PBR Billings: The 2026 PBR Unleash The Beast season bucks into Billings, Montana, for the 17th premier series event of the year inside Metra Park – First Interstate Arena, marking the 31st time PBR’s top tour has visited Billings since first arriving in 1996.

Competition begins Friday, April 17, at 6:45 p.m. MT with Round 1 and continues Saturday, April 18, at 6:45 p.m. MT with Round 2 and the Championship Round immediately following. Both nights of competition will stream live on Paramount+ at 9 p.m. ET. The Monster Energy Team Challenge semifinal game will air exclusively on CBS on Sunday, April 19, at 1 p.m. ET.

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LEADING THE WAY

The world title race remains tightly contested heading into Billings.

• No. 1 John Crimber leads the standings for the fourth straight week and a season-leading sixth week overall.
• 397 points separate the Top 5 riders.
• 494.5 points separate the Top 10.
• Five different riders have held the No. 1 ranking through 16 events.

Crimber has now led longer than any rider this season, while Dalton Kasel held the top spot for four weeks and Sage Steele Kimzey for three.

Consistency continues to define the contenders:

• Eleven different riders have won events this season.
• Kimzey (3 wins), Crimber (2), Brady Fielder (2) and Kasel (2) are the only multi-time winners.
• Crimber and Alex Cerqueira lead the tour with 25 qualified rides.
• Clay Guiton holds the highest ride percentage at 63.64%, with Leandro Zampollo just behind at 63.16%.

With nine of the top-ranked riders converting at 50% or better, parity across the field remains undeniable — and with this much talent clustered at the top, one ride can shift the standings.

BULL POWER ON DISPLAY

The bulls have continued to dominate in recent weeks, delivering some of the rankest performances of the 2026 season.

In Indianapolis, eight bulls eclipsed the 45-point mark, including Cherry Shot (45.90), Doze You Down, Fire Fight, Ransom, Freedom Fighter, Red Demon, Buck Nasty and Nobody.

That momentum carried into Albuquerque, where seven bulls again broke the 45-point barrier, led by Pegasus and Fire Zone, both reaching 46.00 points.

In Sioux Falls, the standard was raised once more as Ransom posted a new season-high 46.15-point score, narrowly surpassing Man Hater’s previous mark of 46.05.

With elite-level animal athletes continuing to dictate outcomes, the bulls remain just as critical in shaping the championship race.

NOTABLE RIDERS TO WATCH

John Crimber continues to set the pace atop the standings after a dominant 4-for-4 performance in Sioux Falls, where he won three rounds and added 196.5 points to his season total.

Sage Steele Kimzey remains No. 2 and still leads the tour with three wins this season but enters Billings looking to rebound after a difficult stretch in Albuquerque and Sioux Falls.

Claudio Montanha Jr. has surged into contention, climbing to No. 13 after back-to-back runner-up finishes in Albuquerque and Sioux Falls, going 7-for-8 across those two events.

Cort McFadden enters the weekend on the verge of a milestone, needing just one qualified ride to reach 100 on the premier series.

Daniel Keeping is chasing that same mark, also needing one more ride after a strong 3-for-4 showing in Sioux Falls.

PLAYING ABOVE THE LINE

The UTB roster continues to evolve as Velocity Tour standouts earn opportunities on the premier series.

This weekend’s invites include Macaulie Leather, Trace Redd and Dener Barbosa, all ranked inside the Pendleton Whisky Top Five.

Mauricio Gulla Moreira, Joao Ricardo Vieira and Manoelito de Souza are also in the draw as alternates.

With continued cuts shaping the roster, every out in Billings carries added importance for riders fighting to remain on tour.

MONSTER ENERGY TEAM CHALLENGE — PLAYOFFS CONTINUE

The Monster Energy Team Challenge playoffs resume in Billings with a semifinal showdown.

• No. 2 Austin Gamblers (3-1) vs. No. 3 Kansas City Outlaws (3-1)

The METC Championship Tournament spans three UTB stops — Albuquerque, Billings and Tacoma — with teams competing in elimination-style 7-on-7 matchups to crown the inaugural champion.

Sunday’s semifinal airs exclusively on CBS at 1 p.m. ET, adding another layer of intensity to an already crucial weekend.

REMATCH RECAP

Several familiar matchups return to the dirt in Round 1 in Billings.

Alan de Souza faces Ghostship Warrior once again after a 2.71-second buckoff in Pittsburgh earlier this season.

Luciano De Castro meets Snap Chatter for the second time after being bucked off in 4.01 seconds during Outlaw Days in 2025.

Trace Redd draws Wild Child again following a 4.78-second buckoff in November 2025.

With the championship race tightening, these rematches offer riders another shot at redemption when it matters most.

And with the World Finals looming, this weekend has the potential to reshape the championship race in an instant — catch all the action live on Paramount+ and the Monster Energy Team Challenge playoff drama on CBS.

Photo courtesy of Bull Stock Media