Forget March Madness. The most important bracket of the year has arrived.
Fat Bear Week is back, baby!
The annual competition at Alaska's Katmai National Park and Preserve kicks off Tuesday with 16 brown bears vying for the title of chonkiest champ. This year's bracket features a defending champion, a few rising stars and some heavyweight opening-round matchups.
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Here's how it works: Two bears face off in a single-elimination tournament, and fans vote for the one they believe has done the best job packing on the pounds ahead of winter hibernation.
More than 1.7 million votes were cast during last year's competition, which saw Bear 32 — better known as "Chunk" — claim the title.
Now, the reigning champ is back for another shot at glory. But he's got some serious competition.
The defending champ: Chunk
Chunk won last year's competition despite suffering a broken jaw in June 2025, likely during a fight with another bear. The injury left him with a distinctive scar and protruding canine tooth, but it apparently didn't slow down his appetite.
Bear 32 — otherwise known as "Chunk" — is the reigning Fat Bear Week champ. (Courtesy of C.Loberg / Explore.org)
This summer, Chunk was largely absent from Brooks River during the salmon run before returning in September with a substantial belly. Park officials aren't sure where he spent most of his summer. But wherever he was, he wasn't skipping meals.
And he's going to need every pound. His title defense begins Wednesday against Bear 164, Bucky, one of the river's emerging heavyweights.
The heavyweight showdown: Chunk vs. Bucky
Bucky has grown considerably in recent years, developing the size and confidence to challenge other dominant males for access to the best fishing spots.
He's also figured out a pretty clever way to keep himself fed.
While other bears compete for the same prime real estate at Brooks Falls, Bucky has learned to position himself near the waterfall's deepest plunge pool, where he can catch salmon jumping through the air, rising from below or falling from above.
At 9 years old, Bear 164 (or "Bucky") already rivals the Fat Bear Week veterans. (Courtesy of C.Loberg / Explore.org)
And at approximately 9 years old, Bucky is still relatively young. Male brown bears typically reach their physical prime between ages 12 and 20, so he could have several more years of growth ahead of him.
The rising star gets his shot at the defending champion Wednesday, Sept. 23. One of them will be going home early.
Well, metaphorically. They'll both still be in Alaska eating fish.
The veteran: Walker
Bear 151, Walker, used to be a relatively easygoing guy who enjoyed playing with other bears. As he's gotten older, though, he's become a little grumpier and a lot more competitive.
And the younger bears are giving him plenty of reasons to be grumpy.
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Bucky and Bear 903, Gully, have been challenging Walker's position in the Brooks River hierarchy. His size and experience have helped him maintain his standing, but the younger competition is catching up.
Walker faces Gully in Wednesday's opening round, giving us another veteran-versus-youngster matchup right out of the gate.
Check out the rump on this guy, by the way.
Bear 151, "Walker," is a seasoned expert when it comes to packing on the pounds. (Courtesy of C.Loberg / Explore.org)
The Cinderella story: Bear 610
Bear 610 might not be one of the biggest competitors in this year's field, but she's got a pretty compelling story.
When she was first identified in 2015, park officials believed she had separated from her mother earlier than expected. She also had a significant healing wound above her hips, suggesting she'd survived an attack.
Now, more than a decade later, she's raising her first known litter of cubs.
Bear 610 had extra work to do — fattening up herself and her cubs. (Courtest of T. Carmack / Explore.org)
Despite being a relatively small, first-time mother, 610 has successfully protected and cared for both cubs throughout the summer while building up her own fat reserves ahead of hibernation.
This is her first Fat Bear Week appearance, and she'll face Bear 89, Backpack, in Wednesday's opening round.
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The road to the championship
Of course, Fat Bear Week isn't just about which bear has the biggest belly. The competition celebrates the remarkable transformations these animals undergo as they prepare to survive months of winter hibernation without eating or drinking.
Coastal Brown Bear (Ursus arctos) in a river during salmon spawning run. (Getty Images Creatives)
The opening round takes place Sept. 22–23, followed by the quarterfinals Sept. 24–25, the Final Fat Four on Sept. 28 and the championship on Sept. 29.
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You can view the complete bracket and cast your votes on the official Fat Bear Week website. Voting is open from noon to 9 p.m. ET on tournament days.
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Amber Harding is a writer for OutKick.
