Reigning World Champion Leme Sustains Potential Broken Jaw and Concussion in Sioux Falls

By: Justin Felisko

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. – For seven seconds, it sure looked as if reigning World Champion Jose Vitor Leme was going way north of 90 points aboard JAG Metals Grand Theft in the 15/15 Bucking Battle during the PBR First PREMIER Bank PREMIER Bankcard Invitational, presented by Cooper Tires, on Saturday night.

Then everything changed. The fans in attendance at the Denny Sanford PREMIER Center were left holding their breath as the No. 5-ranked bull rider in the world was sprawled out on the ground in pain after Grand Theft bucked him off at the 7.31-second mark.

In the moment, it appeared as if Leme had his back stepped on, but thankfully, Grand Theft instead missed his back. Leme eventually sat up after spending a few minutes being attended to by the PBR Sports Medicine team on the dirt. He then tugged at the Sports Medicine team’s arms when he was being helped to the locker room so that he could watch the replay of his wreck on the big screen.

Leme, though, did not leave Sioux Falls unscathed. According to Dr. Tandy Freeman, the 25-year-old sustained facial lacerations, a concussion and a potential broken jaw. Leme is doubtful for Championship Sunday (8 p.m. ET on CBS Sports Network).

Leme is 317.5 points behind world leader Joao Ricardo Vieira in the world title race. Vieira is 0-for-2 in Sioux Falls this weekend, and 15/15 Bucking Battle co-winner Dalton Kasel (91.25 points on HomeBru) is the only rider in the Top 10 with a qualified ride in the regular event. Therefore, Leme may not lose too much ground in the title race if he is indeed ruled out on Sunday.

2022 has been one of the more frustrating seasons for Leme since he shocked the world by winning the 2017 PBR World Finals title at his first premier series event. This year, Leme has missed three events because of injuries, and he is a respectable 15-for-31 in 11 events. Still, Leme has never finished a season with a riding percentage lower than 53.95%, and he is currently sitting at 48.39%.

The 2022 World Finals begins on May 13 in Fort Worth, Texas. The eight-round format will certainly give Leme plenty of chances to attempt to win a record-setting third consecutive world title if he does have to miss additional time because of his jaw injury.

Follow Justin Felisko on Twitter @jfelisko

Photo courtesy of Andy Watson/Bull Stock Media

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