie and held on through the final round to earn his first career buckle. Dione de Souza Ribeiro finished second, while Andy Guzman surged to third with an 86.20-point championship-round ride.

Beyond the Chutes...

The week carried meaning beyond the dirt as the PBR community paused to remember Mason Lowe on the anniversary of his passing, honoring a rider whose heart, grit and legacy will never be forgotten.

Fans also witnessed the beginning of a new chapter as Cooper Davis stepped into the broadcast booth for his first weekend as an officially retired competitor.

 Through the lens with BullStockMedia

Check out the best photos from Milwaukee.

Looking ahead

What’s up next on the docket?

The action keeps rolling across all tours as the championship races begin to take shape.

The Unleash The Beast tour heads south Jan. 23–24 for PBR Tampa at Benchmark International Arena, where the world’s best riders will continue their push for position with two nights of high-stakes competition.

The weekend will also feature Monster Energy Team Challenge matchups — Missouri Thunder vs. Oklahoma Wildcatters and Texas Rattlers vs. Florida Freedom — with all the action streaming live on Paramount+.

Meanwhile, the Pendleton Whisky Velocity Tour doubles up for another coast-to-coast weekend, with Cooper Tires PBR Grand Rapids taking over Van Andel Arena in Michigan and Silencer Shop PBR Tulsa unfolding inside the BOK Center in Oklahoma. Catch Velocity Tour action on the PBR App and RidePass as riders battle for crucial points toward Unleash The Beast berths and World Finals qualification, with every ride carrying more weight as January winds down.

Photo courtesy of Bull Stock Media