Texas Rattlers vs. Austin Gamblers: The Texas Cup Showdown

On Friday night, the Toyota Center will be home to just the PBR (Professional Bull Riders) Michelob ULTRA PBR.

Only three teams have won a PBR Teams Title, and two of them will be battling it out in a budding new rivalry inside the Toyota Center.

It’s all part of The Monster Energy Team Challenge Presented by Camping World, which will take over the last 12 outs of Friday night, as part of a new PBR Teams showcase within individual Unleash The Beast competition.

With in-state pride and bragging rights on the line along with additional prize money for the riders, it should be a very exciting game between the Texas Rattlers – 2023 PBR Camping World Teams Series World Champions – facing off against in state rival and reigning PBR Camping World Teams Series World Champions Austin Gamblers.

If you have checked social media between the teams over the past couple of weeks, you will see this rivalry is not a “made for tv” thing or anything. Both teams are leaning into it and want to see the W land on their side of the board tomorrow nigh. Both have eyes on putting the Cup on their mantle with Austin going so far as to say to say it will look good next to their current buckle.

While the Rattlers are not letting the goading from the “New York Yankees” Gamblers get to them too much, they have poked back across social media and the PBR YouTube chatroom.

Fun sparring aside, each team, of course, will let their riding do their talking for them.

Which team has the edge for tomorrow night? It’s hard to predict a winner.

Claudio Montanha Jr, Brady Fielder and Joao Ricardo Viera each recorded pretty good scores and a round win at the National Western Stock Show in Denver for Montanha Jr on night two.

The Gamblers are dealing in their pocket aces with World No. 2 in a tight World Title race. Dalton “Mr. 90-pointer” Kasel, Kaiquie “The Iceman” Pacheco, and Dener Barbosa can all run up the points with fantastic rides. A formidable group of bull riders to be lined up against the Rattlers, which is also a sign why the Gamblers have gotten labeled as the “New York Yankees” of the teams. They have a packed roster of all-star bull riders.

Does that mean Austin, going all-in with their roster, will run away with it? Not if returning utility rider and comfortable in any spot in the game Dan “Da Man’ Keeping has anything to say about the game’s results. He will be back for the team in Houston and he should have an an enormous impact as second out in the game.

Let’s look at this rivalry that goes back to the 2024 Teams’ season. Currently the Rattlers have the lead in the head-to-head matchup, and Austin as the reigning Teams’ champs, feels they are the best team in Texas based on winning the championship last year. Also, the Rattlers do hold a defeat over Austin in their homestand, whereas Texas defended their home turf.

That doesn’t phase the Gamblers, though ready to start the hunt for the Texas Cup and claim vicotry, and they haven’t been shy to let the fans know that in Houston, they are coming for all the chips in the first game to score the first victory. The Rattlers may respond that they they didn’t face them for the championship inside T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, NV, and point to their wins in previous head-to-head games.

Perhaps Apollo of the Houston Aquarium was right about who will win the game tomorrow night. You can watch watch that video here.

Do you agree with the King of the Jungle or think he made the pick because it tastes like chicken?

If you are not attending PBR Michelob ULTRA Houston at the Toyota Center, tune in on CBS at 12:00 PM ET –check local listings to verify-to find which team wins. One of the teams plans to write a strongly worded letter and have it read to him if they win!

Tomorrow night, the Toyota Center will be home to more than just the PBR (Professional Bull Riders) Michelob Ultra PBR.

The Monster Energy Team Challenge Presented by Camping World will take over the last 12 outs of Friday night, and it will be an exciting game between the Texas Rattlers –2023 PBR Camping World Teams Series World Champions – face off against in-state rival and reigning PBR Camping World Team Series World Champions Austin Gamblers.

If you have checked social media between the teams over the past couple of weeks, you will see this rivalry is not a “made-for-tv” thing or anything. Both teams are leaning into it and want to see the W land on their side of the board tomorrow night. Both have eyes on putting the Cup on their Mantle, with Austin going so far as to say it will look good next to their current buckle.

While the Rattlers are not letting the goading from the “New York Yankees” Gamblers get to them too much, they have poked back at the Gamblers across social media and the PBR YouTube chatroom, but they are also letting their riding do the talking for them.

Which team has the edge for tomorrow night? It’s hard to say yes. Clauidio Montanha Jr, Brady Fielder, and Joao Ricardo Vieria all got pretty good scores and a round win in Denver for Montanha Jr on Night two. The Gamblers are dealing in their pocket aces with World No. 2 in a tight World Title race. Dalton “Mr. 90 Pointer” Kasel, Kaiquie “The Iceman” Pacheco, and Dener Barbosa can all run up the points with fantastic rides. A formidable group of bull riders lined up against the Rattlers, which is also a sign of why the Gamblers have gotten labeled as the “New York Yankees” of the teams. They have a packed roster of all-star bull riders.

Does that mean Austin, going all in with their roster, will run away with it? Not if returning utility rider and comfortable in any spot in the game Dan “Da Man” Keeping has anything to say about the game’s results. He will be back for the team in Houston, and he should have an enormous impact as second out in the game.

Let’s look at this rivalry that goes back to the 2024 Teams’ season. Currently, the Rattlers have the lead in the records, and Austin, as the reigning Teams’ champs, feels they are the best team in Texas based on winning the championship last year. Also, the Rattlers do hold a defeat over Austin in their homestand, whereas Texas defended their home turf in the last game of the season of the Texas Cup.

That doesn’t phase the Gamblers, though. They are ready to start the hunt for the Texas Cup and claim victory, and they haven’t been shy to let the fans know that in Houston, they are coming for all the chips in the first game and looking to score the first victory. The Rattlers may respond that they didn’t face them for the championship inside T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, NV, and point to their wins in the previous Texas Cup.

Perhaps Apollo of the Houston Aquarium was right about who will win the game tomorrow night. You can watch that video here.

Do you agree with the King of the Jungle, or do you think he made the pick because it tasted like chicken?

If you are not attending PBR MICHELOB Ultra Houston at the Toyota Center, tune in on CBS at 12:00 PM ET –check local listings to verify—to find out which team wins. One of the teams plans to write Apollo a strongly worded letter and have it read to him if they win!