Rutkowski takes the belt

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Weston Rutkowski performs an Ol Tuck to kick off his short-round fight with 12X and Costa's Bad Intentions. Rutkowski was 90.5 points to win the Bullfighters Only Las Vegas Championship title. (TODD BREWER PHOTO)
Weston Rutkowski performs an Ol Tuck to kick off his short-round fight with 12X and Costa’s Bad Intentions. Rutkowski was 90.5 points to win the Bullfighters Only Las Vegas Championship title. (TODD BREWER PHOTO)

Texas man wins BFO Las Vegas Championship, pockets $21,500 in Sin City

LAS VEGAS – For Weston Rutkowski, Saturday was more than redemption.

It was a mission accomplished.

Rutkowski is a 27-year-old freestyle bullfighter who is chasing the first true world championship in nearly two decades, and he made a big move toward that by winning the Bullfighters Only Las Vegas Championship, pocketing $15,000 and grabbing the title belt.

“This is those earning mornings you get up to put in the work is paying off,” he said. “It’s a satisfying feeling to know you are reaping what you sow when you get here.”

He put the finishing touches to a marvelous run in the City of Lights with a 90,5-point fight with 12x and Costa Fighting Bulls’ Bad Intentions on Saturday morning at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino. He finished his stay in Las Vegas by earning $21,500 – he won his second straight Roughy Cup last week, worth $6,000, and also collected $500 for winning his first-round set this past Wednesday.

That pushes his season earnings to $41,825 and gives him a commanding lead in the race toward the inaugural Bullfighters Only world title.

“This is the next step,” Rutkowski said. “Every day is a new goal. I’m going to celebrate this one, because I came here with the mindset to win both of them.

“Tomorrow we get ready to fight the next bull and finish out the season as the first BFO world champ. I have put myself in position to do that, but it’s not over yet.”

The Las Vegas Championship was a tournament-style competition. Nine men qualified for Saturday’s final day, which featured three three-man bouts. The winners of each set advanced to the short round.

Rutkowski posted the highest score of the opening round with an 87-point fight to advance.

“I knew he was a good bull, but that dude was hot,” he said, explaining that the animal was aggressive and remained in close contact with Rutkowski throughout the one-minute bout. “You can’t let that wig out your mind out. You have to focus on those moments of chaos.”

It worked, and he was matched in the championship round with Nebraskans Beau Schueth and Zach Call. That’s when Rutkowski stepped up his game with Bad Intentions, starting the fight with his back facing the bull, jumping up and allowing the animal to run between his legs.

“It’s called the Ol Swoosh,” he said of the move. “Chuck Swisher and Dusty Tuckness came up with it a few years ago. I haven’t done that move since 2014.

“I had two of the best guys in the world that were part of the short round. I had to ante up. There’s no way you’re going to become the champ in any event if you’re not willing to sacrifice.”

Those sacrifices are paying off in a big way.

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