Idleman Upsets BFO’s Best
Oklahoman knocks off 3-time champ Rutkowski to advance to Saturday
LAS VEGAS – Dylan Idleman pulled off one of the biggest upsets in Bullfighters Only history Thursday afternoon, upending three-time world champion Weston Rutkowski in the Winners Bracket Round of the Las Vegas Championship.
In a match that featured two brutal and powerful bulls, both men took body shots that left them staggered. It was a classic bout in the City of Lights. It wasn’t pretty, but Idleman came out on top with 79.5 points and advances to Saturday’s Championship Round at the Tropicana Las Vegas.
“That’s no easy task,” said Idleman of Madill, Oklahoma. “He comes in here as the three-time world champion. The bull was good. I lost my footing a couple of times and took that shot, but I was able to refocus and put on a pretty good bullfight.”
He earned his way into this week’s field through the Qualifier Rounds, beating Travis Summers in their head-to-head match last Saturday. He then posted an 81.5-point bout in the Seeding Round to advance into Monday’s first Preliminary Round, where he pulled off his another upset of the week in topping 10th ranked Tucker Lane with an 83.5-point fight.
“This was my fifth bull I’ve called for since I’ve been here, and it’s been damaging to my body,” Idleman said. “I actually pulled off my first upset last week in the Roughy Cup when I beat (No. 4-ranked) Beau Schueth, but I hurt my knee and couldn’t compete in the short round.”
That was just the first of several ailments he’s received over the eight days of action. He’ll have to continue his hot streak on Saturday if he stands a chance to win the Las Vegas Championship title.
“That fight was not very pretty,” he said. “It was kind of rough and hurt a little. I think the half-point difference was me making that jump. I started that fight with a bang and felt good after that. I got bumped around a little bit, but if felt good to have that kind of start.
“You take a chance that you’re going to get knocked around, but when you compete for this money, you have to lay it on the line or you’ve got to go home. That win is a big confidence-builder.”
Meanwhile, he’s spent any off-time with the Fit N Wise Sports Medicine team, either recovering from his injured knee or rehabilitating a high ankle sprain he suffered in the qualifier or handling the bumps and bruises sustained on Thursday.
“That’s the good thing about winning; I’m going to get a break,” Idleman said. “I’m going to take time to relax, spend time in sports med and get myself ready for those big bulls on Saturday.”
He will be joined in Saturday’s round with Andres Gonzalez, Riley McKettrick, Chris Furr, Beau Schueth and Aaron Mercer. The men who came up short will compete in Friday’s Wild Card Round.
Courtesy of twisTEDrodeo.com