Hometown Ridge Riders Dominate Thunder on Night Two Inside Desert Diamond Arena

By Andrew Hatfield

GLENDALE, Ariz. – On the second night of the second annual PBR (Professional Bull Riders) Team Series event at Desert Diamond Arena in Glendale, Arizona, the hometown Arizona Ridge Riders shut out the Missouri Thunder, 260.75-0.

Nick Tetz brought the crowd to its feet by giving Arizona an early lead and the team never looked back. Vitor Losnake, with the game already in hand, converted in the second to last out to bring an elated Desert Diamond Arena to a fever-pitch as they roared in support of their Ridge Riders.

In a battle of the league’s top two teams, Kansas City’s Sandro Batista remained perfect with his new team as the Outlaws kept their hopes of securing the No. 1 seed heading into the 2023 PBR Team Series Championship alive by defeating the Austin Gamblers in a shootout, 257.75-177.25. MVP frontrunners in Austin’s Jose Vitor Leme and the Outlaws’ Cassio Dias also converted, keeping Leme just 170.25 points ahead of the rookie Dias. Saturday’s conversion marks Leme’s league-leading 18th ride of the season, while Dias is now an incredible 16-for-21 (76.12%) for the Outlaws.

In the most lopsided contest of the night, the Oklahoma Freedom blanked the Nashville Stampede 267.50-0 behind Alex Cerqueira’s monstrous 91.75-point ride, the highest-marked ride of the evening and tying Arizona’s Chase Dougherty for the highest ride of the 2023 PBR Teams’ season.

Less than five hours from his hometown of Window Rock, Arizona, Cody Jesus and the Rattlers mounted a comeback victory over Cooper Davis and the Carolina Cowboys, 88.75-88, on Texas’ second-to-last out of the contest.

Ridge Rider Days continues on Sunday, October 1 at 1:45 MST. Tickets are still available and can be purchased online at Ticketmaster.com and PBR.com, at the Desert Diamond Arena box office, or by calling PBR customer service at 1-800-732-1727.

PBR RidePass on Pluto TV will offer replays of all the PBR Teams Camping World Series action from Glendale, Arizona. Check https://pluto.tv/en/live-tv/pbr-ridepass for the latest programming schedule.

Ridge Rider Days Team Standings:

Here are the current Team standings for the Glendale PBR Camping World Team Series event after the second day of competition for PBR Ridge Rider Days:

1 Kansas City Outlaws 2-0-0 – 520.75

1 Oklahoma Freedom 2-0-0 – 441.25

1 Texas Rattlers 2-0-0 – 264.25

4 Arizona Ridge Riders 1-1-0 – 346.00

5 Nashville Stampede 1-1-0 – 86.75

6 Austin Gamblers 0-2-0 – 350.50

7 Carolina Cowboys 0-2-0 – 170.25

8 Missouri Thunder 0-2-0 – 0.00

PBR Teams Season Standings:

Here are the current Team standings for the regular season after the second day of competition for PBR Thunder Days in Glendale, Arizona:

1 Austin Gamblers 17-7-0 (3,932.75)

2 Kansas City Outlaws 14-10-0 (4,334.75)

3 Texas Rattlers 13-11-0 (3,984.75)

4 Oklahoma Freedom 13-11-0 (2,920.00)

5 Arizona Ridge Riders 11-13-0 (3,127.25)

6 Carolina Cowboys 10-14-0 (3,197.50)

7 Nashville Stampede 9-15-0 (2,503.50)

8 Missouri Thunder 7-17-0 (1,997.50)

October 1 Game Schedule:

Here are the game matchups for the third day of action for PBR Ridge Rider Days on Sunday, Oct. 1:

Nashville Stampede @ Austin Gamblers
Missouri Thunder @ Carolina Cowboys
Texas Rattlers @ Kansas City Outlaws
Oklahoma Freedom @ Arizona Ridge Riders

SCORE BULLETINS

 

Outlaws’ Batista, Dias Remain Perfect in Glendale, Knock Off No. 1 Gamblers

Austin Gamblers: 177.25
Kansas City Outlaws: 257.75

The Kansas City Outlaws (14-10) defeated the Austin Gamblers (17-7) during Day 2’s opening matchup of the PBR’s (Professional Bull Riders) Ridge Rider Days in Glendale, Arizona.

After the Gamblers’ Ezekiel Mitchell (Rockdale, Texas) was bucked off in the first out, Kansas City’s Leonardo Castro Ferreira (Cassilandia, Brazil) kicked off Day 2’s scoring with an 86.25-point ride on Double R Hat House Pepper Shaker (Cooper/Scruggs Bucking Bulls).

Now in a groove, the Outlaws’ Sandro Batista (Pedra Preta, Brazil) kept the good times rolling, topping Show Me (Cooper/Scruggs Bucking Bulls) for 87.25 points to extend Kansas City’s lead, making him a perfect 2-for-2 since being traded to the Outlaws.

Austin’s Lucas Divino (Nova Crixas, Brazil) attempted to close the gap atop Black Gold (Cooper/Scruggs Bucking Bulls) but was dispatched by the powerful animal athlete.

Kansas City’s Bob Mitchell (Steelville, Missouri) had an early opportunity to seal a victory for the Outlaws with five outs remaining but was barely bucked off before the whistle by JAG Metals Grand Theft (D&H Cattle Co/Philip Elkins) in 7.47 seconds.

The Gamblers were awarded a re-ride in the next out, keeping their hopes alive for a miraculous comeback after Kansas City’s Julio Cesar Marques (Tatui, Brazil) was bucked off Brody’s Outlaw (Mann Creek Buck N’ Bulls) in 1.61 seconds.

Rafael dos Santos (Quitman, Georgia) took advantage of that re-ride opportunity, putting Austin on the board with a game-high 89.25-point ride atop Taylor’s Cowtown Throwdown (Farris Cattle/Big Schott Rodeo/Triple T Livestock).

With just the closers left atop the chutes, Kansas City’s Cassio Dias (Sao F. de Sales, Brazil) catapulted out of the gate aboard Heater (D&H Cattle Company) and made the horn for 84.25 points, securing the victory for the No. 2 ranked Kansas City Outlaws and keeping the No. 1 spot within reach.

While Austin’s Jose Vitor Leme (Ribas do Rio Pardo, Brazil) converted for 88 points on Chateau Montelena’s Montana Jacket (Vella/Coleman/Ogden/Hart), the game was already decided.

The red-hot Outlaws will try to secure either a spot in Extra Outs or an event win against the Texas Rattlers (11-13) on Sunday, while Austin will attempt to salvage one win in Glendale against the Nashville Stampede (9-15).