There’s no easing into Stop No. 9. The standings are tight, the cuts are done, and the gold buckle race is officially compressing. When the Unleash The Beast rolls into Pittsburgh this weekend, every ride matters — not just for the event win, but for control of the world standings. In a two-day format with 80 points on the line, momentum can shift fast.

Event Information

U.S. Border Patrol PBR Pittsburgh presented by Ariat
PPG Paints Arena — Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Friday, Feb. 13, 2026 – 7:45 p.m. ET
Saturday, Feb. 14, 2026 – 7:45 p.m. ET

Click HERE for tickets, premium experiences and full event details.

The 2026 Unleash The Beast season streams live and on demand on Paramount+, the official home of the PBR Unleash The Beast Series.

Broadcast times in your local time zone and streaming information can be found HERE.

Stop No. 9 arrives at a defining moment in the 2026 Unleash The Beast season. The standings are beginning to solidify. Contenders are separating. Every qualified ride now carries amplified weight in the chase for a World Championship and the accompanying million-dollar prize.

And this weekend in Pittsburgh, there will be no easy draws.

Competition Format: Two-Day Aggregate

The U.S. Border Patrol PBR Pittsburgh follows the official 2026 UTB regular-season two-day aggregate format:
• Round 1 – Friday
• Round 2 – Saturday
• Championship Round – Top 12 riders based on aggregate scores

The rider with the highest combined score across all three rounds wins the event.

2026 UTB Regular Season – Two-Day Aggregate Points
• 1st Place – 80 points
• 2nd Place – 50 points
• 3rd Place – 36 points
• 4th Place – 21 points
• 5th Place – 17 points
• 6th Place – 12 points
• 7th Place – 6 points
• 8th Place – 5 points
• 9th Place – 4 points
• 10th Place – 2 points
• 11th–12th Place – 1 point

Bonus Ride Points
• 70–79.75 – 7 points
• 80–89.75 – 8 points
• 90+ – 9 points

In a two-day format, margin for error shrinks. A single buckoff can dramatically alter a rider’s trajectory. A perfect 3-for-3 weekend can completely reshape the standings.

Matchups That Could Shape the Weekend

Sage Steele Kimzey vs. Mike’s Motive

When the conversation turns to generational champions, Sage Steele Kimzey remains firmly in the mix near the top of the world standings as the tour heads into Pittsburgh, currently ranked No. 5 in the world. A matchup with Mike’s Motive presents opportunity. If Kimzey controls the tempo and rides with his trademark discipline, this one projects in the 87.5- to 88-point range. Advantage: rider.

Wyatt Rogers vs. Lights Out

Wyatt Rogers has been exceptional across the Velocity Tour and Touring Pro Division. He now draws Lights Out — the same bull Jess Lockwood rode to victory in Tampa just three weeks ago, and one that everybody wants to find their name beside.

Lights Out is championship-caliber and typically reserved for the championship round Saturday. Drawing him in Round 1 raises the stakes immediately. Slight edge to the bull, but a ride here could fast-track Rogers into the Championship Round and deliver critical scores and points to keep the No. 42-ranked rider on the sport’s most elite stage.

Felipe Furlan vs. Eyes On Me

Felipe Furlan continues his return from a severe elbow injury. His assignment: Eyes On Me, currently No. 2 in the World Champion Bucking Bull race.

There is no easing back at this level. Precision is mandatory. This matchup favors the bull. Furlan currently sits No. 58 in the 2026 Unleash The Beast standings and knows time is running out.

Brady Fielder vs. Stone Cold Gangster

Brady Fielder is a consistent Top 2-3 World Championship contender. After going 2-for-3 last week in Salt Lake City, the question begs: Can Fielder go 3-for-3 this weekend?

Stone Cold Gangster is powerful but manageable with authority. If Fielder rides with conviction, this could be the weekend that reignites his title charge. An 80-point event win in Pittsburgh would reinsert him squarely into the gold buckle conversation. Fielder currently sits No. 8 in the world standings.

John Crimber vs. Mystified

John Crimber now sits atop the world standings, riding with composure beyond his years. Mystified offers opportunity with execution.

If Crimber capitalizes, expect something in the 87-point range. This matchup leans rider.

Eduardo Aparecido vs. Nobody

Eduardo Aparecido, currently ranked No. 20 in the race for the gold buckle, draws Nobody, a bull connected to the legacy of Gene Owen and Jane Clark. Nobody demands balance and timing. Aparecido’s veteran composure gives him a legitimate chance to convert.

Dalton Kasel vs. Flapjack

Dalton Kasel, world No. 2 in the championship race, faces Flapjack, formerly owned by HD Page. If Kasel is fully healthy after recent injuries sustained prior to Salt Lake City, this is a winnable matchup. Health will determine the outcome.

Keyshawn Whitehorse vs. Sober Child

Keyshawn Whitehorse climbs aboard Sober Child, recently ridden successfully by Clay Guiton.

Now that the blueprint exists, execution becomes the storyline. If Whitehorse, currently ranked No. 16 in the world standings, matches intensity with timing, this could be one of the defining rides of the weekend.

Monster Energy Team Challenge

The Monster Energy Team Challenge serves as a controlled preview of what fans will see this summer in the PBR Team Series.

While the full Team Series features 5-on-5 franchise competition, the Monster Energy Team Challenge is contested in a 4-on-4 format. It gives fans — especially those experiencing team bull riding for the first time — a clear look at how the structure works.

In the PBR Teams league format, the focus shifts from individual glory to franchise pride. Riders compete on behalf of their teams, and each qualified ride contributes to a cumulative team score. When the final outs are recorded, the team with the higher total secures the win.

Under the Monster Energy Team Challenge format, the setup is slightly different. Each rider’s score during the game also counts toward Round 1 of Unleash The Beast competition Friday night — the outs are not separate, the bulls are not different, and every ride is evaluated under the same rules and guidelines as the Unleash The Beast Series. Judges apply identical criteria, and those scores simultaneously impact the team matchup and the individual world standings.

Friday night carries layers of consequence.

A qualified ride contributes to the franchise result in the 4-on-4 team format and also advances a rider’s position in the gold buckle race.

Monster Energy Team Challenge Matchups

Game 1 – Florida Freedom at Nashville Stampede

Florida Freedom
• Alex Cerqueira
• João Ricardo Vieira
• John Crimber
• Thiago Salgado

Nashville Stampede
• Alan de Souza
• Austin Richardson
• Cleber Henrique Marques
• Kaiden Loud

With only four outs per team, efficiency is everything. One conversion can change the direction of the game. In this format, there is no room to waste opportunity.

Game 2 – Austin Gamblers at Arizona Ridge Riders

Arizona Ridge Riders
• Bruno Carvalho
• Eduardo Aparecido
• Keyshawn Whitehorse
• Luciano De Castro

Austin Gamblers
• Callum Miller
• Dalton Kasel
• Kaique Pacheco
• Sage Steele Kimzey

The Bottom Line

Pittsburgh is not just another stop.

With 80 points awarded to the event winner and bonus ride points available every round, this weekend carries legitimate championship impact. In a compressed two-day format, consistency becomes everything.

Momentum can build. Momentum can stall.

Inside PPG Paints Arena, eight seconds at a time, the 2026 World Championship race can shift fast.

Whether you’re in the arena or watching live on Paramount+, don’t miss it.

With less than a go-round separating world No. 1 John Crimber and world No. 2 Dalton Kasel, the question becomes: Will Kasel regain his No. 1 ranking? Only time will tell, and Pittsburgh seems to be the place to find out.

Beyond the Dirt

Midwest Outdoors Adaptability Foundation carries forward the same spirit of resilience seen in bull riding — but in a way that changes lives off the dirt. The foundation provides access to the Action Trackchair, an all-terrain wheelchair designed to give people with mobility challenges the freedom to experience the outdoors without limits.

Insurance does not cover these life-changing pieces of equipment, and the $25,000 price tag puts them out of reach for many who need them most. That is why Midwest Outdoors Adaptability Foundation exists — to bridge that gap and make the impossible possible.

Whether navigating rough pastures, rolling through wooded trails or enjoying time with family in places a standard wheelchair cannot reach, the Action Trackchair opens doors to independence many thought was lost. It is not just equipment — it is freedom, dignity and the chance to live fully.

Just as PBR athletes push themselves to conquer challenges eight seconds at a time, Midwest Outdoors Adaptability Foundation helps others overcome obstacles of their own, ensuring no one is left behind when it comes to the Western lifestyle and the outdoors.

To learn how you can help restore freedom and dignity to someone who needs it, visit https://www.moafoundation.org.

Photo courtesy of Bull Stock Media