PBR Bridgeport: The 2026 PBR Unleash The Beast season bucks into Bridgeport, Connecticut, for the 11th premier series event of the year inside Total Mortgage Arena. Marking the tour’s inaugural visit to Bridgeport, PBR Bridgeport arrives at a pivotal point in the season with the fifth round of cuts looming following next weekend’s action in Little Rock.
Competition begins Friday, Feb. 27, at 7:45 p.m. ET with Round 1 and concludes Saturday, Feb. 28, at 7:45 p.m. ET with Round 2 and the Championship Round. All rounds will stream live on Paramount+, with Monster Energy Team Challenge games (Missouri Thunder vs. Texas Rattlers and Oklahoma Wildcatters vs. New York Mavericks) airing on CBS Television Network on Sunday, March 1, at Noon ET.
PLAYING ABOVE THE LINE
The UTB pack arrives in Bridgeport bracing for the season’s fifth cut. Following roster trims in New York (Jan. 9–11), Tampa (Jan. 23–24), Salt Lake City (Feb. 6–7) and Jacksonville (Feb. 20–21), riders ranked below No. 35 in the standings — excluding those with exemptions — will be relegated to Pendleton Whisky Velocity Tour competition following Little Rock.
Invites for the weekend include Trace Redd, who won the Reno Velocity Tour event last weekend. Also receiving invites via their Top 5 positions in the Velocity Global standings are Macaulie Leather, Andy Guzman, Elijah Jennings and Ezekiel Mitchell. Mauricio Moreira, Kase Hitt, Alison dos Santos, Wyatt Rogers and Joao Ricardo Vieira enter as alternates.
The 2026 World Championship race remains razor tight:
• No. 1 Sage Steele Kimzey leads No. 2 John Crimber by just 24 points entering Bridgeport.
• Five different riders have held the No. 1 ranking through 10 events this season.
• Twenty riders have now recorded double-digit qualified rides, with Alex Cerqueira leading the tour at 18-for-28.
• Seven of the tour’s top-ranked riders are converting at 50% or better.
With the stretch run approaching, every out in Bridgeport carries gold buckle implications.
NOTABLE RIDERS TO WATCH
Fresh off reclaiming the top spot in the standings, Sage Steele Kimzey will not compete in Bridgeport after doctoring out of the event. His flawless 3-for-3 performance in Jacksonville, highlighted by a 90.75-point ride aboard Lights Out, vaulted him to No. 1 in the world and gave him a 24-point advantage in the standings. Now, with the leader sidelined for the weekend, the door swings open for the contenders behind him as the pressure of the stretch run intensifies.
Right behind him stands John Crimber, who remains firmly in the championship conversation. Despite slipping to No. 2, the 20-year-old continues to stack steady performances and sits well within striking distance of the lead. One big weekend in Connecticut could quickly flip the standings once again.
Few riders have been more consistent lately than Alex Cerqueira, who leads the tour in qualified rides at 18-for-28. His 3-for-3 effort in Jacksonville, including a Round 2 win aboard Elmo, solidified his position as one of the hottest competitors on tour and a legitimate threat inside the Top 5.
Momentum is also building for Cort McFadden, who has gone 4-for-6 across his last two events and continues to defend his Top 12 standing. Meanwhile, Bob Mitchell surged to No. 17 following a 3-for-3 third-place finish in Jacksonville, capped by an 88.25-point ride aboard Bex Red Eye. He now prepares to face Off The Rails as he looks to build on his best result of the season.
MONSTER ENERGY TEAM CHALLENGE RETURNS
The Monster Energy Team Challenge continues throughout the 2026 UTB season, bringing head-to-head intensity to select events. At 10 designated stops, teams compete in two 4-on-4 matchups per event, totaling 16 outs.
Friday night in Bridgeport opens with the undefeated Missouri Thunder (3-0) facing the Texas Rattlers (1-2). The nightcap features the Oklahoma Wildcatters (0-3) battling the New York Mavericks (1-1).
Teams will accumulate records across the 10-event slate, with the Top 4 advancing to the METC Championship Tournament during the UTB stretch run in Albuquerque (March 27), Billings (April 17) and Tacoma (April 24), where elimination-style 7-on-7 matchups will determine the inaugural Monster Energy Team Challenge champion.
REMATCH RECAP
Friday night in Bridgeport brings several familiar showdowns back into focus.
When Kaiden Loud nods his head aboard Squealin’ Kitty, he’ll look to stay perfect after riding the bull for 86.30 points in Manchester earlier this season. Confidence favors the rider — but familiarity cuts both ways.
Callum Miller gets another opportunity against Sweet Action, the bull that bucked him off in 3.60 seconds at Madison Square Garden. For Miller, it’s a chance to rewrite the script.
History also lingers when Keyshawn Whitehorse climbs aboard Slingin’ It, a matchup that previously ended in a 6.60-second defeat during PBR Teams competition. Redemption is on the table.
And for Marco Rizzo, the task is clear: solve Pneu-Dart’s Chief Wahoo, who has held the upper hand in their previous meetings. A breakthrough in Bridgeport would not only settle the score but provide a critical boost in the standings.
With cuts approaching, the standings separated by inches and team implications layered into the mix, Bridgeport promises high stakes and little margin for error. Catch it live on Paramount+ as the road to the gold buckle rolls into Connecticut.
Photo courtesy of Bull Stock Media