Unleash the Beast Series

Unleash the Beast Series (UTB) is the premier series (also still referred to as the elite series) of the Professional Bull Riders. Prior to that, the premier series was known as the Built Ford Tough Series (BFTS) from 2003 to 2017, and before that as the Bud Light Cup Series (BLC) from 1994 to 2002.[1][2] As has become the tradition in recent years, the PBR premier series opens at Madison Square Garden in New York City, New York.[3] The top 30 riders and top bulls compete at each event.[1] It culminates in the PBR World Finals at the end of the year, which has been temporarily moved to Arlington, Texas, at the AT&T Stadium, due to COVID-19 restrictions. The finals had previously been held for 26 years in Las Vegas, Nevada.[4] It includes no more than 30 events across the United States each year. Pyrotechnics, pulsating music, and special effects open each event.[1]

This article is part of a series about Professional Bull Riders
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Each UTB event contains a round with 30 bull rides. For a two-day event, the 30 bull riders will compete in Round 1 and 2. The top 12 scores advance to the Championship Round. The event winner is the rider with the highest combined score from all three rounds. For a three-day event, the 30 bull riders will complete in Rounds 1, 2, and 3. The top 12 scores advance to the Championship round. The event winner is the rider with the highest combined score from all three rounds.[5]

There are four events on the UTB that are considered major events.[6] The first major of the year is the Monster Energy Buck Off event at Madison Square Garden in New York, New York.[7] Next comes the Iron Cowboy event at Staples Center in Los Angeles, California.[8] Up until 2018, the Last Cowboy Standing event was held in the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas, Nevada.[9] In July 2019, the Last Cowboy Standing event was held at Cheyenne Frontier Days in Cheyenne, Wyoming.[10] In 2020, Cheyenne Frontier Days was canceled for the first time in its 124-year history. This was due to the COVID-19 pandemic. It ultimately effected the Last Cowboy Standing event as well.[11] Next year's event appears on the Frontier Day website.[12] The last event of the season is usually the Music City Knockout, which takes place at the Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tennessee.[13] In 2020, this event was canceled due to COVID-19 restrictions.[14] Major events offer competition in different formats, bonus bulls, and more prize money. These major events are broadcast on CBS Sports Network and CBS Sports. Together, these four major events compose the PBR Grand Slam Series.[15]

15/15 Bucking Battles are offered at some PBR UTB events. This type of event matches the top 15 bull riders against the top 15 bulls in attendance. The matching is random. There is a separate purse for this event. Points are earned at the rate of 1 and 1/2 times the round points. Points do not factor into the event winner but do count toward the World Standings. The winner is the bull rider with the highest ride score.[16]

Qualifying for the PBR UTB World Finals is based on points. Points can be earned on all of the PBR's tours, which include the UTB elite tour, mid-level (Velocity Tour), and entry level (Pro Touring Division) tour, and the International tours. International tours include Australia, Brazil, Canada, and Mexico. The top 35 ranked riders in the World Standings according to points earned compete at the World Finals. The Velocity Tour Champion, the top three highest ranked finishers at the Velocity Tour Finals, and the highest ranked finisher international rider at the Velocity Tour Finals also compete at the World Finals.[17]

The PBR World Finals concludes in Arlington, Texas. It awards almost $2.2 million. This includes the $1 million bonus to the World Champion. The World Champion also receives a championship gold belt buckle, for which the value increased from $10,000 to $20,000 in 2018.[3][18][19]