The 2026 Monster Energy SMX Championship came to a dramatic conclusion at Thunder Ridge Nature Arena in Ridgedale, Missouri, with Jorge Prado and Levi Kitchen crowned first-time SMX Champions after title fights that went all the way to the final chequered flag.
Triple points were on offer at the SMX World Championship Final, ensuring both the 450SMX and 250SMX championships remained alive until the final moto of the season.
For Prado, the title marked another major milestone in a remarkable career. The Red Bull KTM Factory Racing rider became the first Spanish-born SMX champion, claiming the crown in just his second season racing in America after missing the SMX Playoffs and Final a year ago. In the 250SMX division, Kitchen finally secured the professional championship that had eluded him despite several near misses in recent seasons.
Prado Delivers Historic 450SMX Crown
The opening 450SMX moto saw Haiden Deegan launch to the holeshot ahead of Ken Roczen and Hunter Lawrence, while Prado started further back in 10th. Deegan quickly established control at the front as Roczen and Lawrence settled into second and third, while Prado worked his way forward into fifth.
A late challenge from Roczen briefly threatened Deegan’s lead, but the Yamaha rider managed traffic effectively and completed a wire-to-wire victory by 3.1 seconds. Roczen finished second, Lawrence third, Cooper Webb fourth and Prado fifth.
Everything came down to the final moto.
This time Prado grabbed the holeshot ahead of Deegan and Lawrence, immediately placing himself in the perfect position to fight for the championship. The Spaniard gradually built a small advantage before Deegan began charging in the closing stages, reducing the gap to less than a second as the championship battle reached its climax.
The pair traded blows through lapped traffic, and both survived mistakes on the final lap, but Prado held firm to take the moto win by 1.7 seconds and secure his first championship on American soil.
Deegan’s 1-2 scorecard gave him the overall victory for the round, but Prado’s 5-1 results were enough to claim the championship by seven points. Lawrence completed the podium both on the night and in the final championship standings after a consistent 3-3 performance.
Reflecting on his achievement, Prado said the journey from MXGP champion to SMX World Champion had been anything but straightforward.
“One year ago, I was watching these races and didn’t know if I’d ever be here. Red Bull KTM believed in me and gave me a chance to prove myself. We worked so hard for this goal and accomplished it,” Prado said.
“When I saw the rain, I was dreading what might come, but it stopped and everything worked out. Haiden was riding incredible, so I did all I could to keep him behind me. I showed with hard work that dreams can come true.”
Despite missing the championship, Deegan could take plenty of positives from another standout season.
“I gave it everything I had today. I got the overall but not the championship, and that hurts,” Deegan admitted. “Credit to Jorge; he was riding great. I’ll go into the offseason and work my butt off. There’s a Supercross championship I want, and I’m going to do everything I can to get it.”
Lawrence rounded out a breakthrough year by securing third in both the championship and the final round.
“What a long year, but it was amazing,” Lawrence said. “I’ve got a lot of good things in my life right now. A great result tonight, and now we go into the offseason looking for more next year.”
Kitchen Finally Breaks Through In 250SMX
The 250SMX championship was equally intense, with Kitchen entering the final determined to convert years of promise into a title.
The opening moto saw the Kawasaki rider grab the holeshot ahead of Nate Thrasher, while title rivals Julien Beaumer and Ryder DiFrancesco started outside the top five. Kitchen controlled much of the race before New Zealand’s Cole Davies mounted a late charge and snatched the lead with just over a minute remaining. Davies took the moto win ahead of Kitchen, DiFrancesco and Beaumer.
Rain arrived before the final moto as Davies again surged to the front with the holeshot. Kitchen slotted into second and, knowing the championship was within reach, rode a measured race while Davies disappeared up the road.
Davies completed a dominant 1-1 sweep by 6.4 seconds, while Kitchen remained safely in second throughout to eliminate any threat to his championship hopes. Landen Gordon rounded out the podium in third.
Although Davies took the overall victory, it was Kitchen who left Thunder Ridge with the biggest prize. After coming close on multiple occasions, including this year’s Pro Motocross Championship, the Washington rider finally secured his first professional title and delivered Pro Circuit Kawasaki’s first championship since 2019. He wrapped up the season with a 24-point advantage over DiFrancesco, while Davies climbed to third in the final standings.
Kitchen admitted the title had been a long time coming.
“It’s been tough getting to this point,” he said. “I’ve been close to a championship a few times. I got a great start and just trusted my instincts. The rain was coming down, and I just needed to ride smart. It’s been a tough journey, for sure, and I couldn’t be more stoked to finally finish it off.”
Davies, who rebounded from disappointment in the opening two playoff rounds to dominate the final, heads into the off-season with plenty of momentum.
“I get to go into the offseason with a lot of momentum,” Davies said. “I had an unreal year. All the hard work paid off. Two championships in Supercross and Pro Motocross, so I’m really proud of myself. The playoffs didn’t go as I wanted, but we’ll reset and come back stronger next year.”
For Gordon, third overall capped a rookie campaign that included podium finishes across every SMX discipline.
“I’ve made a big jump in my life, moving across the country to Florida from California,” Gordon said. “I’ve been working so hard, so I’m stoked. I don’t think people understand how much goes into this. I’ve put my whole heart into it and it’s paying off.”
Turner Claims Historic WMX Invitational Win
The SMX Final also featured the first-ever WMX Invitational, bringing together 13 of the world’s leading female riders. Champions from four different international series were represented in the field.
After an intense battle that saw Mayla Herrick, Hannah Hodges and Charli Cannon all spend time in contention, reigning WMX Champion Lachlan Turner made her move at mid-race and seized control of the lead.
Cannon mounted a final-lap challenge, but a mistimed rhythm section allowed Turner to edge away and secure a historic inaugural WMX Invitational victory by 1.9 seconds. Cannon finished second, with Hodges completing the podium.
Turner described the win as the perfect way to cap off her season.
“I was just being patient. If I made one wrong move, I knew she’d get me, so I was just trying to be smart on the final lap,” Turner said.
“I completed everything on my vision board this season and it feels amazing. This is such a historic moment for WMX, and I hope there’s more opportunities like this in the future.”
With Prado and Kitchen celebrating breakthrough championships and Turner adding her name to the history books in the inaugural WMX Invitational, Thunder Ridge Nature Arena delivered a fitting finale to the 2026 SMX World Championship season.
