TUCSON, Ariz. – As the 2025 world title race got underway this weekend in Arizona, 19-year-old John Crimber (Decatur, Texas) threw his hat in the contender ring after an impeccable 3-for-3 weekend, clinching the win at the 2025 PBR (Professional Bull Riders) Unleash The Beast (UTB) season-launch event in Tucson.
“It’s my lord and savior Jesus Christ who gave me this talent to ride bulls. I have to give all the blessings to him,”
John Crimber
Just a few weeks after being crowned the 2024 PBR Camping World Team Series MVP for his inaugural season with the Florida Freedom, the Texas cowboy – who knocked down 66.7% of his rides for the team in the recently concluded season – was already off to a momentous start as Saturday night swung into full gear, courtesy of an 89.5-point Round 1 ride Friday night aboard Sucker Pop.
Picking up where he left off the night before as he exploded from the chutes Saturday night aboard Sometimes I Fly in Round 2, Crimber’s solid 87.25-point ride punched his ticket to the final round.
VIDEO COURTESY OF PBR FOR TENN TEXAS MEDIA
Crimber then selected Ricky Vaughn as his bovine opponent in the championship round.
With fans inside Tucson Arena on the edge of their seats, he dismounted the resilient animal following the 8-second buzzer and walked across the arena, pumping his fist in the air as a giant smile spread across his face. The arena erupted when announcers revealed his 92.5-point score.
VIDEO COURTESY OF PBR FOR TENN TEXAS MEDIA
As Dalton Kasel (Muleshoe, Texas) readied to ride, Crimber stood in the wings, waiting to see the outcome. Kasel’s buckoff after 6.2 seconds clinched the event win for Crimber.
“It’s my lord and savior Jesus Christ who gave me this talent to ride bulls. I have to give all the blessings to him,” Crimber said. “Last season, I showed up and really didn’t expect to win. This season, I told myself I’d let it all hang out, trust in the good Lord, and that’s what I’m going to do the rest of the season.”
As the only rider to go 3-for-3 over the weekend, Crimber’s premier series win earned him a $57,350 check. He also collected 142 points and now tops the UTB standings in the race for the 2025 world title.
Despite Kasel’s buckoff in the championship round, he finished the weekend in Tucson in second place.
Fresh off a major win in Las Vegas with the Austin Gamblers to clinch the 2024 PBR Teams Championship title, Kasel began the weekend by besting Dangerous Medicine for88.75 points on Friday. He knew he had ground to gain as he entered Saturday at No. 4 on the event leaderboard.
Sailing through Round 2 with an 89.25-point dance with All Hat No Rattle, the 25-year-old Texan set his sights on his final ride of the weekend.
VIDEO COURTESY OF PBR FOR TENN TEXAS MEDIA
In perfect form as Always Been Crazy launched through the air, Kasel appeared to be in control. But as the clock hit 6.2, he unceremoniously hit the ground.
For his efforts, Kasel, who now sits in the No. 2 position in the standings, earned 84 points toward the Unleash The Beast standings and $24,300.
Third place in Tucson put Koltin Hevalow (Smithville, Missouri) in the No. 3 spot in the standings as the season begins.
The Kansas City Outlaws’ rider walked into Saturday at No. 8 in the event after his 88.25-point ride aboard I’m AHostage in Round 1.
After an 88-point ride in Round 2 aboard Chateau Montelena’s Montana Jacket, his spot was secured in the championship round.
VIDEO COURTESY OF PBR FOR TENN TEXAS MEDIA
Hevalow carefully selected UTZ BesTex Smokestack as his matchup for the final round. Matching the crowd’s energy, the 21-year-old made it just short of the 8 – bucking off at 7.63 seconds.
Collecting 63.5 points and $12,100, Hevalow now sits at No. 3 in the UTB standings as the battle for the next world title begins.
Veteran riders Eduardo Aparecido (Gouvelandia, Brazil) and Mason Taylor (Maypearl, Texas) also had clutch 2-for-3 weekends to split fourth place in Tucson.
Aparecido, who began the weekend by besting Cliff Hanger for 87.25 points on Friday, knew he had ground to gain as he entered Saturday at a shared No. 8 on the event leaderboard.
Sailing through Round 2 with an 86-point dance with Highwire, the 34-year-old Arizona Ridge Rider set his sights on his final ride of the weekend.
Despite what started as an impressive high-flying ride on Electric Kitty, the out ended abruptly at 5.67 seconds.
Starting the weekend aboard Whiplash Friday night, Taylor, a member of the 2024 New York Mavericks, sailed into Saturday with his 87.25-point score.
Early on Saturday, Taylor was matched with Lapua in Round 2. His 86-point score paved his way to the championship round.
Climbing atop the shark cage in hopes of collecting his first UTB win of the season, the 25-year-old bull rider selected King Tut in the championship round.
Matching the bull’s athleticism and talent, Taylor gave it his all but hit the ground at a mere 2.6 seconds.
Both cowboys earned 39 points and now share the No. 4 spot in the UTB standings.
Despite an impressive start to Saturday by winning Round 2 with a massive 90.25-point ride aboard Constant Payne, the first 90-point ride of his premier series career, Elizmar Jeremias (Anapu, Brazil) was unable to convert in the final round. Selecting Feeds Red River as his opponent, the 28-year-old Florida Freedom athlete was bested at 5.54 seconds.
VIDEO COURTESY OF PBR FOR TENN TEXAS MEDIA
In the bull pen, the impressive 46.5-point buckoff by Younts Brody’s Pet (Farris Cattle/ Big Schott Rodeo) in his Round 1 matchup with Alan de Souza (Taubate, Brazil) earned the esteemed animal athlete the YETI Bull of the Event title.
All three rounds of action in Tucson, Arizona, were available LIVE and FREE on RidePass on Pluto TV, PBR’s YouTube channel (https://www.youtube.com/@pbr), PBR’s mobile app (https://qrco.de/bdtdKp), and PBR’s app on connected TVs, including Apple TV, Fire TV, Roku and Google TV.
PBR RidePass on Pluto TV will offer re-airs and on-demand replays of PBR UTB events and is available on desktops, laptops and mobile devices via www.pluto.tv.
The PBR Unleash The Beast next travels to Ontario, California, for PBR Ontario at Toyota Arena on Saturday, Nov. 23, at 6:45 p.m. PST and Sunday, Nov. 24, at 11:45 p.m. PST.
