In Arkansas, the rallying cry most often heard echoing through packed arenas is “Woo Pig Sooie!” as Razorback fans proudly call the Hogs. But on March 6–7, the energy inside Simmons Bank Arena will shift from college sports tradition to one of the most electrifying spectacles in professional sports as the PBR Unleash The Beast tour returns to Little Rock for Stop No. 12 of the 2026 season.
For two nights in Little Rock, the world’s best bull riders will attempt to conquer the rankest bovine athletes in the sport, knowing that every eight-second ride could dramatically shift the standings as the season continues to build toward championship contention. Inside Simmons Bank Arena, fans can expect the intensity, drama, and raw power that define the Unleash The Beast tour every time the chute gate cracks open.
Why Little Rock Matters
The competitive landscape entering Little Rock is as tight as it has been all year. There is currently a razor-thin 16-point margin separating the No. 1 and No. 2 riders in the world standings, and when zooming out across the Top 10, only 191 points separate the sport’s elite contenders.
With that little breathing room in the championship race, every qualified ride — and every mistake — carries enormous consequences.
And while it may sound unlikely, the math shows just how quickly the standings could change this weekend. If a rider were to sweep the event in Little Rock — winning all three rounds while posting elite scores in the 90-point range — he could earn as many as 167 world points. In a season where the Top 10 are separated by just 191 points, a performance like that could dramatically reshape the leaderboard.
With that kind of opportunity on the table, the stakes inside Simmons Bank Arena become even clearer. Momentum built in Little Rock won’t just impact this weekend — it could carry directly into Tallahassee next week for the only Major on the 2026 Unleash The Beast calendar.
Adding another layer of intrigue, Andrew Alvidrez’s victory in Bridgeport marked the ninth different winner in the first 11 Unleash The Beast events of the season, a statistic that perfectly illustrates just how wide-open the race has become.
What Makes Little Rock Different
One thing that makes the Little Rock stop stand out from most events is that Friday night features an ABBI Classic, giving fans a chance to see the future stars of the bucking bull world before the weekend is over.
The ABBI — American Bucking Bull Inc. — Classic division is where three-, four-, and five-year-old bucking bulls compete for their own championship title, the ABBI Classic World Championship, showcasing the next generation of elite bovine athletes before many of them graduate to the sport’s biggest stages.
It’s essentially the proving ground where young bulls begin establishing their reputations, often introducing fans to names they will be seeing in championship rounds for years to come. Because Classic nights are not held at every UTB tour stop, the Friday night ABBI event gives Little Rock a unique flavor, adding an extra layer of excitement and offering a glimpse into the future of the sport’s premier bucking bull bloodlines.
Monster Energy Team Challenge
Another unique twist to not only Little Rock, but the majority of Unleash The Beast series events comes Friday night as well with the Monster Energy Team Challenge, a four-on-four preview of what’s to come this July when the fifth season of the PBR Camping World Team Series comes to life.
While the format highlights the team aspect of the sport, the rides themselves still count fully within the UTB individual competition. That means if a rider competing in the Monster Energy Team Challenge delivers the top ride of the round, he still earns the round win, the prize money, and the world points, giving him a valuable advantage heading into Round 2 and Championship Saturday night.
In other words, even with the team format on display Friday night, the stakes remain exactly the same for the riders chasing world standings points — every eight-second ride still matters.
Friday Night Matchups
Game 1 – Florida Freedom (2-1) vs New York Mavericks (1-2)
Florida Freedom
• Alex Cerqueira
• Joao Ricardo Vieira
• John Crimber
• Thiago Salgado
New York Mavericks
• Bob Mitchell
• Julio Cesar Marques
• Leandro Zampollo
• Marco Rizzo
Game 2 – Austin Gamblers (3-0) vs Kansas City Outlaws (1-1)
Austin Gamblers
• Callum Miller
• Dalton Kasel
• Kaique Pacheco
• Sage Steele Kimzey
Kansas City Outlaws
• Cassio Dias
• Eric Henrique Domingos (Must Ride)
• Eric Novoa (Must Ride)
• Koltin Hevalow
Matchups to Watch for on Friday Night
#5 Leandro Zampollo vs. El Patron
This bull is 5-0 in his short PBR resume, and in his Unleash The Beast outs in 2026 he has already bucked off names like Hudson Bolton, Sage Kimzey, and Kaiden Loud.
#6 Alex Cerqueira vs. Simple Man
This bull has been ridden twice in his PBR career, for 87.35 and 87.25 points.
#3 Dalton Kasel vs. Wicked Intentions
This bull currently has no professional outs.
#2 John Crimber vs. Jailor
This bull is unridden in PBR competition and recently bucked off Cassio Dias back in Jacksonville.
#1 Sage Kimzey vs. Frustrated Bulldog
This bull has no PBR outs.
Some of these bulls are making their Unleash The Beast Tour debut due to the ABBI Classic competition. The bulls will not only be competing against the rider, but their other bovine athletes as well.
Event Information & Tickets
You do not want to miss any of this action. If you are anywhere near Little Rock, Arkansas, and can make it to Simmons Bank Arena, now is the time to secure your seats.
Kubota PBR Little Rock
Little Rock, AR | Simmons Bank Arena
Mar 6 – 7
• Fri 6:45 PM CT
• Sat 6:45 PM CT
Click HERE for tickets, special seating accommodations, and more.
How to Watch
If you can’t make it to Little Rock but still want to experience the action, fans will also have the opportunity to watch the highly anticipated return of José Vitor Leme, along with Sage Kimzey, who currently sits No. 1 in the PBR Unleash The Beast World Standings, as the world’s best riders continue their pursuit of the 2026 PBR World Championship.
The road continues across the country before ultimately culminating in Fort Worth this May, where the PBR World Champion will be crowned and the coveted $1 million bonus awarded.
To learn more about the broadcast schedule in your area, as well as how to subscribe to Paramount+, click HERE.
Beyond the Dirt
Beyond the arena and beyond the bright lights, the PBR is proud to partner with Midwest Outdoors Adaptability Foundation, an organization built on a simple belief: no one with mobility challenges should be forced to sit inside and watch life through a window simply because insurance refuses to cover the equipment that can give them freedom again. The Action Trackchair is the world’s most capable all-terrain wheelchair, able to travel across dirt roads, rocky pastures, beaches, snow, and just about anywhere the outdoors calls.
That’s where Midwest Outdoors Adaptability Foundation steps in. Currently serving Arkansas and Oklahoma, the foundation works to bridge that gap by helping individuals regain access to the outdoors and the independence that comes with it. If you believe no one should be left behind simply because of a mobility challenge, you can help make a difference. To learn more about donating, volunteering, or partnering with the foundation, visit https://www.moafoundation.org.
Photo courtesy of Bull Stock Media