DESPERADO

DESPERADO is a competition barbecue team with 18 Kansas City Barbeque Society (KCBS) contests on record between 2014 and 2017. Their best overall finish is 6th of 29 at the Blazin' BBQ Throwdown (2014). They are ranked #5695 of 6,491 teams in the KCBS power rankings.

⚔ Compare with another team

At a glance (the record in numbers)

Power ranking

#5,695

of 6,491 rated · rankings

Rating

1446

peak 1446 · rated over 18 contests

Contests

in the data

First seen

Mar 21, 2014

latest Jun 2, 2017 · 3.2 years on the trail

Best ToY finish

#433

Master 2014 · every season

Grand champs

0 reserve

Category wins

2 podiums

Overall top-10s

6% of 18 contests

Avg finish

top 71%

overall standings

Best overall

679.3944 / 720

Master · Blazin' BBQ Throwdown

Perfect 180s

1 🔥

Current form

639.53

last 5 Master vs avg 639.47 (+0.06)

Walk rate

33%

contests with a top-10 call

Best single call

180 🔥

Brisket · Horse Town Brew n Que Festival

Consistency

±19.15

spread of their Master overall scores (lower = steadier)

Strongest meat

Chicken

avg 162.09 · weakest Pork (157.61)

Road miles

1,462

across 18 mapped stops · furthest 223 mi

Schedule strength

36%

of rated fields were softer than their average draw (1548)

Master avg

639.47 / 720

18 Master contests · 0 GCs

Storylines (7 found in their record)

Each card leads with the number behind the story, straight from their results.

Perfect scores on the board

1 perfect 180

1 perfect 180 in the data — every judge at the table handing back a nine, all in brisket.

Brisket ×1

High-water mark

679.3944 career-best overall

94.4% of a perfect 720

Their best day on record: 679.3944 at Blazin' BBQ Throwdown — 94.4% of a perfect 720.

Master
Oct 17, 2014

A tough matchup

15–1 behind in the head-to-head

ZZYZX BAR.B.Q ahead in 94% of their meetings

ZZYZX BAR.B.Q has come out ahead in 15 of their 16 shared contests.

The weak link

−4.5 points behind their best meat

Pork is where the weekend gets away from them — it averages 4.48 points below their chicken, and turns into a call 6% of the time against 11%.

Pork avg 157.61
Chicken avg 162.09
1 call in 18 entries

A strong matchup

4–0 ahead in the head-to-head

Ahead in 100% of their meetings

They've finished ahead of MOSSY ROCK BBQ in 4 of their 4 shared contests.

Chicken nemesis

13 of 14 shared chicken entries lost

Burnin and Lootin ahead 93% of the time

Even in their strongest meat, Burnin and Lootin has out-cooked them in 13 of 14 shared chicken entries.

An October team

Top 40% average finish in October

Something about October: average finish in the top 40% across 3 contests, versus top 71% the rest of the year.

3 October contests
top 71% the rest of the year

Team of the Year (rank per category by season — the year links to the full board on kcbs.us)

Year	Series	Overall	Chicken	Ribs	Pork	Brisket
2017 ↗	Master	#2212 (60 pts)	#2286 (60 pts)	#2304 (60 pts)	#2260 (60 pts)	#2266 (60 pts)
2015 ↗	Master	#955 (329 pts)	#754 (489 pts)	#1001 (344 pts)	#1056 (319 pts)	#779 (469 pts)
2014 ↗	Master	#433 (896 pts)	#414 (911 pts)	#410 (951 pts)	#404 (926 pts)	#385 (976 pts)

Overall rank by season

Teams like this (closest power rating)

The teams rated closest to DESPERADO, each with one reason worth a look.

102 rated teams sit within a point of this rating, so a place on this list means the numbers match — no more than that.

BBQ'S DUNN

#5,684 of the rated field

1446 power rating

Contests: 9
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 0%
Peak: 1446

1–0 in 1 shared contest (100% to DESPERADO)

One contest in common so far: too few to settle anything, but a team DESPERADO has actually stood beside rather than a stranger on the same rating.

rated over 9 contests
last seen Feb 28, 2020

⚔ Head-to-head

UNCLE BUTCH BBQ

#5,680 of the rated field

1447 power rating

Contests: 18
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 0%
Peak: 1447

This is the highest they've ever been rated, 18 rated contests in — a team sitting at its own career peak.

rated over 18 contests
last seen Jul 26, 2019

⚔ Compare careers

KEN'S BURNT ENDS

#5,693 of the rated field

1446 power rating

Contests: 18
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 0%
Peak: 1501

Careers of much the same size, 18 contests to 18, so neither rating has had more chance to settle than the other.

rated over 18 contests
last seen Aug 28, 2015

⚔ Compare careers

SMOKIN BARRELS

#5,694 of the rated field

1446 power rating

Contests: 23
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 0%
Peak: 1446

23 contests and no Grand Championship yet.

rated over 21 contests
last seen Sep 20, 2025

⚔ Compare careers

BoomBoomQue

#5,704 of the rated field

1446 power rating

Contests: 15
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 0%
Peak: 1446

Both teams' first contest in the data came in 2014.

rated over 15 contests
last seen Aug 23, 2019

⚔ Compare careers

GLAZED & CONFUSED

#5,708 of the rated field

1446 power rating

Contests: 15
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 0%
Peak: 1446

Level with DESPERADO on power rating, which is the whole reason they're on the list.

rated over 15 contests
last seen Apr 5, 2019

⚔ Compare careers

Familiar foes (most-met opponents in overall standings — one meeting per contest)

Opponent	Meetings	Ahead	Behind	Win rate
ZZYZX BAR.B.Q	16	1	15	6%	⚔ compare
COOL GRILLING	14	4	10	29%	⚔ compare
THE PIT CREW BBQ OF AZ	14	1	13	7%	⚔ compare
Burnin and Lootin	14	0	14	0%	⚔ compare
Rooftop BBQ	14	0	14	0%	⚔ compare
RIDGE ROUTE BOYS BBQ	13	2	11	15%	⚔ compare
SIMPLY MARVELOUS BBQ	13	1	12	8%	⚔ compare
LADY OF Q	12	1	11	8%	⚔ compare
SMOKE HOUND BBQ	12	1	11	8%	⚔ compare
Smokin it Up BBQ	11	3	8	27%	⚔ compare
LEFT COAST Q	11	1	10	9%	⚔ compare
Porterhouse BBQ	11	1	10	9%	⚔ compare
FUNTIME BBQ	11	0	11	0%	⚔ compare
BIG POPPA SMOKERS	11	0	11	0%	⚔ compare
TWISTED BRISKET BBQ	10	1	9	10%	⚔ compare

By meat

Category	Entries	Calls	Podiums	Best	Worst	Average	Avg finish
Chicken	18	2	1	175.4172	151.3372	162.09	top 67%
Pork Ribs	18	1	0	174.2972	148.5484	160.44	top 66%
Pork	18	1	0	166.8572	139.8856	157.61	top 75%
Brisket	18	3	1	180 🔥	144.4572	159.32	top 60%

“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.

By field size and state

By contest size

Field	Contests	GCs	Avg finish
Medium (20–39)	8	0	top 68%
Large (40+)	10	0	top 73%

By state / province (where the contests were held)

Where	Contests	GCs	Avg finish
CA	15	0	top 74%
NV	3	0	top 53%

Repeat visits (contests they've cooked twice or more)

Contest	Visits	Best	GCs	Avg finish	Last visit
West Coast BBQ Classic	2	44	0	top 79%	May 8, 2015

More numbers

Busiest season 2014 12 contests

Contests a season 6 across 3 seasons in the data

Most contests held in CA 15 of 18 contests · 2 states in all

Contests visited 17 1 of them more than once

Opponents faced 370 finished ahead 284 times, behind 654

Longest layoff 1.5 yrs Dec 11, 2015 → Jun 2, 2017

Milestones (the firsts, the round numbers and the personal bests)

20171 milestone

Jun 2 Most recent contest Horse Town Brew B Que Festival ( Judges Full)

20151 milestone

May 29 First perfect 180 (Brisket) Horse Town Brew n Que Festival

20147 milestones

Mar 21 First tracked contest 3rd Annual Santa Anita Winners' Circle BBQ Championship
Mar 21 Peak power rating (1491) 3rd Annual Santa Anita Winners' Circle BBQ Championship
May 2 First call Best of the Best BBQ Championship & Boat Show
Oct 2 First overall past 90% of a perfect score658.1484 Dana Point State BBQ Championship
Oct 17 First overall top-10 Blazin' BBQ Throwdown
Oct 17 10th tracked contest Blazin' BBQ Throwdown
Oct 17 Career-best overall score679.3944 Blazin' BBQ Throwdown

Power rating over time (1500 = average; recomputed nightly)

📈 Biggest rating jumps

Swing	Contest	Date
+15.4	Blazin' BBQ Throwdown	Oct 17, 2014
+7	2014 Down Town Throw Down	Dec 12, 2014
+6.6	USA Barbecue Championship	Oct 30, 2014
+3.5	Dana Point State BBQ Championship	Oct 2, 2014

📉 Toughest weekends

Swing	Contest	Date
-12.2	Mission Beach Centennial Party and BBQ	Sep 26, 2014
-11.3	6th Annual Vista Q Classic	Jul 25, 2014
-8.7	Ribs, Pigs & Watermelons Day 2	Aug 9, 2014
-8.7	3rd Annual Santa Anita Winners' Circle BBQ Championship	Mar 21, 2014
-8.4	Ribs, Pigs & Watermelons Day 1	Aug 8, 2014

Scores over time (% of a perfect score — tap a meat to add it)

Overall finish over time (top-% of field, lower is better)

Where they finish (overall)

Best vs average (by meat)

How entries end (by meat)

Season by season

Season	Contests	Top-10s	Walk rate	Avg finish	Best overall (% of perfect)	Avg overall (% of perfect)
2017	1	0	0%	top 86%	87.8%	87.8%
2015	5	0	40%	top 73%	90.9%	89.4%
2014	12	1	33%	top 69%	94.4%	88.6%

Contest history (click a row for the event, a column to sort)

Date	Event	Overall	Chicken	Ribs	Pork	Brisket
Jun 2, 2017	Horse Town Brew B Que Festival ( Judges Full) Norco, CA	49 / 57 (631.8632)	52 (154.7884)	46 (162.2516)	41 (162.8688)	45 (151.9544)
Dec 11, 2015	2015 Downtown Barbecue Throwdown Las Vegas, NV	21 / 30 (641.0400)	20 (163.9656)	20 (163.9772)	19 (165.6800)	27 (147.4172)
Jun 26, 2015	Newport Beach Barbecue Contest Newport Beach, CA	21 / 29 (651.2800)	3 (174.8572)	19 (162.2628)	27 (156.5028)	24 (157.6572)
May 29, 2015	Horse Town Brew n Que Festival Norco, CA	58 / 75 (643.3372)	60 (161.1200)	73 (151.3600)	72 (150.8572)	3 (180)
May 8, 2015	West Coast BBQ Classic Long Beach, CA	47 / 57 (630.1260)	50 (151.9772)	47 (156.5144)	51 (155.3828)	25 (166.2516)
Mar 20, 2015	4th Annual Santa Anita Winners' Circle BBQ Championship Arcadia, CA	62 / 100 (654.2172)	68 (164.5600)	58 (165.1428)	87 (156.5372)	38 (167.9772)
Dec 12, 2014	2014 Down Town Throw Down Las Vegas, NV	11 / 26 (661.0972)	17 (165.6916)	11 (165.1200)	18 (161.1428)	6 (169.1428)
Oct 30, 2014	USA Barbecue Championship Laughlin, NV	38 / 79 (667.3260)	9 (175.4172)	30 (169.1200)	56 (162.2400)	58 (160.5488)
Oct 17, 2014	Blazin' BBQ Throwdown Lancaster, CA	6 / 29 (679.3944)	13 (166.8228)	6 (174.2972)	11 (166.8572)	6 (171.4172)
Oct 2, 2014	Dana Point State BBQ Championship Dana Point, CA	49 / 97 (658.1484)	61 (165.1084)	24 (170.8228)	75 (158.2628)	40 (163.9544)
Sep 26, 2014	Mission Beach Centennial Party and BBQ San Diego, CA	20 / 20 (612.2744)	20 (151.3372)	18 (153.6456)	19 (157.0972)	20 (150.1944)
Aug 9, 2014	Ribs, Pigs & Watermelons Day 2 Huntington Beach, CA	35 / 38 (636.9484)	37 (155.9428)	31 (160.5028)	29 (164.5484)	34 (155.9544)
Aug 8, 2014	Ribs, Pigs & Watermelons Day 1 Huntington Beach, CA	35 / 39 (634.6280)	34 (162.8000)	19 (166.8456)	37 (154.7540)	36 (150.2284)
Jul 25, 2014	6th Annual Vista Q Classic Vista, CA	56 / 60 (620.3428)	49 (161.0972)	56 (149.0856)	59 (139.8856)	14 (170.2744)
Jun 20, 2014	3rd Annual Pechanga BBQ Championship Temecula, CA	48 / 65 (630.6284)	43 (162.8000)	51 (157.0856)	50 (154.8112)	43 (155.9316)
May 9, 2014	West Coast BBQ Classic Long Beach, CA	44 / 59 (622.7084)	28 (163.9772)	52 (148.5484)	28 (163.3828)	51 (146.8000)
May 2, 2014	Best of the Best BBQ Championship & Boat Show Lake Elsinore, CA	16 / 27 (632.3312)	13 (163.9656)	14 (157.6340)	4 (166.2744)	20 (144.4572)
Mar 21, 2014	3rd Annual Santa Anita Winners' Circle BBQ Championship Arcadia, CA	56 / 69 (602.6972)	61 (151.3828)	50 (153.7144)	63 (139.9200)	35 (157.6800)

DESPERADO

At a glance (the record in numbers)

Power ranking

Rating

Contests

First seen

Best ToY finish

Grand champs

Category wins

Overall top-10s

Avg finish

Best overall

Perfect 180s

Current form

Walk rate

Best single call

Consistency

Strongest meat

Road miles

Schedule strength

Master avg

Storylines (7 found in their record)

Perfect scores on the board

High-water mark

A tough matchup

The weak link

A strong matchup

Chicken nemesis

An October team

Team of the Year (rank per category by season — the year links to the full board on kcbs.us)

Overall rank by season

Teams like this (closest power rating)

Familiar foes (most-met opponents in overall standings — one meeting per contest)

By meat

By field size and state

By contest size

By state / province (where the contests were held)

Repeat visits (contests they've cooked twice or more)

More numbers

Milestones (the firsts, the round numbers and the personal bests)

Power rating over time (1500 = average; recomputed nightly)

📈 Biggest rating jumps

📉 Toughest weekends

Scores over time (% of a perfect score — tap a meat to add it)

Overall finish over time (top-% of field, lower is better)

Where they finish (overall)

Best vs average (by meat)

How entries end (by meat)

Season by season

Contest history (click a row for the event, a column to sort)

Career map (orange GC · green top-10 · grey the rest — tap a pin)