Why Jacksonville Matters

With nine regular-season Unleash The Beast events remaining after Jacksonville, the margin for error continues to shrink. A rider can stack go-round points, bonus points and full aggregate points in a single weekend — enough to meaningfully alter the championship trajectory.

The early portion of the season establishes contenders. The midpoint confirms them.

Five Round One Matchups to Watch — Friday Night

Cassio Dias vs. Show Biz

Last week we saw the return of the real Cassio Dias.

The 2024 World Champion showed up and dominated in Pittsburgh, moving himself all the way to seventh in the world standings with the walk-off win heading into this weekend’s event.

It wasn’t just a win — it was a statement. Dias’ timing looked sharper. His control was cleaner. His confidence was unmistakable.

Now he draws Show Biz in Round One — a bull that should give him an opportunity to keep that momentum rolling.

If Dias rides the way he did last weekend, this sets up as another strong score. Show Biz has the kind of movement that rewards a rider who stays square and finishes rides, and right now, Dias looks like a rider who is finishing everything.

I think the champ is back.

Look for something in the 87- to 89-point range if he executes the way we know he can.

Sage Steel Kimzey vs. Wall Street TNT

Wall Street TNT is a bull we just saw last weekend in Pittsburgh.

Jess Lockwood had him — and let him get away. He’s a bull that, by most accounts, Jess probably should have gotten by. That tells you something. This is not a bull that beats you with overwhelming chaos. He beats you if you hesitate.

Now he draws Sage Steel Kimzey.

Kimzey sits just 82 points behind the No. 1 spot in the world standings, currently positioned at No. 4. He is riding extremely well right now — especially considering he’s 31 years old and still competing with the same edge and focus that earned him seven gold buckles. You do not win seven world titles by being second best. That standard does not fade.

This matchup sets up well for him.

Wall Street TNT’s movement should fit Kimzey’s disciplined, compact style. If Sage stays square and finishes, this should be a controllable eight seconds. I give the advantage to Kimzey here.

Look for something in the 86.75- to 88.55-point range.

If he converts, he not only starts his weekend off right — he likely picks up valuable go-round points and inches closer to the No. 1 position in the world standings heading into Saturday.

And with the gold buckle race tightening, every whistle matters.

John Crimber vs. Margin of Error

Margin of Error takes on the No. 1 bull rider in the world, John Crimber.

Crimber looked very sore as he exited Pittsburgh Saturday night after Round Two that concluded an 0-for-2 weekend. He’s young, and youth heals quickly, but there was visible discomfort. That is the only real concern heading into this matchup.

A healthy John Crimber — or even a semi-healthy John Crimber — gets the job done here.

We don’t know the full extent of what he’s dealing with, but if he’s in the draw, it’s something he believes he can ride through. That alone speaks to where his confidence level is.

Margin of Error is a quality bull that can put you in the 87- to 88-point range if everything lines up. If the bull flattens out, it could settle more in the 86.40- to 86.50-point window. The opportunity is there.

The question is health. If Crimber is moving freely, you give him the edge. If he’s limited, this becomes a coin flip.

But when the No. 1 rider in the world nods his head, you lean toward him.

I’m calling 87.80.

If that number lands, that’s a strong way to open the weekend — especially when you’re defending the top spot in the world standings.

Dalton Kasel vs. Big Dawg

Big Dawg takes on Dalton Kasel.

Kasel has been struggling a bit as of late, and last weekend in Pittsburgh was one he would prefer to forget. But with half of the regular season now in the rearview mirror, this is the point in the year where veterans either reset or fall further behind.

If Dalton is going to capture his third event win of the season, it starts right here.

Big Dawg has only been ridden one time, but he has five total outs across PBR competition. He’s a solid, workmanlike bull — not wild, not chaotic, but capable of being in the mid-to-high 80s if he performs to his potential. This is the kind of bull that fits a rider like Kasel, especially when he needs to reestablish rhythm.

How big of a score depends on Big Dawg’s performance.

If the bull is strong and finishes with intensity, Kasel could push beyond the mid-80s. Given that Kasel is historically a rider who can elevate a bull score — especially when he rides with confidence — the rider-over-bull dynamic could trend upward.

But conservatively, this feels like an 85.75 type of ride — maybe better.

After a difficult showing in Pittsburgh, this is a chance for Dalton to steady himself early, make the whistle and remind everyone why he has already been a multi-event winner this season.

I expect him to get this one knocked down.

Koltin Hevalow vs. Washita Red

Washita Red is one that nearly everybody in the locker room wants to see by their name, and we typically see him in the re-ride pen, which means you can be 87 to 89 on him most nights.

Koltin has an issue with getting leaned back — or as I like to call it, the Willingham lean-back from the days of Sean Willingham when he used to ride bulls at that level. He had the same issue. If he could stay forward, keep his weight where it needs to be — on his legs and off his pockets — he could ride just about anything in the world.

Koltin Hevalow is the same way.

Washita Red is a great bull. Koltin should kick off his weekend really solid.

If I had to guess, I’m giving him 88.10.

Jacksonville isn’t just another stop on the schedule — it’s a pressure point in the 2026 gold buckle race. With the world’s best riders colliding with elite bovine athletes at the midpoint of the season, every ride carries weight, every score shifts momentum and every whistle could redefine the standings.

This is the kind of weekend that can dramatically shift the world standings and the race for a gold buckle. Whether you’re inside VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena feeling the ground shake beneath you or watching live on Paramount+, don’t miss a second of the action.

Monster Energy Team Challenge

This Friday night includes another edition of the Monster Energy Team Challenge — a competitive proving ground that serves as a precursor to what awaits this summer when PBR Teams launches its fifth season.

Two matchups headline Friday night in Jacksonville:

Game 1 — Nashville Stampede at Texas Rattlers

Nashville Stampede Riders:
Alan de Souza
Austin Richardson
Kaiden Loud
Mason Taylor

Texas Rattlers Riders:
Brady Fielder
Claudio Montanha Jr.
Daniel Keeping
Ezekiel Mitchell

Game 2 — Florida Freedom at Carolina Cowboys

Carolina Cowboys Riders:
Daylon Swearingen
Jess Lockwood
Manoelito de Souza Junior
Ramon Fiorini

Florida Freedom Riders:
Alex Cerqueira
Elizmar Jeremias
João Ricardo Vieira
John Crimber

Must Ride to Advance:
Ramon Fiorini
Elizmar Jeremias

For Flores and Jeremias, Friday night is advancement or elimination from the weekend. A qualified ride secures advancement to Saturday night’s Round Two and preserves the opportunity to compete for a championship-round berth. Failure to convert concludes their participation in Jacksonville this weekend.

Photo courtesy of Bull Stock Media