The Wicked Pig

The Wicked Pig is a competition barbecue team with 34 Kansas City Barbeque Society (KCBS) contests on record between 2013 and 2025. Their best overall finish is 2nd of 66 at the Up in Smoke BBQ Bash (2013), and they have finished Reserve Grand Champion once. They are ranked #1670 of 6,485 teams in the KCBS power rankings.

⚔ Compare with another team

At a glance (the record in numbers)

Power ranking

#1,670

of 6,485 rated · rankings

Rating

1554

peak 1632 · rated over 32 contests

Contests

in the data

First seen

Apr 19, 2013

latest Nov 5, 2025 · 12.5 years on the trail

Best ToY finish

#548

Master 2013 · every season

Grand champs

1 reserve

Category wins

9 podiums

Overall top-10s

18% of 34 contests

Best top-10 run

straight overall top-10s

Avg finish

top 44%

overall standings

Best overall

695.4056 / 720

Master · Up in Smoke BBQ Bash

Perfect 180s

Current form

650.75 ▼

last 5 Master vs avg 664.22 (-13.47)

Walk rate

50%

contests with a top-10 call

Best single call

178.8572

Pork · RiverFest Red White and Que

Consistency

±13.89

spread of their Master overall scores (lower = steadier)

Strongest meat

Pork

avg 167.03 · weakest Brisket (165.16)

Road miles

2,953

across 34 mapped stops · furthest 233 mi

Schedule strength

53%

of rated fields were softer than their average draw (1569)

Purse competed for

$341K

listed at 6 contests — purses, not winnings

State championships

0 🏅

won from 7 state-championship entries

Master avg

664.22 / 720

32 Master contests · 0 GCs

Storylines (8 found in their record)

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

High-water mark

695.4056 career-best overall

96.6% of a perfect 720

Their best day on record: 695.4056 at Up in Smoke BBQ Bash — 96.6% of a perfect 720.

Master
Jul 22, 2016

The one to beat

2× one call ahead of them

LUCKY'S Q has finished one call ahead of The Wicked Pig 2 times — their closest competition in the data.

Their season

2015 their best year

2015 was the year it came together: 4 contests, 0 Grand Championships and 1 category win, at an average finish in the top 25%.

4 contests
1 overall top-10
1 category win
average top 25%

A strong matchup

10–1 ahead in the head-to-head

Ahead in 91% of their meetings

They've finished ahead of Smoke Me Tender BBQ in 10 of their 11 shared contests.

The comeback

2 yrs off the trail, then back

Off the trail for 2 years, then back at American Royal World Series of Barbecue-OPEN CONTEST (Sep 16, 2021).

last seen Sep 12, 2019
back Sep 16, 2021

A July team

Top 34% average finish in July

Something about July: average finish in the top 34% across 8 contests, versus top 44% the rest of the year.

8 July contests
top 44% the rest of the year

The metronome

±1.93% swing around their own average

Their overall lands within ±1.93% of a perfect score of their own average — whatever the field, you know roughly what they'll turn in.

averages 92.3% of a perfect score
34 contests

Show 1 more storyline

A standing appointment

5 years running at one contest

They've cooked Up in Smoke BBQ Bash every year from 2013 to 2017 — the contest they never miss.

5 visits in all
best finish 2nd

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
2014 ↗	Master	#1682 (145 pts)	#2092 (90 pts)	#1513 (180 pts)	#1933 (120 pts)	#2037 (95 pts)
2013 ↗	Master	#548 (572 pts)	#538 (602 pts)	#536 (617 pts)	#756 (442 pts)	#468 (687 pts)

Overall rank by season

Teams like this (closest power rating)

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

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

PARK AVENUE PORK

#1,664 of the rated field

1554 power rating

Contests: 47
GCs: 1
Top-10s: 23%
Peak: 1594

4–7 in 11 shared contests (36% to The Wicked Pig)

These two have cooked 11 of the same contests — PARK AVENUE PORK ahead 7–4 — so there's a record behind this pairing and not just a matching number.

rated over 43 contests
last seen Sep 30, 2026

⚔ Head-to-head

SMOKED

#1,661 of the rated field

1554 power rating

Contests: 23
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 22%
Peak: 1585

5–5 in 10 shared contests (50% to The Wicked Pig)

They've been 1585 at their best, 30 points above where they sit today — they're arriving at this rating from above.

rated over 23 contests
last seen Sep 30, 2026

⚔ Head-to-head

3 GUYS WITH WOOD

#1,674 of the rated field

1554 power rating

Contests: 23
GCs: 1
Top-10s: 4%
Peak: 1585

2–2 in 4 shared contests (50% to The Wicked Pig)

Fewer contests behind them than The Wicked Pig has cooked, 23 to 34, which makes theirs the less settled rating of the two.

rated over 22 contests
last seen Sep 27, 2023

⚔ Head-to-head

WATT'S SMOKIN!

#1,677 of the rated field

1553 power rating

Contests: 11
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 18%
Peak: 1553

0–1 in 1 shared contest (0% to The Wicked Pig)

Their last contest in the data was back in 2017, 8 years before The Wicked Pig's most recent — their rating stopped moving when they stopped cooking.

rated over 11 contests

⚔ Head-to-head

Meatshots BBQ

#1,666 of the rated field

1554 power rating

Contests: 9
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 33%
Peak: 1554

0–1 in 1 shared contest (0% to The Wicked Pig)

They turned up 9 years after The Wicked Pig did, first appearing in 2022.

rated over 8 contests
last seen Nov 5, 2025

⚔ Head-to-head

MASTER OF DISASTER

#1,665 of the rated field

1554 power rating

Contests: 25
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 12%
Peak: 1570

25 contests and no Grand Championship yet — a rating made of 12% top-10 finishes rather than wins.

rated over 25 contests
last seen Mar 31, 2017

⚔ Compare careers

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

Opponent	Meetings	Ahead	Behind	Win rate
LUCKY'S Q	24	3	21	13%	⚔ compare
SHIGGIN & GRINNIN	18	2	16	11%	⚔ compare
WOODWARD BARBEQUE	17	8	9	47%	⚔ compare
IOWA'S SMOKEY D'S BBQ	17	1	16	6%	⚔ compare
DIG-IN COOKERS	16	10	6	63%	⚔ compare
SMOKERS PURGATORY	16	7	9	44%	⚔ compare
GRILLS GONE WILD IOWA	16	3	13	19%	⚔ compare
DIRT ROAD BBQ	15	4	11	27%	⚔ compare
PORKY BUTTS BBQ	15	1	14	7%	⚔ compare
Hogline	14	4	10	29%	⚔ compare
Pig Skin BBQ	14	4	10	29%	⚔ compare
THERE'S NO PLACE LIKE SMOKE	14	2	12	14%	⚔ compare
GETTIN' BASTED	14	1	13	7%	⚔ compare
GOTHIC TOWN GRILLERS	13	9	4	69%	⚔ compare
HOT GRILL ON GRILL ACTION	13	4	9	31%	⚔ compare

By meat

Category	Entries	Calls	Wins	Podiums	Best	Worst	Average	Avg finish
Chicken	32	3	0	2	177.7600	151.9656	165.23	top 52%
Pork Ribs	32	10	0	3	176	150.2856	166.80	top 39%
Pork	32	8	1	1	178.8572	151.9428	167.03	top 42%
Brisket	32	11	2	3	177.1772	151.9084	165.16	top 44%

“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	Avg finish
Small (<20 teams)	1	top 27%
Medium (20–39)	9	top 41%
Large (40+)	22	top 46%

By state / province (where the contests were held)

Where	Contests	Avg finish
IA	17	top 38%
KS	10	top 57%
NE	3	top 53%
MO	2	top 14%

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

Contest	Visits	Best	Avg finish	Last visit
Up in Smoke BBQ Bash	5	2	top 37%	Jul 21, 2017
American Royal World Series of Barbecue - Open Contest	3	316	top 71%	Sep 27, 2023
American Royal World Series of Barbecue - Open Contest	2	323	top 78%	Nov 5, 2025
Smokin' in the Junction	2	7	top 28%	May 23, 2015
Central Iowa Expo BBQ, Cruise & Brew	2	11	top 35%	Apr 26, 2014

More numbers

Busiest season 2014 8 contests

Contests a season 2.8 across 12 seasons in the data

Most contests held in IA 17 of 34 contests · 4 states in all

Contests visited 23 5 of them more than once

Opponents faced 2,230 finished ahead 2,591 times, behind 3,082

Longest layoff 2 yrs Sep 12, 2019 → Sep 16, 2021

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

20251 milestone

Nov 5 Most recent contest American Royal World Series of Barbecue - Open Contest

20172 milestones

Apr 28 Peak power rating (1632) Central Iowa Expo BBQ & Cruise (Day 1)
Sep 1 25th tracked contest 38th American Royal World Series of Barbecue (OPEN)

20161 milestone

Jul 22 Career-best overall score695.4056 Up in Smoke BBQ Bash

20151 milestone

Jul 17 Career-best single call (Pork)178.8572 RiverFest Red White and Que

20141 milestone

Jun 27 10th tracked contest Rockin' Country BBQ Fest

20137 milestones

Apr 19 First tracked contest Smoke Over Veishea
Apr 19 First call Smoke Over Veishea
Apr 19 First overall past 90% of a perfect score658.8568 Smoke Over Veishea
Jul 26 First overall top-10 Up in Smoke BBQ Bash
Jul 26 First overall podium Up in Smoke BBQ Bash
Jul 26 First Reserve Championship Up in Smoke BBQ Bash
Sep 20 First category win (Brisket) Kings of BBQ 2013

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

📈 Biggest rating jumps

Swing	Contest	Date
+16.6	Up in Smoke BBQ Bash	Jul 26, 2013
+13.7	Up in Smoke BBQ Bash	Jul 22, 2016
+12.1	RiverFest Red White and Que	Jul 17, 2015
+11.8	35th Annual American Royal World Series of Barbecue Open	Oct 2, 2014
+11	NKC MO State Championship BBQ	Mar 14, 2014

📉 Toughest weekends

Swing	Contest	Date
-12.6	Up in Smoke BBQ Bash	Jul 21, 2017
-10.1	American Royal World Series of Barbecue-OPEN CONTEST	Sep 16, 2021
-9.5	American Royal World Series of Barbecue - OPEN CONTEST	Sep 29, 2022
-9	American Royal World Series of Barbecue - Open Contest	Nov 5, 2025
-8.8	38th American Royal World Series of Barbecue (OPEN)	Sep 1, 2017

Scores over time (% of a perfect score, averaged over 5 contests — 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	Category wins	Walk rate	Avg finish	Best overall (% of perfect)	Avg overall (% of perfect)
2025	1	0	0	0%	top 81%	90.5%	90.5%
2024	1	0	0	0%	top 75%	90.9%	90.9%
2023	2	0	0	0%	top 66%	91.7%	91.7%
2022	2	0	0	0%	top 80%	89%	89%
2021	1	0	0	0%	top 68%	89.9%	89.9%
2019	1	0	0	0%	top 45%	92.1%	92.1%
2018	1	0	0	0%	top 40%	92.7%	92.7%
2017	5	0	0	20%	top 70%	92.7%	90.3%
2016	3	1	0	67%	top 26%	96.6%	93.9%
2015	4	1	1	100%	top 25%	95.4%	93.7%
2014	8	2	1	88%	top 29%	94.7%	93.2%
2013	5	2	1	60%	top 40%	95.2%	92.4%

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

Date	Event	Overall	Chicken	Ribs	Pork	Brisket
Nov 5, 2025	American Royal World Series of Barbecue - Open Contest 🏅 Kansas City, KS	323 / 401 (651.8512)	314 (163.9428)	346 (159.9656)	288 (165.1200)	290 (162.8228)
Oct 30, 2024	American Royal World Series of Barbecue - Open Contest 🏅 Kansas City, KS	331 / 444 (654.1944)	195 (170.2972)	405 (155.9544)	251 (167.4056)	342 (160.5372)
Sep 27, 2023	American Royal World Series of Barbecue - Sides Kansas City, KS	—	—	—	—	—
Sep 27, 2023	American Royal World Series of Barbecue - Open Contest 🏅 Kansas City, KS	323 / 487 (659.8972)	284 (166.8344)	266 (167.4172)	116 (173.1084)	437 (152.5372)
Oct 1, 2022	American Royal World Series of Barbecue - SIDES Kansas City, KS	—	—	—	—	—
Sep 29, 2022	American Royal World Series of Barbecue - OPEN CONTEST 🏅 Kansas City, KS	405 / 505 (640.4800)	405 (159.9888)	274 (166.3200)	360 (162.2628)	448 (151.9084)
Sep 16, 2021	American Royal World Series of Barbecue-OPEN CONTEST 🏅 Kansas City, KS	316 / 467 (647.3028)	420 (151.9772)	85 (172.5600)	188 (166.8228)	356 (155.9428)
Sep 12, 2019	40th American Royal World Series of Barbecue- OPEN CONTEST 🏅 Kansas City, KS	211 / 468 (663.3256)	83 (171.9884)	118 (169.7488)	186 (167.9656)	382 (153.6228)
Sep 15, 2018	39th American Royal World Series of Barbecue (OPEN) Kansas City, KS	187 / 467 (667.4856)	327 (161.7028)	312 (161.7600)	21 (177.1428)	177 (166.8800)
Sep 1, 2017	38th American Royal World Series of Barbecue (OPEN) Kansas City, KS	300 / 407 (639.2796)	236 (164.5484)	307 (158.2628)	369 (151.9428)	205 (164.5256)
Aug 5, 2017	Omaha Steaks Nebraska BBQ Championship Day -2 Omaha, NE	38 / 50 (659.8740)	25 (170.8456)	40 (162.2628)	22 (168.5256)	43 (158.2400)
Aug 4, 2017	Omaha Steaks Nebraska BBQ Championship Day -1 Omaha, NE	42 / 54 (638.2056)	48 (155.3368)	39 (158.2744)	34 (162.3200)	34 (162.2744)
Jul 21, 2017	Up in Smoke BBQ Bash Mason City, IA	40 / 49 (644.4228)	26 (165.0740)	15 (167.4288)	40 (159.3828)	42 (152.5372)
Apr 28, 2017	Central Iowa Expo BBQ & Cruise (Day 1) Boone, IA	12 / 31 (667.3256)	12 (169.7028)	3 (169.6800)	10 (169.6800)	26 (158.2628)
Oct 29, 2016	37th Annual American Royal World Series of Barbecue (OPEN) Kansas City, KS	154 / 557 (668.4912)	169 (168.5484)	344 (161.6800)	134 (169.6800)	137 (168.5828)
Jul 22, 2016	Up in Smoke BBQ Bash Mason City, IA	3 / 47 (695.4056)	2 (177.7600)	14 (170.2744)	7 (174.2628)	9 (173.1084)
Apr 22, 2016	Central Iowa Expo BBQ (Day 1) (Judges Full) Boone, IA	18 / 42 (665.0628)	41 (151.9656)	13 (167.4172)	13 (171.4172)	7 (174.2628)
Jul 24, 2015	Up in Smoke BBQ Bash Mason City, IA	23 / 54 (667.3832)	41 (162.8572)	8 (170.8572)	32 (163.9772)	9 (169.6916)
Jul 17, 2015	RiverFest Red White and Que Bellevue, NE	3 / 45 (686.8456)	22 (165.7028)	16 (165.7028)	1 (178.8572)	2 (176.5828)
Jun 5, 2015	2015 Keepers of the Fire BBQ Contest Mayetta, KS	11 / 64 (674.1712)	31 (165.0856)	11 (170.2628)	8 (172.5600)	17 (166.2628)
May 23, 2015	Smokin' in the Junction West Des Moines, IA	12 / 37 (670.2284)	17 (166.2628)	2 (176)	14 (167.9772)	20 (159.9884)
Oct 2, 2014	35th Annual American Royal World Series of Barbecue Open Kansas City, MO	54 / 552 (681.6800)	43 (174.8800)	50 (173.7144)	264 (164.5600)	139 (168.5256)
Jul 25, 2014	Up in Smoke BBQ Bash Mason City, IA	27 / 52 (663.3024)	50 (154.2056)	19 (167.9884)	9 (172.5600)	17 (168.5484)
Jul 18, 2014	BBQ'Loo & Blues Too! Waterloo, IA	11 / 37 (669.6000)	18 (166.2400)	8 (170.2972)	16 (162.7884)	9 (170.2744)
Jun 27, 2014	Rockin' Country BBQ Fest Nevada, IA	4 / 15 (671.3600)	10 (162.2628)	5 (169.1544)	4 (169.1200)	5 (170.8228)
May 24, 2014	Smokin' in the Junction West Des Moines, IA	7 / 31 (677.1316)	11 (168.5484)	8 (170.2972)	14 (165.6916)	6 (172.5944)
Apr 26, 2014	Central Iowa Expo BBQ, Cruise & Brew Boone, IA	18 / 39 (671.9888)	36 (155.4056)	11 (170.3088)	4 (173.7028)	9 (172.5716)
Apr 25, 2014	Central Iowa Expo BBQ, Cruise & Brew Boone, IA	11 / 45 (675.4056)	17 (169.1428)	9 (168.5600)	36 (160.5256)	1 (177.1772)
Mar 14, 2014	NKC MO State Championship BBQ 🏅 N. Kansas City, MO	11 / 61 (655.9772)	22 (163.4172)	7 (166.8572)	16 (165.6800)	21 (160.0228)
Sep 20, 2013	Kings of BBQ 2013 Des Moines, IA	9 / 35 (676.0228)	13 (166.8456)	4 (174.2744)	23 (159.4056)	1 (175.4972)
Jul 26, 2013	Up in Smoke BBQ Bash Mason City, IA	2 / 66 (685.1316)	19 (168.5600)	3 (173.7144)	4 (172)	9 (170.8572)
Jul 19, 2013	Sam's Club National BBQ Tour Des Moines, IA	14 / 28 (658.2056)	13 (166.2628)	13 (167.4400)	11 (167.4172)	23 (157.0856)
May 25, 2013	Smokin' In The Junction West Des Moines, IA	24 / 36 (649.1426)	14 (166.8570)	33 (150.2856)	20 (166.2858)	15 (165.7142)
Apr 19, 2013	Smoke Over Veishea Ames, IA	20 / 36 (658.8568)	2 (174.2856)	18 (162.8570)	28 (154.8570)	11 (166.8572)

The Wicked Pig

At a glance (the record in numbers)

Power ranking

Rating

Contests

First seen

Best ToY finish

Grand champs

Category wins

Overall top-10s

Best top-10 run

Avg finish

Best overall

Perfect 180s

Current form

Walk rate

Best single call

Consistency

Strongest meat

Road miles

Schedule strength

Purse competed for

State championships

Master avg

Storylines (8 found in their record)

High-water mark

The one to beat

Their season

A strong matchup

The comeback

A July team

The metronome

A standing appointment

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, averaged over 5 contests — 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)