The heartbreaker
Came within 0.5484 points of the Grand Championship at BBQ, Blues & Brews on the Bay (May 25, 2024).
Small Axe BBQ is a competition barbecue team with 55 Kansas City Barbeque Society (KCBS) contests on record between 2022 and 2026. They have won 3 Grand Championships, most recently at the 2024 Icebox Cookoff (2024), and finished Reserve Grand Champion 3 times. They are ranked #366 of 6,491 teams in the KCBS power rankings.
| Year | Series | Overall | Chicken | Ribs | Pork | Brisket |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 ↗ | Master | #70 (1,595 pts) | #63 (1,625 pts) | #169 (1,165 pts) | #119 (1,235 pts) | #50 (1,665 pts) |
| 2025 ↗ | Master | #72 (1,811 pts) | #98 (1,570 pts) | #57 (1,916 pts) | #111 (1,471 pts) | #58 (1,814 pts) |
| 2024 ↗ | Master | #64 (1,774 pts) | #85 (1,559 pts) | #111 (1,438 pts) | #163 (1,159 pts) | #71 (1,596 pts) |
| 2023 ↗ | Master | #374 (540 pts) | #476 (455 pts) | #153 (1,306 pts) | #519 (385 pts) | #328 (665 pts) |
| 2022 ↗ | Master | #187 (1,092 pts) | #277 (852 pts) | #228 (1,047 pts) | #190 (1,082 pts) | #218 (1,017 pts) |
The teams rated closest to Small Axe BBQ, each with one reason worth a look.
These two have cooked 21 of the same contests — CROOKED PIGS ahead 12–9 — so there's a record behind this pairing and not just a matching number.
⚔ Head-to-headCareers of much the same size, 59 contests to 55, so neither rating has had more chance to settle than the other.
⚔ Head-to-headTheir rating is built on 7 Grand Championships in 71 contests, alongside a 52% overall top-10 rate.
⚔ Head-to-headThey've been 1788 at their best, 78 points above where they sit today — they're arriving at this rating from above.
⚔ Head-to-headThey were already cooking in 2013, 9 years before Small Axe BBQ's first contest.
⚔ Head-to-headTheir last contest in the data was back in 2021, 5 years before Small Axe BBQ's most recent — their rating stopped moving when they stopped cooking.
⚔ Compare careers| Opponent | Meetings | Ahead | Behind | Win rate | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| RJs Smokehouse | 25 | 16 | 9 | 64% | ⚔ compare |
| J&C BBQ | 21 | 15 | 6 | 71% | ⚔ compare |
| CROOKED PIGS | 21 | 9 | 12 | 43% | ⚔ compare |
| SMOKIN' VOLTS BBQ | 18 | 8 | 10 | 44% | ⚔ compare |
| BAR-B-CUDA BBQ | 17 | 12 | 5 | 71% | ⚔ compare |
| Old Dirty Basters | 16 | 16 | 0 | 100% | ⚔ compare |
| SMOKIN TIMBERS NORTHWEST | 16 | 11 | 5 | 69% | ⚔ compare |
| BONE RUBBIN BBQ | 16 | 10 | 6 | 63% | ⚔ compare |
| Bad Bears BBQ | 16 | 6 | 10 | 38% | ⚔ compare |
| Meat Candy Q | 16 | 6 | 10 | 38% | ⚔ compare |
| Big Cat BBQ | 14 | 11 | 3 | 79% | ⚔ compare |
| Cynical BBQ | 14 | 6 | 8 | 43% | ⚔ compare |
| LOOT N' BOOTY BBQ | 14 | 6 | 8 | 43% | ⚔ compare |
| Rob's Smokin and Grillin BBQ | 13 | 10 | 3 | 77% | ⚔ compare |
| Smokin' Bliss BBQ | 13 | 9 | 4 | 69% | ⚔ compare |
| Category | Entries | Calls | Wins | Podiums | Best | Worst | Average | Avg finish |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chicken | 49 | 24 | 2 | 8 | 180 🔥 | 158.2284 | 172.49 | top 38% |
| Pork Ribs | 54 | 26 | 5 | 11 | 179.4400 | 158.2400 | 171.70 | top 37% |
| Pork | 49 | 19 | 1 | 3 | 177.7028 | 158.8112 | 171.02 | top 44% |
| Brisket | 50 | 28 | 4 | 13 | 180 🔥 | 20 | 168.48 | top 33% |
“Calls” = top-10 category finishes (getting called to the stage). Scores here are the final weighted totals KCBS publishes; per-criterion appearance/taste/tenderness marks aren’t in the public results feed.
| Field | Contests | GCs | Avg finish |
|---|---|---|---|
| Small (<20 teams) | 5 | 0 | top 36% |
| Medium (20–39) | 30 | 3 | top 25% |
| Large (40+) | 14 | 0 | top 49% |
| Contest | Visits | Best | GCs | Avg finish | Last visit |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jack Daniel's World Championship Invitational Barbecue (Competitor's Series) (JUDGES BY INVITATION ONLY) | 5 | 47 | 0 | top 72% | Oct 9, 2026 |
| BBQ, Blues & Brews on the Bay | 5 | 2 | 0 | top 13% | May 23, 2026 |
| Lodi BeerFest & State BBQ Championship | 3 | 1 | 1 | top 20% | Apr 24, 2026 |
| 2024 Icebox Cookoff | 2 | 1 | 1 | top 18% | Jul 6, 2024 |
| Sutherlin Throwdown | 2 | 5 | 0 | top 31% | Jul 18, 2026 |
| Dinuba's BBQ & Brew Fest | 2 | 3 | 0 | top 24% | Mar 20, 2026 |
| BBQ Jackpot | 2 | 3 | 0 | top 4% | Nov 21, 2025 |
| The Santiam Smoke Show (Day 2) | 2 | 9 | 0 | top 58% | May 31, 2025 |
| Smoke on the Shores BBQ Championship | 2 | 36 | 0 | top 42% | Mar 15, 2024 |
| Swing | Contest | Date |
|---|---|---|
| +16.8 | Sweet Home Icebox Cookoff 2022 | Jul 2, 2022 |
| +14.7 | Lodi BeerFest & State BBQ Championship | Apr 26, 2024 |
| +14.2 | 5th Annual Hudson's Bay Heritage Days BBQ Cookoff | Aug 20, 2022 |
| +13.5 | BBQ Jackpot | Dec 6, 2024 |
| +12.7 | 2024 Icebox Cookoff | Jul 6, 2024 |
| Swing | Contest | Date |
|---|---|---|
| -15.3 | The Santiam Smoke Show (Day 1) | May 30, 2025 |
| -12.7 | 11th Annual Slab-O-Rama Barbeque Challenge | Jan 16, 2026 |
| -6.3 | Outdoor Cooking BBQ Championship | Feb 5, 2022 |
| -5.5 | Lodi BeerFest & State BBQ Championship | Apr 24, 2026 |
| -4.9 | Smoke on the Sound | Sep 25, 2026 |
| Season | Contests | GCs | Top-10s | Category wins | Walk rate | Avg finish | Best overall (% of perfect) | Avg overall (% of perfect) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 11 | 0 | 6 | 1 | 73% | top 39% | 97.6% | 95.3% |
| 2025 | 14 | 0 | 9 | 3 | 86% | top 30% | 97.6% | 95.7% |
| 2024 | 11 | 2 | 7 | 2 | 64% | top 28% | 98.2% | 94.1% |
| 2023 | 9 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 78% | top 32% | 95.8% | 94.9% |
| 2022 | 10 | 1 | 5 | 5 | 90% | top 38% | 97.9% | 94.1% |
| Date | Event | Overall | Chicken | Ribs | Pork | Brisket |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 9, 2026 | Jack Daniel's World Championship Invitational Barbecue (Competitor's Series) (JUDGES BY INVITATION ONLY) unrated Lynchburg, TN | 69 / 99 (682.1712) | 55 (170.8228) | 57 (170.8456) | 65 (169.6800) | 56 (170.8228) |
| Sep 25, 2026 | Smoke on the Sound 🏅 Redmond, WA | 8 / 17 (674.7312) | 4 (174.2628) | 10 (169.1200) | 13 (162.8000) | 7 (168.5484) |
| Sep 4, 2026 | Meat & Tater BBQ Fest 🏅 Meridian, ID | 19 / 52 (692.5600) | 8 (177.7144) | 43 (164.5828) | 34 (170.2628) | 2 (180) |
| Aug 22, 2026 | 9th Annual DuPont BBQ Competition 🏅 DuPont, WA | 8 / 27 (685.6684) | 6 (172.5600) | 6 (172.5600) | 11 (171.4056) | 13 (169.1428) |
| Jul 18, 2026 | Sutherlin Throwdown 🏅 Sutherlin, OR | 14 / 29 (690.1940) | 12 (172.5484) | 21 (166.2400) | 9 (173.7028) | 3 (177.7028) |
| May 23, 2026 | BBQ, Blues & Brews on the Bay 🏅 North Bend, OR | 3 / 33 (697.6456) | 2 (178.8572) | 17 (170.2628) | 4 (177.7028) | 15 (170.8228) |
| Apr 24, 2026 | Lodi BeerFest & State BBQ Championship 🏅 Lodi, CA | 14 / 29 (678.1716) | 16 (169.6800) | 14 (170.2744) | 11 (171.9772) | 18 (166.2400) |
| Mar 27, 2026 | Q's & Brews Bighorn BBQ Competition 🏅 Lake Havasu City, AZ | 2 / 33 (702.8116) | 11 (174.2628) | 5 (176.5716) | 15 (171.9772) | 1 (180) |
| Mar 20, 2026 | Dinuba's BBQ & Brew Fest 🏅 Dinuba, CA | 10 / 27 (686.2400) | 5 (177.1428) | 21 (163.9888) | 18 (168.5484) | 2 (176.5600) |
| Feb 27, 2026 | BBQ & Brew Festival 🏅 Yuma, AZ | 5 / 25 (690.1712) | 7 (173.1084) | 6 (173.1200) | 8 (173.1200) | 10 (170.8228) |
| Jan 16, 2026 | 11th Annual Slab-O-Rama Barbeque Challenge 🏅 Bullhead City, AZ | 39 / 53 (667.8628) | 20 (172.5716) | 47 (158.2400) | 17 (173.1084) | 37 (163.9428) |
| Nov 21, 2025 | BBQ Jackpot 🏅 Las Vegas, NV | 4 / 90 (698.8460) | 6 (177.7144) | 13 (174.8572) | 17 (174.8572) | 35 (171.4172) |
| Oct 10, 2025 | Jack Daniel's World Championship Invitational Barbecue (Competitor's Series) (JUDGES BY INVITATION ONLY) unrated Lynchburg, TN | 54 / 90 (682.7884) | 48 (171.9656) | 48 (171.9772) | 71 (166.8572) | 35 (171.9884) |
| Aug 29, 2025 | Meat & Tater BBQ Fest 🏅 Meridian, ID | 13 / 39 (690.2056) | 13 (174.2628) | 20 (172.5600) | 30 (166.2284) | 4 (177.1544) |
| Aug 16, 2025 | 8th Annual DuPont BBQ Competition 🏅 DuPont, WA | 9 / 30 (690.7768) | 14 (173.1084) | 3 (177.1428) | 16 (169.6684) | 13 (170.8572) |
| Jul 19, 2025 | Sutherlin Throwdown 🏅 Sutherlin, OR | 5 / 35 (702.8228) | 1 (180) | 4 (176.5944) | 8 (174.2628) | 8 (171.9656) |
| May 31, 2025 | The Santiam Smoke Show (Day 2) 🏅 Sweet Home, OR | 9 / 28 (693.6572) | 15 (172.5600) | 7 (174.2744) | 8 (174.2628) | 10 (172.5600) |
| May 30, 2025 | The Santiam Smoke Show (Day 1) 🏅 Sweet Home, OR | 25 / 30 (665.0628) | 22 (166.8228) | 21 (166.2744) | 17 (167.4056) | 22 (164.5600) |
| May 24, 2025 | BBQ, Blues & Brews on the Bay 🏅 North Bend, OR | 4 / 26 (689.0628) | 2 (176.5600) | 5 (174.2972) | 14 (168.5256) | 13 (169.6800) |
| May 16, 2025 | Gold Country Casino Resort BrewFest & State BBQ Championship 🏅 Oroville, CA | 6 / 19 (690.1940) | 4 (177.1428) | 2 (172.5600) | 8 (169.6684) | 6 (170.8228) |
| Apr 25, 2025 | Lodi BeerFest & State BBQ Championship 🏅 Lodi, CA | 3 / 31 (697.6800) | 10 (174.2744) | 7 (174.8456) | 2 (176) | 5 (172.5600) |
| Mar 28, 2025 | Q's & Brews 🏅 Lake Havasu, AZ | 6 / 26 (686.7768) | 19 (168.5256) | 12 (167.4056) | 6 (175.4056) | 3 (175.4400) |
| Mar 14, 2025 | Dinuba's BBQ & Brew Fest 🏅 Dinuba, CA | 3 / 26 (695.9544) | 6 (174.2744) | 1 (178.2972) | 16 (167.3828) | 3 (176) |
| Feb 21, 2025 | Best in the Southwest 🏅 Yuma, AZ | 14 / 29 (679.8740) | 10 (174.2628) | 20 (165.0856) | 19 (168.5600) | 10 (171.9656) |
| Jan 17, 2025 | 10th Annual Slab-O-Rama Barbeque Challenge 🏅 Bullhead City, AZ | 11 / 48 (681.6116) | 31 (166.2400) | 28 (166.2400) | 18 (170.2744) | 1 (178.8572) |
| Dec 6, 2024 | BBQ Jackpot 🏅 Las Vegas, NV | 3 / 74 (697.6916) | 25 (173.1428) | 2 (176.0116) | 4 (177.7028) | 26 (170.8344) |
| Oct 30, 2024 | American Royal World Series of Barbecue - Open Contest 🏅 Kansas City, KS | 70 / 444 (691.3252) | 192 (170.8112) | 39 (176.5600) | 50 (176) | 210 (167.9540) |
| Oct 30, 2024 | American Royal World Series of Barbecue - Invitational Contest unrated Kansas City, KS | 128 / 169 (676.4684) | 132 (167.9656) | 63 (173.1200) | 137 (167.3828) | 117 (168) |
| Oct 11, 2024 | Jack Daniel's World Championship Invitational Barbecue (Competitor's Series) (JUDGES BY INVITATION ONLY) unrated Lynchburg, TN | 86 / 87 (519.8852) | 53 (168.5256) | 36 (172.5484) | 79 (158.8112) | 87 (20) |
| Aug 24, 2024 | 7th Annual DuPont BBQ Competition 🏅 DuPont, WA | 8 / 27 (686.1712) | 1 (180) | 9 (170.8344) | 17 (167.9540) | 13 (167.3828) |
| Jul 20, 2024 | The Sutherlin Throwdown 🏅 Sutherlin, OR | 3 / 30 (706.8800) | 5 (177.7028) | 6 (177.7144) | 7 (175.4400) | 4 (176.0228) |
| Jul 6, 2024 | 2024 Icebox Cookoff 🏅 Sweet Home, OR | 1 / 37 (699.9656) | 3 (178.2972) | 14 (173.1200) | 26 (169.1084) | 1 (179.4400) |
| Jun 28, 2024 | Smoke-N-Wings 🏅 Blackfoot, ID | 5 / 28 (693.6572) | 13 (170.8228) | 9 (173.1316) | 4 (177.7028) | 7 (172) |
| May 25, 2024 | BBQ, Blues & Brews on the Bay 🏅 North Bend, OR | 2 / 27 (696.0116) | 3 (176.5600) | 3 (175.4516) | 14 (169.7256) | 6 (174.2744) |
| Apr 26, 2024 | Lodi BeerFest & State BBQ Championship 🏅 Lodi, CA | 1 / 34 (700.5028) | 6 (176.5600) | 4 (177.7144) | 14 (173.1084) | 11 (173.1200) |
| Mar 15, 2024 | Smoke on the Shores BBQ Championship 🏅 Lebanon, TN | 37 / 93 (683.8856) | 24 (174.2744) | 23 (172.5600) | 61 (167.3828) | 44 (169.6684) |
| Nov 11, 2023 | Warrior BBQ's "The Great Hawaiian Smokeout" (ONE MEAT BRISKET) Honolulu, HI | — | — | — | — | 1 (172.5600) |
| Nov 10, 2023 | Warrior BBQ's "The Great Hawaiian Smokeout" 🏅 Honolulu, HI | 3 / 18 (689.0744) | 5 (173.1200) | 6 (170.8228) | 2 (177.7028) | 6 (167.4288) |
| Nov 10, 2023 | Warrior BBQ's "The Great Hawaiian Smokeout" (ONE MEAT RIBS) Honolulu, HI | — | — | 6 (172.5716) | — | — |
| Oct 13, 2023 | Jack Daniel's World Championship Invitational Barbecue (Competitor's Series) (JUDGES BY INVITATION ONLY) unrated Lynchburg, TN | 47 / 81 (677.6684) | 76 (158.8344) | 38 (172) | 42 (169.6912) | 6 (177.1428) |
| Aug 19, 2023 | DuPont-Hudson's Bay BBQ Competition 🏅 DuPont, WA | 7 / 30 (681.6916) | 6 (176.5600) | 20 (163.4172) | 10 (172.5600) | 7 (169.1544) |
| Jul 1, 2023 | Icebox Cookoff 🏅 Sweet Home, OR | 13 / 38 (682.7544) | 19 (170.8228) | 17 (168.5256) | 15 (170.2744) | 7 (173.1316) |
| May 27, 2023 | BBQ, Blues & Brews on the Bay 🏅 North Bend, OR | 4 / 25 (689.6800) | 9 (170.8344) | 2 (178.2972) | 18 (166.8456) | 3 (173.7028) |
| Mar 17, 2023 | Smoke on the Shores BBQ Championship 🏅 Lebanon, TN | 36 / 80 (678.7084) | 51 (169.6684) | 51 (165.0972) | 34 (169.6800) | 14 (174.2628) |
| Mar 17, 2023 | Smoke on the Shores BBQ Championship (One Meat Ribs) Lebanon, TN | — | — | 29 (167.9772) | — | — |
| Nov 12, 2022 | Warrior BBQ Ribs Championship - Ribs 3 (One Meat Ribs) Honolulu, HI | — | — | 1 (177.1428) | — | — |
| Nov 12, 2022 | Warrior BBQ Ribs Championship - Ribs 2 (One Meat Ribs ) Honolulu, HI | — | — | 1 (176.0116) | — | — |
| Nov 11, 2022 | Warrior BBQ Ribs Championship - Ribs 1 (One Meat Ribs) Honolulu, HI | — | — | 2 (174.2972) | — | — |
| Oct 14, 2022 | Jack Daniel's World Championship Invitational Barbecue (Competitor's Series) (JUDGES BY INVITATION ONLY) unrated Lynchburg, TN | 62 / 83 (666.2168) | 72 (162.2972) | 48 (169.7028) | 69 (163.4056) | 31 (170.8112) |
| Oct 7, 2022 | Hermiston Fall Fest, BBQ, Brews, & More 🏅 Hermiston, OR | 7 / 19 (673.0856) | 9 (169.7028) | 4 (173.1200) | 7 (170.2856) | 13 (159.9772) |
| Aug 20, 2022 | 5th Annual Hudson's Bay Heritage Days BBQ Cookoff 🏅 DuPont, WA | 2 / 29 (701.6684) | 2 (180) | 16 (170.8228) | 10 (173.7028) | 3 (177.1428) |
| Jul 2, 2022 | Sweet Home Icebox Cookoff 2022 🏅 Sweet Home, OR | 1 / 34 (704.5712) | 14 (171.9884) | 1 (179.4400) | 5 (177.1428) | 2 (176) |
| May 28, 2022 | BBQ, Blues & Brews on the Bay 🏅 North Bend, OR | 5 / 27 (682.2512) | 23 (162.2284) | 18 (164.5828) | 1 (176.5828) | 2 (178.8572) |
| Feb 5, 2022 | Outdoor Cooking BBQ Championship 🏅 Puyallup, WA | 16 / 22 (654.7540) | 19 (158.2284) | 1 (178.2972) | 4 (170.2856) | 21 (147.9428) |
| Jan 8, 2022 | Willamette Sportsman Show Cookoff 2022 🏅 Albany, OR | 8 / 16 (659.2916) | 3 (171.9772) | 11 (162.8228) | 7 (167.9772) | 12 (156.5144) |
An unrated contest — an invitational, or a Competitor or Kosher Series board — is in the record but doesn’t move the power rating.