BBQ MAFIA

BBQ MAFIA is a competition barbecue team with 21 Kansas City Barbeque Society (KCBS) contests on record between 2013 and 2016. Their best overall finish is 2nd of 20 at the Pork in the Park (2014), and they have finished Reserve Grand Champion once. They are ranked #2072 of 6,485 teams in the KCBS power rankings.

⚔ Compare with another team

At a glance (the record in numbers)

Power ranking

#2,072

of 6,485 rated · rankings

Rating

1536

peak 1552 · rated over 21 contests

Contests

in the data

First seen

Apr 19, 2013

latest Sep 24, 2016 · 3.4 years on the trail

Best ToY finish

#458

Master 2013 · every season

Grand champs

1 reserve

Category wins

8 podiums

Overall top-10s

29% of 21 contests

Best top-10 run

straight overall top-10s

Avg finish

top 48%

overall standings

Best overall

676.6056 / 720

Master · Mid-South Barbecue Festival

Perfect 180s

Current form

640.61 ▲

last 5 Master vs avg 638.92 (+1.69)

Walk rate

71%

contests with a top-10 call

Best single call

175.4628

Pork · Mid-South Barbecue Festival

Consistency

±20.34

spread of their Master overall scores (lower = steadier)

Strongest meat

Pork

avg 162.27 · weakest Pork Ribs (157.17)

Road miles

8,056

across 21 mapped stops · furthest 1,809 mi

Schedule strength

27%

of rated fields were softer than their average draw (1538)

Master avg

638.92 / 720

21 Master contests · 0 GCs

Storylines (11 found in their record)

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

The heartbreaker

3.9884 points from the title

Came within 3.9884 points of the Grand Championship at Pork in the Park (Jul 12, 2014).

They almost always walk

71% of contests with a top-10 call

A call in 15 of 21 contests

A top-10 category call in 71% of their 21 contests — they get to the stage more often than not.

High-water mark

676.6056 career-best overall

94.0% of a perfect 720

Their best day on record: 676.6056 at Mid-South Barbecue Festival — 94.0% of a perfect 720.

Master
Oct 17, 2014

The one to beat

2× one call ahead of them

5 Alarm BBQ has finished one call ahead of BBQ MAFIA 2 times — their closest competition in the data.

A tough matchup

12–1 behind in the head-to-head

SMOKIN HOGGZ BBQ - MA ahead in 92% of their meetings

SMOKIN HOGGZ BBQ - MA has come out ahead in 12 of their 13 shared contests.

The weak link

−5.1 points behind their best meat

Pork Ribs is where the weekend gets away from them — it averages 5.10 points below their pork, and turns into a call 33% of the time against 43%.

Pork Ribs avg 157.17
Pork avg 162.27
7 calls in 21 entries

A strong matchup

7–3 ahead in the head-to-head

Ahead in 70% of their meetings

They've finished ahead of ACK-QUE in 7 of their 10 shared contests.

Show 4 more storylines

Pork nemesis

9 of 12 shared pork entries lost

Rogue Hog BBQ ahead 75% of the time

Even in their strongest meat, Rogue Hog BBQ has out-cooked them in 9 of 12 shared pork entries.

Announced themselves early

3rd at their very first contest

Finished 3 of 33 at their very first tracked contest, New York City BBQ Cookoff (Apr 19, 2013).

Apr 19, 2013
33-team field

An April team

Top 38% average finish in April

Something about April: average finish in the top 38% across 3 contests, versus top 48% the rest of the year.

3 April contests
top 48% the rest of the year

The long haul

8,056 road miles between contests

Contest to contest, they've covered roughly 8,056 miles across 21 mapped stops — the longest single trip being 1,809 miles to Smokin' On The Pecos.

21 mapped stops
furthest 1,809 mi

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
2016 ↗	Master	#1644 (145 pts)	#1883 (120 pts)	#1884 (120 pts)	#1840 (125 pts)	#927 (380 pts)
2015 ↗	Master	#645 (568 pts)	#734 (503 pts)	#665 (583 pts)	#585 (668 pts)	#608 (623 pts)
2014 ↗	Master	#724 (483 pts)	#715 (528 pts)	#1104 (298 pts)	#693 (548 pts)	#720 (513 pts)
2013 ↗	Master	#458 (672 pts)	#581 (562 pts)	#367 (837 pts)	#349 (872 pts)	#672 (482 pts)

Overall rank by season

Teams like this (closest power rating)

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

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

SONS OF BBQ

#2,069 of the rated field

1536 power rating

Contests: 5
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 20%
Peak: 1536

0–1 in 1 shared contest (0% to BBQ MAFIA)

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

rated over 5 contests
last seen Feb 3, 2017

⚔ Head-to-head

Big Bobby's Q

#2,071 of the rated field

1536 power rating

Contests: 19
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 5%
Peak: 1536

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 Aug 2, 2025

⚔ Compare careers

ROCKWELL SMOKEHOUSE BBQ

#2,082 of the rated field

1535 power rating

Contests: 17
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 18%
Peak: 1535

Careers of much the same size, 17 contests to 21, so neither rating has had more chance to settle than the other.

rated over 17 contests
last seen Oct 11, 2019

⚔ Compare careers

The Pig Lebowski

#2,065 of the rated field

1536 power rating

Contests: 29
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 7%
Peak: 1549

29 contests and no Grand Championship yet — a rating made of 7% top-10 finishes rather than wins.

rated over 29 contests
last seen Jun 26, 2026

⚔ Compare careers

JOE'S COOKSHACK

#2,063 of the rated field

1536 power rating

Contests: 17
GCs: 0
Top-10s: 18%
Peak: 1567

Both teams' first contest in the data came in 2013.

rated over 14 contests
last seen Jan 9, 2025

⚔ Compare careers

STOKE & SMOKE BBQ

#2,062 of the rated field

1536 power rating

Contests: 14
GCs: 1
Top-10s: 14%
Peak: 1543

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

rated over 13 contests
last seen Sep 21, 2018

⚔ Compare careers

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

Opponent	Meetings	Ahead	Behind	Win rate
SMOKIN HOGGZ BBQ - MA	13	1	12	8%	⚔ compare
Q HAVEN BBQ	12	2	10	17%	⚔ compare
Rogue Hog BBQ	12	1	11	8%	⚔ compare
Chicken Chokers	11	4	7	36%	⚔ compare
SMOKOPOLIS BBQ	11	2	9	18%	⚔ compare
BLAZIN' BUTTZ BBQ	11	0	11	0%	⚔ compare
ACK-QUE	10	7	3	70%	⚔ compare
Dr. Pearl's Medicinal Smoke BBQ Team	10	5	5	50%	⚔ compare
STUBBORN BULL BBQ	10	2	8	20%	⚔ compare
QUE AND A HALF MEN	8	1	7	13%	⚔ compare
THE BASIC BBQ TEAM	7	3	4	43%	⚔ compare
MOON RIVER BARBEQUE	7	3	4	43%	⚔ compare
RIBS WITHIN	7	2	5	29%	⚔ compare
THE SMOKING SECTION - NY	6	4	2	67%	⚔ compare
INSANE SWINE BBQ	6	0	6	0%	⚔ compare

By meat

Category	Entries	Calls	Wins	Podiums	Best	Worst	Average	Avg finish
Chicken	21	5	0	1	171.4400	149.0856	161.56	top 49%
Pork Ribs	21	7	0	2	170.2858	137.6344	157.17	top 52%
Pork	21	9	0	2	175.4628	142.8000	162.27	top 41%
Brisket	21	7	1	3	172.5944	135.9316	157.91	top 46%

“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 35%
Medium (20–39)	13	top 46%
Large (40+)	7	top 52%

By state / province (where the contests were held)

Where	Contests	Avg finish
CT	7	top 38%
NJ	4	top 49%
PA	4	top 55%
NY	3	top 37%
TN	2	top 69%
NM	1	top 65%

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

Contest	Visits	Best	Avg finish	Last visit
Ridgefield Gone Country BBQ Festival	3	4	top 37%	Apr 30, 2016
Red, White and Que	3	8	top 49%	Sep 26, 2015
Mid-South Barbecue Festival	2	17	top 69%	Oct 16, 2015
Sun BBQ Fest	2	14	top 49%	Jun 13, 2015

More numbers

Busiest season 2015 7 contests

Contests a season 5.3 across 4 seasons in the data

Most contests held in CT 7 of 21 contests · 6 states in all

Contests visited 15 4 of them more than once

Opponents faced 397 finished ahead 393 times, behind 367

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

20161 milestone

Sep 24 Most recent contest Red White and Que

20152 milestones

May 2 First category win (Brisket) Ridgefield Gone Country BBQ Festival
Jun 13 Peak power rating (1552) Sun BBQ Fest

20144 milestones

Jul 12 First Reserve Championship Pork in the Park
Jul 12 10th tracked contest Pork in the Park
Oct 17 Career-best overall score676.6056 Mid-South Barbecue Festival
Oct 17 Career-best single call (Pork)175.4628 Mid-South Barbecue Festival

20135 milestones

Apr 19 First tracked contest New York City BBQ Cookoff
Apr 19 First call New York City BBQ Cookoff
Apr 19 First overall top-10 New York City BBQ Cookoff
Apr 19 First overall podium New York City BBQ Cookoff
Apr 19 First overall past 90% of a perfect score651.4292 New York City BBQ Cookoff

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

📈 Biggest rating jumps

Swing	Contest	Date
+15.9	Pork in the Park	Jul 12, 2014
+13.9	New York City BBQ Cookoff	Apr 19, 2013
+13.8	Ridgefield Gone Country BBQ Festival	May 2, 2015
+8.7	Sun BBQ Fest	Jun 13, 2015
+7.4	Red, White and Que	Sep 7, 2013

📉 Toughest weekends

Swing	Contest	Date
-12.6	Mid-South Barbecue Festival	Oct 16, 2015
-6.1	Sun BBQ Fest	Jun 20, 2014
-5.8	Que for the Troops	Jun 5, 2015
-4.7	Smokin' On The Pecos	Jun 27, 2014
-4.5	Smoke in the Valley BBQ Competition	May 9, 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	Category wins	Walk rate	Avg finish	Best overall (% of perfect)	Avg overall (% of perfect)
2016	2	0	0	50%	top 56%	88.4%	87.8%
2015	7	1	1	57%	top 49%	93.7%	89.7%
2014	7	2	0	71%	top 50%	94%	89.1%
2013	5	3	0	100%	top 39%	90.5%	87.3%

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

Date	Event	Overall	Chicken	Ribs	Pork	Brisket
Sep 24, 2016	Red White and Que Cresskill, NJ	21 / 41 (636.5140)	30 (157.0856)	25 (154.8456)	24 (158.2628)	13 (166.3200)
Apr 30, 2016	Ridgefield Gone Country BBQ Festival Ridgefield, CT	24 / 39 (627.9432)	30 (153.1088)	30 (151.9772)	30 (150.8572)	2 (172)
Oct 16, 2015	Mid-South Barbecue Festival Mount Pleasant, TN	28 / 31 (645.6112)	18 (166.8456)	30 (154.7884)	30 (158.8228)	21 (165.1544)
Sep 26, 2015	Red, White and Que Cresskill, NJ	21 / 35 (627.3600)	15 (162.2628)	7 (166.2972)	32 (142.8000)	13 (156)
Jun 13, 2015	Sun BBQ Fest Uncasville, CT	14 / 52 (665.6112)	11 (170.8800)	15 (167.9656)	17 (167.4172)	25 (159.3484)
Jun 5, 2015	Que for the Troops Levittown, PA	37 / 54 (648.9940)	17 (167.4056)	43 (155.3828)	25 (166.2628)	34 (159.9428)
May 8, 2015	Smoke in the Valley BBQ Competition & Festival Green Lane, PA	22 / 57 (643.3256)	39 (157.7028)	17 (163.4172)	6 (168.5372)	33 (153.6684)
May 2, 2015	Ridgefield Gone Country BBQ Festival Ridgefield, CT	4 / 30 (674.3432)	17 (162.2744)	2 (168.5944)	7 (170.8800)	1 (172.5944)
Apr 10, 2015	New York City BBQ Cookoff Staten Island, NY	14 / 33 (614.6972)	13 (155.4056)	27 (137.6344)	6 (162.8572)	7 (158.8000)
Oct 17, 2014	Mid-South Barbecue Festival Mount Pleasant, TN	17 / 35 (676.6056)	17 (171.4400)	12 (170.2744)	4 (175.4628)	28 (159.4284)
Sep 6, 2014	Red, White and Que Cresskill, NJ	17 / 31 (624.5720)	21 (158.8688)	24 (148.5832)	23 (150.8000)	3 (166.3200)
Jul 12, 2014	Pork in the Park Stamford, CT	2 / 20 (660.0004)	2 (170.8916)	13 (154.2860)	3 (172)	7 (162.8228)
Jun 27, 2014	Smokin' On The Pecos Artesia, NM	39 / 60 (635.9312)	32 (161.7372)	47 (157.0972)	38 (159.9540)	32 (157.1428)
Jun 20, 2014	Sun BBQ Fest Uncasville, CT	23 / 32 (632.9596)	10 (166.2628)	28 (148.4912)	12 (165.7372)	27 (152.4684)
May 9, 2014	Smoke in the Valley BBQ Competition Green Lane, PA	35 / 54 (608.9716)	33 (153.0972)	31 (149.6688)	12 (163.9656)	43 (142.2400)
May 3, 2014	Ridgefield Gone Country BBQ Festival Ridgefield, CT	6 / 17 (651.2912)	4 (167.9656)	7 (158.7884)	11 (158.2628)	4 (166.2744)
Sep 7, 2013	Red, White and Que Cresskill, NJ	8 / 26 (646.2400)	6 (162.8572)	6 (166.2972)	12 (161.6684)	10 (155.4172)
Aug 9, 2013	Sam's Club National BBQ Tour Medford, NY	16 / 27 (598.7888)	21 (149.0856)	5 (154.2972)	5 (159.4744)	24 (135.9316)
Jul 13, 2013	Pork In The Park BBQ Stamford, CT	10 / 21 (633.5884)	9 (166.2284)	6 (161.1316)	10 (161.1084)	14 (145.1200)
May 10, 2013	Green Lane Fire CO's Green Lane, PA	29 / 58 (612.5704)	42 (150.8568)	52 (140.5712)	4 (167.4284)	24 (153.7140)
Apr 19, 2013	New York City BBQ Cookoff Staten Island, NY	3 / 33 (651.4292)	13 (160.5716)	2 (170.2858)	3 (165.1430)	13 (155.4288)

BBQ MAFIA

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

Master avg

Storylines (11 found in their record)

The heartbreaker

They almost always walk

High-water mark

The one to beat

A tough matchup

The weak link

A strong matchup

Pork nemesis

Announced themselves early

An April team

The long haul

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)