Day 2 of the PBR Teams Championship was even more tantalizing than Day 1, and it sets up an incredible Championship Sunday.

The No. 1 Missouri Thunder have been eliminated, alongside the Carolina Cowboys. That leaves the Nashville Stampede, Texas Rattlers, Austin Gamblers, and Arizona Ridge Riders to duke it out in the Semifinals for a shot at the Championship.

Here’s how those four teams got to Day 3, and how they’ll match up on Championship Sunday.

Game 5:

No. 3 Nashville Stampede – 268.80 vs 259.95 – No. 4 Carolina Cowboys

Both teams hovered around each other all season, and it was finally decided once and for all who deserved the No. 3 seed. The Nashville Stampede booked their ticket to Day 3 for the first time since 2022 with a walk-off ride.

After bucking off their first bulls on Friday, Guilherme Valleiras and Jess Lockwood got their jobs done on Saturday. Valleiras rode American Made for a season-high 91.15 to break the ice, followed by a 79.20-point score from Lockwood that the Cowboys kept.

That decision allowed Daniel Feitosa and Rogério Venâncio to take the lead for the Stampede with a pair of 89.75+ rides.

With no Clay Guiton for the Cowboys after he suffered a scary landing Friday, Trevor Reiste started in his place and bucked off in under three seconds. However, Adriano Salgado retook the lead for the Cowboys after riding UB Smooth for 89.60 points, forcing Riquelmi Silva into his patented do-or-die situation.

Usually, Silva would save the day for Nashville; he leads the league with five walk-offs this season. But he was awarded a reride in his walk-off opportunity. That reride went to Gustavo Luiz da Silva instead, and he delivered, covering Let’s Roll for 89.15 points to seal Nashville’s win.

The Cowboys’ odds to return to a third straight Championship Game and defend their Title were in peril after falling to the Last Chance Game for the first time since 2022.

Game 6:

No. 2 Austin Gamblers – 359.30 vs 265.40 – No. 5 Texas Rattlers

The Rattlers entered their matchup against the Gamblers with history on their side, as they were 3-0 against Austin in Championship tournament history. That streak ended Saturday, though, as the Gamblers scored four and cruised to Championship Sunday.

Brady Fielder started the match with an 89.25-point score on Dirty Dan, and no other Rattler could score until it was too late.

Jose Vitor Leme covered Walk Off for 90.25, immediately trumping Fielder. It’s his 3rd straight 90, and the 96th of his career. The Gamblers kept piling on from there on.

Dalton Kasel had faced Doze You Down six times before Saturday, with both rider and animal tied 3-3 in their series. Kasel got ahead in the series, covering the bull for 89.30 and growing Austin’s lead.

Sage Kimzey covered Lever Action for 89.85 to put the Gamblers’ two bulls ahead through the third frame. It was just his second career ride in Las Vegas.

With the game on the line, Qynn Andersen delivered for Texas and kept their hopes alive with an 85.70-point score on Feel the Magic.

But Kaique Pacheco, the 2022 Championship MVP, put the nail in the coffin for the Rattlers with 89.90 points of his own. The Gamblers clinched their third franchise Day 3 appearance and will face the Ridge Riders, who are fresh off two massive upsets, on Sunday for a shot at the Championship Game.

João Ricardo Vieira ended the match for the Rattlers on a high note, though. He covered Big Mac for 90.45 points, marking not just his second ride of the event, but also his first 90-point score since January 2024.

Conversely, the Gamblers’ near-perfect night didn’t end how they wanted. Andrew Alvidrez was bucked from his bull and had his back stepped on. He was able to leave the arena with assistance, but the Gamblers may be without Alvidrez for Championship Sunday.

The Rattlers landed in the Last Chance Game with one more shot to make it to Day 3.

Game 7:

No. 8 Arizona Ridge Riders – 178.55 vs 89.90 – No. 1 Missouri Thunder

For the first time since 2023, the 8-seed made Day 3. And for the third time ever, the 1-seed fell to the Last Chance Game.

Things started poorly for the Thunder. Paulo Eduardo Rossetto uncharacteristically bucked off his bull, just his eighth buckoff of the season. However, the Ridge Riders couldn’t take advantage, as Everton Natan da Silva and Eduardo Aparecido also bucked off their bulls.

Julio Cesar Marques struck first and rode Cracky Chan for 89.90 points. It was Cesar Marques’ first career ride in the Teams Championship.

But Arizona’s Elizmar Jeremias responded with a laser-focused 90.55-point ride on Lieutenant Dan. He was followed by Wingson Henrique da Silva, who, in just his second out as a Ridge Rider, put them a full bull ahead with just one Thunder out left. Da Silva was 88 on Burning Inferno for his first points of the season.

That lead forced Maverick Smith into a must-ride situation as the Thunder’s closer. He needed 88.70 on Hurricane, and it seemed like he got it and had completed the walk-off, but a challenge revealed Smith touched the bull early and the result was reversed. Just like that, for the second straight year, the No. 1 seed lost their debut match.

The Ridge Riders, for the fourth time in five years, made Day 3 and will finish in the Top 4.

The Thunder, however, went on to face the Cowboys and Rattlers in the Last Chance game.

Last Chance Game:

No. 5 Texas Rattlers – 268.70 vs No. 1 Missouri Thunder – 92.95 vs No. 4 Carolina Cowboys – 87.85

It was a star-studded Last Chance Game featuring the entirety of last season’s podium. The Cowboys, Thunder, and Rattlers finished 1st, 2nd, and 3rd in that order last season, but only one, the Texas Rattlers, earned the right to compete on Championship Sunday this year.

No team could make their imprint early, though, with all three aces bucking off in the first frame.

Paulo Eduardo Rossetto and Thiago Salgado bucked off their second bulls of the night, and Brady Fielder failed to take advantage. It was Rossetto’s second straight buckoff, which he’d only done once before this season.

But Guilherme Valleiras struck first for the Cowboys. He was 87.85 on Desert Twister for his second score of the night. However, he was immediately answered by two 90-point rides.

Josh Frost exploded for 91.70 points on Moolah in his first out of the event. However, the 2024 PRCA World Champion Bull Rider was overshadowed by Maverick Smith, who was 92.95 on Ransom. The Thunder’s lead didn’t escape the frame, though, after Lucas Divino rode Hermes for 87.60, putting the Rattlers a full bull ahead.

More buckoffs from the Cowboys and Thunder allowed Qynn Andersen the opportunity to clinch the win for the Rattlers in the fourth frame. All he needed was eight seconds, which he reached with an 89.40-point ride on Mr. Fahrenheit. That put Texas two bulls ahead of the competition with one ride left each, cutting the match short.

The Texas Rattlers reach their fourth Day 3 in five years, and will take on the Nashville Stampede in the Semifinals for a chance to become the first franchise to win two Teams Championships.

The regular-season champion Thunder and the defending Champion Cowboys’ seasons ended abruptly. With their losses, the 2026 Championship match will feature two unique teams, neither of whom made it the previous year, for the first time since 2023.

——

Day 3 Matchups:

No. 3 Nashville Stampede vs No. 5 Texas Rattlers

Only one of these teams will get the opportunity to become the first two-time Champion in Teams history. The squads are tied 2-2 in the season series; however, the last time they faced off, the Rattlers scored a season-high 433.95-point perfect game.

The Rattlers came into Vegas hot and have stayed hot. They’ve now ridden 38 bulls in their last nine games. The Stampede, however, came into Vegas riding 36 bulls in their final 18 games. With their win on Saturday, that’s now 39 bulls in their last 19.

The Stampede got more accustomed to the Championship experience on Saturday. Rogério Venâncio and Gustavo Luiz da Silva each got their first scores in Las Vegas, while Daniel Feitosa got his second.

But Texas’ rides are coming from everyone and everywhere. Lucas Divino, Brady Fielder, João Ricardo Vieira, and Qynn Andersen all have two scores each so far in Vegas, with Daniel Keeping and Josh Frost notching a single 90+ score each.

And starting this year, the Semifinals are a 6v6 format. The Stampede are the only team this season without at least six riders scoring two or more rides. Instead, only five have scored more than once. No matter who the Rattlers field, they’ve reached eight seconds before this season.

The Rattlers’ momentum at this point could stampede the Stampede, but Nashville can’t be counted out thanks to Riquelmi Silva, the walk-off leader. No one has spoiled more nights for teams than Silva this season, and unless Texas can clinch early with a multi-bull lead, he’ll be ready to ride.

No. 8 Arizona Ridge Riders vs No. 2 Austin Gamblers

Arizona has built their reputation on delivering in Las Vegas, but they have yet to win it all. They’ve already gotten two upsets this tournament, most notably over the 1-seed Thunder, and can get their third against the Gamblers on Sunday in the Semifinals. Only two teams in Teams history have three or more upsets in a Championship tournament: the 2022 champion Nashville Stampede and the 2025 reserve Champion Missouri Thunder. A win for Arizona would ensure their second Top 2 finish as a franchise and would give them the opportunity to become the fifth unique Teams Champion.

This season, the Ridge Riders lead the season series against the Gamblers 3-1, but their Semifinal matchup will be the first-ever meeting between the two teams in Las Vegas.

But the Gamblers won’t let Arizona upset them without a fight. The MVP, Jose Vitor Leme, and the Gamblers came more prepared than any team had for the Teams Championship, and scored an event-leading 359.30 points. Not a single ride was worth less than 89.25 points. Arizona has averaged 87.93 points per ride with six scores. Arizona has gotten this far without a ride from their top rider, Everton Natan da Silva, as he’s 0-for-3 so far. They will need him more than ever on Sunday if the Ridge Riders want a shot at taking down the highest-scoring team remaining, especially in the new 6v6 rider format for the Semifinals.

The Gamblers have a 2-0 record in the Semifinals and have scored a combined eight rides across both matches. A third win gets the Gamblers the chance to become the first two-time Champions in Teams history.