Kansas City 15/15 Preview: Pacheco to Face Smooth Operator for Seventh Time
By: Justin Felisko
PUEBLO, Colo. – 2018 World Champion Kaique Pacheco was making a lights-out bull ride aboard reigning YETI World Champion Bull Smooth Operator four weeks ago in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, before he went to pull at the tail of his bull rope milliseconds before the 8-second mark.
It was a stunning mistake by the normally mentally stout Pacheco. Everything on that night looked as if Pacheco was going to become only the sixth rider in more than 100 attempts at all levels of competition to ride one of the rankest bulls in the PBR. Instead, Pacheco touched his bull rope at 7.81 seconds.
If the same situation comes up again at this weekend’s 15/15 Bucking Battle in Kansas City, Missouri, don’t bet on Pacheco grasping for his bull rope too soon
“I don’t even know what happened, but unfortunately I made a mistake, and this time I won’t do it again,” Pacheco said with the help of Miriaham Garcia translating on Tuesday morning.
Pacheco will square off against Smooth Operator for the seventh time in his career when the two collide inside the Sprint Center on Saturday night. The 25-year-old is 0-6 against Smooth Operator, but he has come close to riding him during his last two opportunities.
“He’s an excellent bull, very difficult,” Pacheco said. “I’ve ridden him several times. I had a good shot on my last ride on him, but unfortunately I made a mistake that I won’t make again.”
15/15 Bucking Battle Matchups (CBS national television Sunday at 12:30 p.m. ET)
Ramon de Lima vs. Smooth Wreck (23-7, UTB)
Mason Taylor vs. Red Moon (18-9, UTB)*
Fabiano Vieira vs. Nailed (17-24, UTB)
Derek Kolbaba vs. Godzilla (7-1, UTB)
Dener Barbosa vs. Cool Customer (22-4, UTB)
Eduardo Aparecido vs. Air Assault (8-1, UTB)
Claudio Montanha Jr. vs. Canadian Mist (31-4, UTB)
Colten Jesse vs. Lil 2 Train (16-7, UTB)
Matt Triplett vs. Evil Intentions (4-1, UTB)
Cole Melancon vs. Viper (11-2, UTB)
Kaique Pacheco vs. Smooth Operator (74-7)*
Daylon Swearingen vs. Blue Crush (4-2, UTB)*
Joao Ricardo Vieira vs. Hocus Pocus (9-1, UTB)
Jess Lockwood vs. Marquis Metal Works Bill The Butcher (10-3, UTB)
Jose Vitor Leme vs. The Right Stuff (7-1, UTB)*
Bull previously bucked off rider in prior meeting
Two-time World Champion and CBS Sports analyst Justin McBride called Pacheco’s mistake a mental error during the national broadcast in Oklahoma City, and voiced his own disappointment because Pacheco “had knocked the riding part right of the park.”
“You talk about the correction he made, right here I am thinking he is too far to the inside (and he) holds just perfectly,” McBride said. “He is taking a lot of pressure on his hand meeting the kick, meeting the kick, and he goes two hands down here really, really close to the 8 seconds.”
Pacheco vs. Smooth Operator will be a meeting between two of the best in the sport.
Pacheco is ranked No. 5 in the world standings, and Smooth Operator is No. 2 in the early YETI World Champion Bull standings with a 45.75-point average on four outs.
The 10-year-old is coming off a 45.5-point outing at the 2020 WinStar World Casino and Resort Global Cup USA, presented by Monster Energy, after Jake Gardner nearly rode him (7.73 seconds) in Arlington, Texas.
Smooth Operator may have bucked Pacheco off in all six of their meetings with an average buckoff time of 3.97 seconds, but he is only averaging 43.63 points against Pacheco.
The 2020 YETI World Champion Bull is based on a bull’s top eight outs during the premier series regular season and two outs at the PBR World Finals. The bull with the highest average bull score across those 10 outs will be crowned the champion.
Hocus Pocus is third in the 2020 standings with a 45.67-point average following back-to-back 46-point outings. Hocus Pocus was marked 46.25 points at the Global Cup for bucking off Lachlan Richardson (3.95 seconds), and two weeks before that scored 46 points for dismantling Derek Kolbaba in 2.06 seconds.
15/15 Bucking Battle Rematches
Swearingen vs. Blue Crush (5.66 seconds in New York City)
Leme vs. The Right Stuff (6.87 seconds last year in Oklahoma City)
Taylor vs. Red Moon (0-3)
Pacheco vs. Smooth Operator (0-6)
Pacheco’s matchup is one of four rematches taking place in the 15/15 Bucking Battle.
Leme will try to avenge his 6.87-second buckoff against The Right Stuff and extend his lead atop the world standings. The No. 1-ranked bull rider in the world leads No. 2 Jess Lockwood by 115 points.
Follow Justin Felisko on Twitter @jfelisko
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