NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Here are three things we learned from the Jack Daniel’s Music City Knockout this weekend at Bridgestone Arena.
Mauney potentially breaks left ankle in Nashville
J.B. Mauney clamped down on his teeth and slowly moved his head back as the PBR sports medicine team wrapped his left ankle and placed it into a walking boot on Saturday evening.
Mauney had just sustained the injury when Cash Ya Out fell on him during Round 3.
According to Dr. Tandy Freeman, Mauney sustained a left ankle injury and will undergo X-rays to determine the severity of the injury.
Mauney’s gut reaction is he has indeed broken his ankle.
“He hung his horn or something coming out of the chute,” Mauney said. “Wrong place at the wrong time. My toe hit the ground and when all of his weight hit the ground it just snapped it around.”
He is currently second in the world standings and trails Joao Ricardo Vieira by 167.5 points.
Mauney hopes he will be able to get a cast fitted so that he can return to action in two weeks in Thackerville, Oklahoma.
The BFTS is on break next weekend.
“I am pretty sure something is going on,” Mauney said. “If it is broke, then I will be back in Thackerville. I can’t quit now.”
Fabiano Vieira continues torrid pace and cracks Top 5
During Mauney’s recent surge to start the stretch run of the 2015 BFTS season, Fabiano Vieira has quietly gone on his own run of consistency.
Until he was bucked off by Sasquath in1.41 seconds during the championship round on Saturday night, Vieira had ridden a season-high nine consecutive bulls since the BFTS resumed two weeks ago in Biloxi, Mississippi.
“I ride nine bulls in a row?” Vieira surprisingly asked when told of his streak.
That kind of consistency has Vieira right back in the mix of the World Championship conversation and his 4-for-5 (336.50) showing in Nashville helped him win the Ride Score Championship, $50,000 and 240 bonus points toward the world standings.
“It is nice,” Vieira said. “This is a big event in the PBR. I think I ride very good here.”
Vieira just wishes he could have sealed the event title on Sasquatch.
“I am mad I bucked off the last bull,” he said. “I don’t know what happened. I didn’t see it coming. He came fast left and he bucked me off.”
Vieira was awarded 180 points for finishing runner-up to Event Champion Kaique Pacheco.
Overall, he earned an event-best 670 points to move from eighth in the world standings to fifth.
Joao Ricardo Vieira’s 0-for-2 performance helped Fabiano close the gap between him and the world leader to 1,182.5 points.
Fabiano earned 100 points for qualifying for the Elite 8 with an 87-point ride on Rusty and 150 points for qualifying for the Final 4 by riding Hot and Juicy for 84.5 points. Vieira eliminated Michael Lane (2.38 seconds onRectify) and Shane Proctor (7.99 seconds on Comanche).
He then defeated Robson Aragao (7.68 seconds on Americana) to advance to the championship round by covering Strong Heart for 85.5 points.
Aragao was able to advance out of the Second Chance Bracket as the No. 4 seed. He defeated No. 5 Tanner Byrne (4.21 seconds on Cooper Tire’s Brown Sugar) by lasting 6.95 seconds on Modified Clyde). Aragao then upset top-seeded Matt Triplett (2.37 seconds on Air Time by holding ontoSmooth Operator for 3.55 seconds.
Aragao later got past No. 2 Cody Nance with 3.86 seconds on Who Dey.
Aragao earned 150 points for qualifying for the Final Four and moves from 19th to 16th in the world standings.
Triplett fell to No. 4 in the world standings, but he did gain 100 points on Joao Ricardo Vieira and trails Vieira by 892.5 points.
Pacheco cracks Top 3 of world standings
Pacheco became the first rookie bull rider to win a PBR Major by riding Percolator for 76.5 points in the championship round to claim the Event Championship and $75,000.
“I am so happy to win this event,” Pacheco said with the help of Guilherme Marchi translating. “As we saw, the competition is very tough. There are a lot of tough bulls too. It is my American Dream to do well here.”
Pacheco finished the weekend only 2-for-5, but he was able to eliminateAaron Roy, Byrne, Triplett, Stetson Lawrence (2.69 seconds on Diesel) and Fabiano Vieira along the way.
Lawrence (3-for-4) earned 250 points toward the world standings to move to the ninth ranking after arriving in Nashville 12th.
Pacheco earned 650 points toward the world standings to leapfrog Triplett for the world No. 3 ranking.
Even more so, Pacheco is within 707.5 points of the world lead.
Pacheco earned 100 points toward the standings by defeating Byrne in Round 3 with an 80.25-point ride on Loco Freak.
Pacheco then took down Triplett when he lasted 4.56 seconds on Ferdinand to earn 150 points
The 20-year-old is currently trying to become the first PBR rookie to ever win the Rookie of the Year and world title in the same season.
INJURY UPDATES
According to Freeman, Chase Outlaw did not compete in the Second Chance Bracket after injuring his left shoulder in Round 2 on Friday night.
Follow Justin Felisko on Twitter @jfelisko.
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