For the third time in 12 events on the PBR Unleash the Beast Tour this season, Sage Kimzey stood above the rest, this time with 180.9 points on two bulls in Little Rock. Only one other bull rider has multiple wins this season, and no one else has three.

The always-methodical Kimzey took weekend prior off in Bridgeport to rest, and the calculated decision from “The Professor” paid off. After bucking off his first bull, he responded with rides of 89.35 and 91.75 to win Round 2 and the Championship Round. In all three of his event wins this season, he has sealed the victory the same way, by going 90 on Lights Out.

Kimzey has now been victorious in his last two PBR Unleash the Beast Tour events after also winning PBR Jacksonville. The numbers are almost identical: 137 UTB points in Arkansas and 138 in Jacksonville. With his full body of work, Kimzey has accumulated 637 UTB points and leads John Crimber by 83 points, the largest gap between No. 1 and No. 2 this season.

Kimzey leads the Unleash the Beast Tour in qualified rides, riding percentage, 90-point rides, and round wins this season. He is covering 68 percent of his bulls for an average score of 86.89 points. Needless to say, the seven-time PRCA world champion is in position to win his first PBR Gold Buckle.

Leandro Zampollo’s Dream Season Continues

In his first year on the PBR Unleash the Beast Tour in 2025, Leandro Zampollo managed just 8-of-41 bulls for the entire season. Through 12 events in 2026, he has covered 18 and recently notched his third second-place finish in the last four weeks.

During that time, Zampollo has climbed from No. 11 to No. 3 in the world, the highest ranking of his career.

His most recent runner-up came over the weekend in Little Rock, where he responded to a Round 1 buck-off by riding his next two bulls for 88.35 and 89.5 points. That second ride highlights perhaps the most impressive part of his 2026 campaign: he has made six Championship Rounds this season and covered five bulls.

In other words, a rider who struggled to stay on bulls just one year ago is now covering some of the rankest bulls in the PBR at an 83 percent clip.

Zampollo returned to form quickly after a rocky stretch in January, during which he rode only two bulls across three events. Since then, his results have been nearly flawless:

• Perfect 3-for-3 in Pittsburgh
• 1-for-2 in Jacksonville
• Perfect 3-for-3 again in Jacksonville
• 2-for-3 in Little Rock

Although he has never won a UTB event, Zampollo is unquestionably close. Outside of Sage Kimzey, no rider has been more consistent recently. With one strong week in May, Zampollo could transform from a UTB afterthought to world champion within 365 days.

John Crimber Tries to Keep Pace

Despite not taking home the win, World No. 2 John Crimber had the weekend he needed in Little Rock as he continues to do everything possible to keep pace with Sage Kimzey.

Crimber missed an opportunity while Kimzey sat out in Bridgeport, riding just one bull and failing to make the Championship Round. After that setback, he also had to contend with Kimzey winning in Little Rock, but Crimber stepped up to ensure he didn’t lose too much ground.

He went 2-for-3 with rides of 88.6 and 87.75 points, taking third in the event and earning 70 UTB points. This marks his fourth Top 3 finish of the season.

Currently, Kimzey leads with 637 UTB points, while Crimber sits at 554, with six events remaining in the regular season.

Rest In Peace, Man Hater

The PBR announced the passing of two-time World Champion bull Man Hater on Sunday morning, not long after the elite bull suffered an injury to his back right leg with Brady Fielder aboard him in the Championship Round.

Man Hater was loaded into the trailer and quickly transported to Oklahoma State University, where X-Rays showed his shattered leg could not be repaired.

“We weren’t just hauling a bull, we were carrying a vision,” JW and Leann Hart said. “Tonight, that vision came true. It just wasn’t on this side of heaven. There is no greater victory than being healed, being whole and being back with the cowboy who knew exactly what he was worth. Rest easy, king of the hill.”

Man Hater led the 2026 Bull Standings and was the top bull of the event in six of first 11 events of the season. He also had the Top 2 outs, 46.05 in Pittsburgh and 45.80 in Jacksonville.

Heading the Right Direction

Austin Richardson followed up his 2-for-3 showing in Bridgeport with a 93.3-point ride on Ransom to win Round 1. He has finished sixth and seventh the last two weekends.

Paulo Eduardo Rossetto went 2-for-3 and has made the Championship Round each of the last two weekends. He is No. 6 in the UTB Standings.

Brady Fielder finished eighth in Little Rock and has made the last five Championship Rounds. His best finish in that timeframe is fourth in Salt Lake City.

Alan de Souza took fourth with 175.70 points, which is the best finish of his 2026 season. His 52 UTB Points from Little Rock are the most he has picked up at an event this year.

Stats to Know

Sage Kimzey’s scores on Lights Out have been 91.55, 90.75, and 92.05 points this season. He has won all three events that he has selected that bull in the Championship Round.

Sage Kimzey now has five round wins this season. The next closest competitors are Jess Lockwood and Clay Guiton with three apiece.

Austin Richardson’s Round 1 ride on Ransom was the highest-marked ride of the season, besting Dalton Kasel’s 92.55 on Lights Out in Milwaukee.

The gap between No. 1 and No. 10 widened from 191 points to 311 points over the weekend.

Velocity Tour Update

Marcus Mast claimed victory in front of a soldout crowd in Reading, Pennsylvania with 170.50 points on two. He covered each of his first two bulls, winning Round 1 with 87.5 on Tags. There was not a single ride in the Championship Round.

Mast had to persevere through some travel issues, making a 10-hour drive from South Bend, Indiana to Reading to ensure he got there in time for the beginning of the event.

Brody Robinson was the only other bull rider to cover a pair for second, while veterans Eli Vastbinder, Dener Barbosa, and Vitor Losnake rounded out the Top 5.

What’s Next

The Unleash the Beast Tour will be Tallahassee on the campus of Florida State University, building off the success of the outdoor extravaganza at Colorado State last summer.

It is the third UTB event in Florida this season and it will be the first time bulls are bucked inside Doak Campbell Stadium. Miranda Lambert and Jon Pardi will perform as well.

“All of us at FSU Athletics are extremely excited to welcome PBR to Tallahassee and Florida State University,” said Michael Alford, Vice President and Director of Athletics at FSU when the event was announced in October. “This is a landmark event for FSU, Tallahassee, and the entire Big Bend region. PBR has earned a reputation for excellence, and we are proud to partner with them to bring this event to Doak Campbell Stadium.”