Round one of Fat Bear Week has concluded with some surprises and, as always, family drama to spice up the competition.

The 2025 Fat Bear Week champion, #32 Chunk, was dethroned by #164 Bucky Dent, named for the New York Yankees second baseman who, in 1978, launched a three-run home run against the hated Boston Red Sox in a one-game tiebreaker to decide the AL East champion.

Bucky Dent will face #151 Walker in Round 2, a real charmer, and yuuuuuge.

Fat Bear Week introduced family groups to its competition for the first time this year.  

Organizers expanded the bracket to include mothers with cubs, in recognition of a record-high year at Katmai National Park’s Brooks River, which saw 19 bear families and 37 cubs following an abundant salmon run. Before 2026, cubs appeared only in the "Fat Bear Junior" bracket (introduced in 2021), or as background context for individual adult bears.   

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Bear #132 and cubs will face off against Bear #806 and cubs in Round 2, and both families have faced tragedy and anxious moments.

"Bear #132 emerged from slumber this year with three spring cubs, her fourth known litter," notes Popular Science. "Around mid-July, one of her cubs somehow ended up on its own and was later spotted wandering the Brooks River area unaccompanied." The cub approached other families, but was turned away. He's lucky he wasn't killed by another sow or a boar. Eventually, he found his way back to his mother.

It was not a happy ending for a cub who approached #806. The offspring of #909, the massive female, #806, was seen on the Explor.org live feed, capturing, killing, and eating the unfortunate youngster. "Park rangers believe that this was the first documented case of infanticide by a female adult that’s happened at Brooks River," reports Popular Science.

Bear #909 also prevailed in the first round and may face the killer of her child in the next round. 

The bear with the best name in the competition, Backpack, is matched against #620. Backpack got his name because he used to ride on his mother's back while moving through the icy waters of Brooks River. He's the son of Bear #435 (Holly), the 2019 Fat Bear Week champion.

Popular Science:

Backpack has had to fight to survive. In 2007 as a yearling, he emerged in the spring with a significant leg injury that prevented him from walking properly. Rangers feared he might not survive the season. But with help from him mom, he recovered and has emerged as a consistent resident at Brooks Falls.

Some others who waded through to Round 2. 

Bucky Dent's Round 2 opponent is my favorite to go all the way: Walker.

In one corner, Bear #151 (Walker), a once playful and chill bear who emerged in 2026 with a new attitude. Walker has competed in Fat Bear Week since 2018 without ever taking home the top honors. In his early days of competing, he lost out to legends like two-time champion Grazer (2023 and 2024) and four-time champion Otis (2014, 2016, 2017, and 2021).

At the Brooks River, Walker is a regular. If Brooks River was the TV show Cheers, he’d be Norm. Rangers first identified him in 2009 as an independent 2.5 year old. As a sub-adult bear, he showed off his playful side and could be seen in light-hearted scraps with other young bears, including Bears #503 (Cubadult), #289, 2025 Fat Bear Week champion #32 (Chunk). He was often referred to as relaxed and no-drama, despite his large size and general dominance on the Brooks Falls during the salmon migration.

The winner will be crowned Tuesday, September 29.