Bolton set a PBR record for the best start to a career at World Finals courtesy of his 13-for-15 all-time slate following his successful 8-second dance, which doubled as his fourteenth-straight qualified ride, a separate PBR-record tying effort of its own.

“The fans out here make you ride better when they cheer this good. I’m just grateful for God and I’ve got to give Him all of the glory and the praise,” Bolton said on the Paramount+ telecast.

“I told Kate Harrison a couple weeks back my goal was to ride all of my bulls and as long as I accomplish my goal, it’ll all work out.”

The unextinguishable 2025 PBR Rookie of the Year has now bested 15 of his last 16 bulls and netted a crucial 26 UTB points for his fifth-place finish in Round 7, up to a combined 618.85 points in the event aggregate at the forefront of one of the closest world title races in PBR history.

Attempting to fend off Bolton and several other late-season hopefuls atop the Unleash The Beast standings, No. 1 John Crimber (Decatur, Texas) recorded his second qualified ride of the event, an 84.95-point dance with Icky Thump, to keep his own world title hopes alive during Saturday night’s final out.

“I’m behind in the average, so I was very thankful to get by. He’s kind of a tough bull to ride and I’m just happy to be here, blessed. I’m just going to leave it all in God’s hands,” Crimber said on the Paramount+ telecast.

“This is what I live for right here, moments like this, and I’m just so blessed to be back here with my buddies. Them supporting me, it’s a different feeling when they’re back there. I can hear their voices. It’s like I can go wrestle a bear if I need to. I love it.”

Crimber leads No. 2 Brady Fielder (Clermont, Australia) in the gold buckle race by 128.83 points. Fielder went the distance atop Turning Point for 86.60 points in Round 7 to go 4-for-7 in the event and leap into fifth place on the event leaderboard.

No. 3 Sage Steele Kimzey (Strong City, Oklahoma) touched Smooth Violation 2.55 seconds into his attempt aboard the animal athlete to fall to 2-for-7 at World Finals.

No. 4 Leandro Zampollo (Prasanna, Brazil) bucked off Heavy Load in 4.63 seconds, while No. 5 Alex Cerqueira(Gautami, Brazil) went the distance aboard Semi Sober for 75.65 points.

Cerqueira declined a re-ride attempt in favor of keeping his third conversion of the weekend, ending the night in thirteenth-place tie on the big board.

Michael Lane (Tazewell, Virginia) won Round 7 courtesy of an 89.50-point strike aboard Let’s Roll early in the night, the first premier series round win of his 18-year career.

The 2026 PBR Rookie of the Year race remains dramatically close, with both No. 16 Marco Rizzo (Quitman, Georgia) and No. 17 Maverick Smith (Cabool, Missouri) unable to go the distance during their respective Round 7 outs. Rizzo remains 31 points ahead of Smith.

Returning to the top of the event leaderboard, No. 11 Luciano De Castro (Gadolinia, Brazil) defended his second-place status by improving to 5-for-7 at the season-culminating showdown. Making the most of a re-ride opportunity paired with The Player, Castro matched the bull step-for-step en route to earning 87.40 points.

Castro gained 28 UTB points for his fourth-place finish in Round 7 and remains in contention for both the World Finals event title and gold buckle.

2022 PBR World Champion Daylon Swearingen (Piffard, New York) rocketed into the Top 3 of the event aggregate after besting Tecovas Triple Aught for 86.60 points Saturday.

Swearingen improved to 4-for-7 at World Finals and earned 20.7 UTB points for his successful dance, now ranked No. 6, but was visibly shaken up, helped off the dirt, and headed for sports medicine in a wheelchair after getting tied up with his bovine opponent during his dismount. Swearingen sits in third place ahead of Championship Sunday.

No. 29 Lucas Divino (Nova Crixas, Brazil) trails Swearingen by 5.05 points in the event aggregate. Divino bucked off El Patron in 4.60 seconds but remains in fourth place.

No. 7 Paulo Eduardo Rossetto (Colorado, Brazil) was dispatched to the dirt by Jameson in 5.68 seconds but remains one bull score ahead of No. 9 Claudio Montanha Jr. (Ribeirao dos Indios, Brazil) in sixth place as the sixth and final cowboy with four qualified rides.

Thirty-five riders have notched at least one ride in Fort Worth, with 15 competitors bringing two ride scores into Championship Sunday and 14 riders owning three or more conversions.

Cowboys who didn’t record a qualified ride throughout the event’s first seven rounds were eliminated from competition following Round 7. The top 15 riders on the event leaderboard following Round 8 will advance to the Championship Round.

Action for the 2026 PBR World Finals: Unleash The Beast concludes at Dickies Arena Sunday, May 17 at 1:45 p.m. CT, with Championship Sunday coverage set to begin on Paramount+ at 2 p.m. CT.

All eight days of World Finals competition are available via Paramount+.