The World Invitational edition
Every team, every meat and every score from the 2025 KCBS World Invitational.
Covering KCBS-sanctioned contests
The Smoke Ring
Competition Barbecue’s Paper of Record
The Index
The 2025 KCBS World Invitational
The 2025 KCBS World Invitational
SCUFFLETOWN SMOKERS Wins the World Invitational
Their 707.3828 beats ROOTERS-N-TOOTERS TN by 1.1428 points, in a field of 70 invited teams.
5th-highest winning score of 7 World Invitationals on record
LEBANON, Tenn. — SCUFFLETOWN SMOKERS won the 2025 KCBS World Invitational in Lebanon, Tenn., with 707.3828 out of 720, 1.1428 points clear of ROOTERS-N-TOOTERS TN, the reserve grand champion. 70 teams were invited.
It was their 7th World Invitational, and the first time they had won it. On the way they finished 43rd in chicken, 15th in pork ribs, 1st in pork and 3rd in brisket.
The meats went to BLUE CHIP BBQ in chicken (180), LOCAL YOKELS BBQ in pork ribs (180), SCUFFLETOWN SMOKERS in pork (180) and FRED VEGAS SMOKERS in brisket (180).
The winning score is the 5th-highest of the 7 World Invitationals on record. The field included three past champions and 14 teams at their first World Invitational. Judges handed out eight perfect 180s. The full standings run on B1.
Every World Invitational on record to 2025, newest first. Each year has an edition of its own.
The defending champion
Defending Champion RAZORRACKS Finishes 44th
The 2024 winner falls out of the top ten.
44th of 70, after winning in 2024
RAZORRACKS won the World Invitational in 2024 and finished 44th this time, with 688.4916.
First time in
First-Timer Bears Backyard Q Finishes 6th
14 teams cooked their first World Invitational in 2025.
6th of 70, at a first World Invitational
Bears Backyard Q finished 6th with 702.8576 at their first World Invitational, the best of 14 teams in the field for the first time.
Perfect scores
Eight Perfect 180s at the World Invitational
Six judges, every card a nine.
8 perfect 180s
BLUE CHIP BBQ in chicken, Bears Backyard Q in chicken, THERE'S NO PLACE LIKE SMOKE in chicken, LOCAL YOKELS BBQ in pork ribs, SCUFFLETOWN SMOKERS in pork, MEAT RUSHMORE BBQ in pork, ROOTERS-N-TOOTERS TN in pork and FRED VEGAS SMOKERS in brisket scored a perfect 180.
Former winners
Three Past Champions Come Up Short
The best of them: Heavy Smoke BBQ, 5th.
3 past World Invitational champions in the field
Heavy Smoke BBQ (won 2019) finished 5th, RAZORRACKS (won 2024) finished 44th and MAN MEAT BBQ (won 2023) finished 67th.
On the up
MUDVILLE BBQ Climbs From 77th to 16th
The biggest jump on 2024.
+61 places gained on 2024
MUDVILLE BBQ finished 16th, up from 77th in 2024: the most places gained by any team that cooked both.
The regulars
SCUFFLETOWN SMOKERS Cooks Their 7th World Invitational
Level for the most appearances in the 2025 field.
7 World Invitationals cooked, of 7 on record
SCUFFLETOWN SMOKERS has cooked 7 of the 7 World Invitationals on record, starting in 2019 with a best finish of 1st, and finished 1st this year.
Also at the 2025 World Invitational
Meat Me In St. Louis Wins the Saturday’s contest
Meat Me In St. Louis won the Saturday’s contest with 705.6800, ahead of SmokinGhost BBQ. Every result from the week runs on A6.
Chicken
The top ten, out of 180 · 3 perfect 180s
| Pl. | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | BLUE CHIP BBQ | 180† |
| 2 | Bears Backyard Q | 180† |
| 3 | THERE'S NO PLACE LIKE SMOKE | 180† |
| 4 | COCAMOKE SMOKE BBQ | 178.8572 |
| 5 | ROOTERS-N-TOOTERS TN | 178.8572 |
| 6 | SMOKIN HOGGZ BBQ - MA | 178.8572 |
| 7 | Mulkey's BBQ | 178.8572 |
| 8 | MEAT ME IN ST. LOUIS | 178.8572 |
| 9 | Kermit's Ex | 177.7028 |
| 10 | WOOD HOOK BBQ | 177.7028 |
Pork Ribs
The top ten, out of 180 · 1 perfect 180
| Pl. | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | LOCAL YOKELS BBQ | 180† |
| 2 | WHEN PIGS DIE | 178.8572 |
| 3 | Kermit's Ex | 178.8572 |
| 4 | Heavy Smoke BBQ | 177.7144 |
| 5 | SMOKIN HOGGZ BBQ - MA | 177.7144 |
| 6 | Kings BBQ Team | 177.7144 |
| 7 | THERE'S NO PLACE LIKE SMOKE | 177.7144 |
| 8 | ELITE BBQ SMOKERS | 177.7028 |
| 9 | FRED VEGAS SMOKERS | 177.7028 |
| 10 | ROOTERS-N-TOOTERS TN | 177.7028 |
Pork
The top ten, out of 180 · 3 perfect 180s
| Pl. | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | SCUFFLETOWN SMOKERS | 180† |
| 2 | MEAT RUSHMORE BBQ | 180† |
| 3 | ROOTERS-N-TOOTERS TN | 180† |
| 4 | House of Que | 178.8572 |
| 5 | Sailor Nicks BBQ | 177.7144 |
| 6 | Mulkey's BBQ | 177.7028 |
| 7 | SLAPS BBQ | 177.7028 |
| 8 | BAD ROOSTER BBQ | 176.5716 |
| 9 | Heavy Smoke BBQ | 176.5600 |
| 10 | Bears Backyard Q | 175.4288 |
Brisket
The top ten, out of 180 · 1 perfect 180
| Pl. | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | FRED VEGAS SMOKERS | 180† |
| 2 | CHUNKY BBQ | 179.4400 |
| 3 | SCUFFLETOWN SMOKERS | 178.8572 |
| 4 | Poppa Pig | 177.7144 |
| 5 | Son of a Boar BBQ | 177.7028 |
| 6 | Can Country Outlaw BBQ | 177.7028 |
| 7 | LOCAL YOKELS BBQ | 176.5600 |
| 8 | The Yellow Rose Texas BBQ Company | 176.5600 |
| 9 | BLUE CHIP BBQ | 176.5600 |
| 10 | Sailor Nicks BBQ | 176.5600 |
8 perfect scores — six judges, every card a nine.
- Chicken BLUE CHIP BBQ
- Chicken Bears Backyard Q
- Chicken THERE'S NO PLACE LIKE SMOKE
- Pork Ribs LOCAL YOKELS BBQ
- Pork SCUFFLETOWN SMOKERS
- Pork MEAT RUSHMORE BBQ
- Pork ROOTERS-N-TOOTERS TN
- Brisket FRED VEGAS SMOKERS
Everything else scored at the 2025 World Invitational: the Open, the Backyard invitational and the finals, each on its own board.
Ribs
7th Annual KCBS World Invitational Ribs (Friday, May 23, 2025) — May 23
Chicken
7th Annual KCBS World Invitational Chicken (Friday, May 23, 2025) — May 23
Saturday’s contest
Reserve: SmokinGhost BBQ
7th Annual KCBS World Invitational (Saturday, May 24, 2025) — May 24
Backyard Series Invitational
Reserve: HICKORY HANGOVER
7th Annual KCBS World Invitational (Sunday, May 25, 2025) — May 25
Every team on the 2025 board, 70 in all: the overall out of 720 and each meat’s place. ★ a past World Invitational champion; ◆ a first World Invitational. Click a column head to sort.
Every board, with the score charts, on the contest’s own page →
Every World Invitational on record to 2025, the invitational itself only.
Highest Scores
Any finish, out of 720
- 1 SMOKING BUTT HEADS2020 · 1st 708.5600
- 2 RAZORRACKS2024 · 1st 708.5488
- 3 SMOKIN' SWEETMEATS2022 · 1st 708.5372
- 4 Glamping Grillers2024 · 2nd 708.5372
- 5 MAN MEAT BBQ2023 · 1st 708.5256
- 6 SCUFFLETOWN SMOKERS2025 · 1st 707.3828
- 7 Fergolicious BBQ2021 · 1st 706.8228
- 8 JANKY LEG BBQ2023 · 2nd 706.8228
- 9 Organizer Portal2022 · 2nd 706.2632
- 10 TRIPLE H BBQ2023 · 3rd 706.2516
Most Titles
Grand Championships
- 1 SMOKIN' SWEETMEATS2022 1
- 2 SMOKING BUTT HEADS2020 1
- 3 Fergolicious BBQ2021 1
- 4 RAZORRACKS2024 1
- 5 MAN MEAT BBQ2023 1
- 6 Heavy Smoke BBQ2019 1
- 7 SCUFFLETOWN SMOKERS2025 1
Most Appearances
World Invitationals cooked
- 1 Heavy Smoke BBQ2019–2025 · best 1st 7
- 2 SCUFFLETOWN SMOKERS2019–2025 · best 1st 7
- 3 ROOTERS-N-TOOTERS TN2019–2025 · best 2nd 7
- 4 LOCAL YOKELS BBQ2019–2025 · best 3rd 7
- 5 GETTIN' BASTED2019–2025 · best 4th 7
- 6 THERE'S NO PLACE LIKE SMOKE2019–2025 · best 7th 7
- 7 JANKY LEG BBQ2020–2025 · best 2nd 6
- 8 MEAT RUSHMORE BBQ2020–2025 · best 6th 6
- 9 SLAPS BBQ2019–2025 · best 8th 6
- 10 WOOD HOOK BBQ2019–2025 · best 23rd 6
Closest Finishes
Points between first and second
- 1 RAZORRACKS2024, over Glamping Grillers 0.0116
- 2 Fergolicious BBQ2021, over Organizer Portal 1.0856
- 3 SCUFFLETOWN SMOKERS2025, over ROOTERS-N-TOOTERS TN 1.1428
- 4 MAN MEAT BBQ2023, over JANKY LEG BBQ 1.7028
- 5 SMOKIN' SWEETMEATS2022, over Organizer Portal 2.2740
- 6 Heavy Smoke BBQ2019, over SHAKE 'N BAKE BBQ 2.2972
- 7 SMOKING BUTT HEADS2020, over IOWA'S SMOKEY D'S BBQ 6.3200
Biggest Fields
Teams invited
Best First Appearances
Finish at a first invitation
- 1 SMOKING BUTT HEADS2020 · of 94 1st
- 2 SMOKIN' SWEETMEATS2022 · of 61 1st
- 3 Glamping Grillers2024 · of 81 2nd
- 4 IOWA'S SMOKEY D'S BBQ2020 · of 94 2nd
- 5 TEDDY CAMP2022 · of 61 3rd
- 6 LUCKY'S Q2020 · of 94 3rd
- 7 MEMPHIS ORIGINAL BBQ2024 · of 81 5th
- 8 THE BBQ BUS2020 · of 94 5th
- 9 Bears Backyard Q2025 · of 70 6th
- 10 WAG'S BACKWOODS BBQ2021 · of 92 6th
Every World Invitational on record has an edition of its own. ← 2024 2026 →
World Invitational editions: 2026 · 2025 · 2024 · 2023 · 2022 · 2021 · 2020 · 2019
The other invitationals: American Royal · Jack Daniel’s · every invitational on record
The season: 2025 in review · the latest edition