The 2026 Monster Energy SMX World Championship delivered exactly what a season finale should: championship pressure, changing conditions and two titles decided under the lights at Thunder Ridge Nature Arena.
In front of a capacity crowd in Ridgedale on September 26, Jorge Prado became the first Spanish-born SMX World Champion, completing a remarkable comeback after missing the SMX Playoffs and Final the previous year.
Across the 450SMX and 250SMX Classes, the night also produced a long-awaited breakthrough for Levi Kitchen, who finally converted years of championship contention into his first professional title.
Prado Finishes the Job
Prado entered the Final carrying a 16-point advantage over Haiden Deegan and Hunter Lawrence after the double-points Playoff round in Los Angeles.
But with triple points available, the championship was far from secure.
The opening 450SMX moto immediately put Prado on the back foot.
Deegan grabbed the holeshot and controlled the race from start to finish. Roczen and Lawrence followed, while Prado began his championship charge from 10th.
The KTM rider worked his way forward to fifth, but Deegan’s victory meant the championship battle remained alive heading into the deciding moto.
Then came the moment Prado had been waiting for.
One Moto to Become World Champion
Prado launched Moto 2 with the holeshot.
Deegan followed closely, while Lawrence settled into third. With the championship hanging in the balance, Prado steadily built a lead of just over a second.
For the opening 15 minutes, the Spaniard maintained control.
Then Deegan turned up the pressure.
The Yamaha rider began setting the fastest laps and gradually erased Prado’s advantage. With three and a half minutes remaining, Deegan was within striking distance.
The final lap became a test of composure.
Both riders encountered small mistakes as lapped traffic added another layer of uncertainty, but Prado held his nerve and crossed the line 1.7 seconds ahead of Deegan.
That was enough.
The 5-1 moto score gave Prado second overall on the night and, more importantly, his first SMX World Championship.
For a rider who had been watching the championship from the sidelines one year earlier, the turnaround was enormous.
“One year ago, I was watching these races and didn’t know if I’d ever be here,” .
Prado said
The Spaniard finished seven points ahead of Deegan in the championship standings, with Lawrence completing the championship podium.
Deegan’s Breakthrough Season Continues
Deegan finished the Final with a 1-2 score and won the overall event, securing two victories across the three postseason rounds.
The championship runner-up also came close to an unusual piece of history, having challenged for the opportunity to become the first rider to win the SMX World Championship in both classes.
Instead, Deegan finished his season second behind Prado.
His response was already focused on what comes next.
“I’ll go into the offseason and work my butt off. There’s a Supercross championship I want.”
Deegan said
Kitchen Finally Gets His Moment
If Prado’s championship was a comeback story, Levi Kitchen‘s was about persistence.
The Monster Energy Pro Circuit Kawasaki rider had repeatedly found himself close to championship success. At Thunder Ridge, he finally closed the deal.
Kitchen entered the Final with a three-point lead over Ryder DiFrancesco and Julien Beaumer still within the championship fight.
He immediately put himself in the right position.
Kitchen grabbed the Moto 1 holeshot and controlled the opening stages. Cole Davies eventually passed him with just over a minute remaining, leaving Kitchen second.
But the championship was about to be decided in the rain.
Smart Riding Under Championship Pressure
Rain began falling as the 250SMX field lined up for the deciding moto.
Davies took the holeshot and immediately built a significant advantage. Kitchen settled into second and, crucially, controlled his own championship destiny.
Rather than chase a race win at unnecessary risk, Kitchen maintained his position.
Davies completed another dominant moto victory, but Kitchen’s second-place finish secured the championship.
His 2-2 result gave him a 24-point championship margin over DiFrancesco, with Davies finishing third in the final standings.
For Kitchen, the significance went beyond one night.
After coming close to championships several times, the Washington rider finally had his professional title.
“It’s been tough. I’ve been close a few times. I couldn’t be more stoked to finally finish it off.”
Kitchen said
A Historic Night for WMX
The SMX Final also introduced the first-ever WMX Invitational Powered by Synchrony, bringing together 13 elite women racers representing four global championship series.
Lachlan Turner emerged victorious after a late-race battle with Charli Cannon.
Turner patiently defended the lead through the closing stages before taking the chequered flag 1.9 seconds ahead of Cannon, with Hannah Hodges completing the podium.
The victory added another milestone to a historic night for women’s motocross.
Two Champions, One Final Checkered Flag
Thunder Ridge delivered a fitting conclusion to the 2026 SMX season.
Prado turned a year away from the postseason into his first SMX World Championship. Kitchen transformed years of near-misses into a professional title.
And while the final results will sit in the record books, the stories behind them are what made the championship night memorable.
The 2026 SMX season ended with two riders finally getting the moment they had been chasing.
