Mavericks Edge Rattlers in New York Thriller as PBR Teams Playoff Race Tightens

Missouri heads to Kansas City as regular-season champion, while two first-round playoff byes remain up for grabs.

BELMONT PARK, N.Y. — Hang on, bull-riding fans—the road to Las Vegas just got a whole lot tighter!

The New York Mavericks gave their hometown crowd a Sunday finish worth standing for, slipping past the Texas Rattlers 263.75–263.30 at UBS Arena on October 18. That’s a winning margin of just 0.45 points, with three qualified rides on each side.

New York wrapped up Go Bowling Maverick Days with a 2–1 weekend record, while the Missouri Thunder left town carrying the franchise’s first PBR Teams regular-season championship.

Across the three-day showcase, riders delivered 79 qualified rides, a PBR Teams record for a three-day event, according to the league’s event report.

With three games remaining for each team, the next stop is Kansas City—and there is still plenty to settle before the championship in Las Vegas.

Castro delivers as Mavericks hold off Texas

Texas struck first when Josh Frost covered Smooth Movin Train for 85.20 points.

New York answered immediately. Hudson Bolton put 88.80 points on the board aboard Kangaroo Jack, and Marco Rizzo added 86.05 on Jailbird.

But the Rattlers weren’t about to slither away quietly.

Australian standout Brady Fielder delivered 89.80 points on Heavy Load, putting Texas ahead by a razor-thin 0.15 points.

That opened the gate for Leonardo Castro. The Brazilian stayed with Flyin’ Solo for 88.90 points, giving New York the score it needed.

Texas had one more answer: Lucas Divino’s 88.30-point ride on Tulsa Time. It brought the Rattlers close—but not close enough.

Both teams finished the weekend 2–1.

Kimzey lights up the scoreboard for Austin

If you were looking for fireworks, Sage Steele Kimzey supplied them.

Kimzey rode Freedom Fighter for a personal season-high 91.90 points, helping the Austin Gamblers overwhelm the Nashville Stampede 356.10–178.80.

It was his fourth 90-point ride of the season.

Jose Vitor Leme opened Austin’s scoring with 88.95 points on Walk Off, completing a perfect 3-for-3 weekend. He extended his lead in the PBR Teams MVP race to 179.45 points over Missouri’s Paulo Eduardo Rossetto.

Andrew Alvidrez added 87.75 points, while substitute Jesse Petri delivered 87.50 aboard The HONDO on a re-ride.

Austin covered four bulls for the second consecutive day and held onto second place in the standings.

Freedom knock off the regular-season champions

Missouri had already secured its regular-season crown, but the Florida Freedom made sure the Thunder’s weekend ended with a reminder: nobody gets a free ride.

Florida won 129.95–88.55.

New acquisition Luciano De Castro continued his strong start with the Freedom, scoring 83.20 points on Hoka Hey to improve to 3-for-3 since joining the team.

The decisive contribution came from Manoelito de Souza Junior, who fought through a difficult ride on Iceberg Slimfor 46.75 points.

The score wasn’t pretty, but it counted. Florida declined the re-ride, and the decision paid off.

The ride also ended de Souza Junior’s 38-out buckoff streak, identified in the event report as a PBR Teams record.

Wildcatters win an eight-ride shootout

Talk about saving the best for last!

Natanael Serra Aires rode Kill Switch for 88.55 points on Oklahoma’s final out, lifting the Wildcatters past the Kansas City Outlaws 354.25–353.40.

Each team recorded four qualified rides.

Kansas City’s Sandro Batista posted his seventh consecutive qualified ride, scoring 90.45 points on Bex Red Eye. Teammate Hayden Welsh added 90.65 aboard Irish Car Bomb.

Oklahoma countered with scores from Eduardo Matos, Winy dos Santos and Renan Almeida Alves, setting the stage for Aires’ winning finish.

The victory kept Oklahoma from being mathematically locked into the postseason Ride-In Game.

Carolina climbs into third

The Carolina Cowboys shut out the Arizona Ridge Riders 176.55–0, moving ahead of Nashville into third place.

Thiago Salgado opened with 87.45 points on Getcha Some, and Clay Guiton added 89.10 on Joker.

Carolina finished 2–1 in New York. Arizona went 0–3, one weekend after sweeping its own home event.

Standings heading to Kansas City

Missouri has secured one of the three first-round playoff byes. Austin, Carolina, Nashville and Texas remain eligible for the other two.

The regular season concludes at Outlaw Days, October 23–25, at T-Mobile Center in Kansas City, Missouri.

Then comes the PBR Teams Championship, November 6–8, at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.

Three games apiece remain. Two byes are still available. Every qualified ride could change the road to the championship.