Four extraordinary dogs. One legendary season. A closer look at the Grand Champions who defined 2025 and the grueling path they traveled to reach the top.
In the American Bully Kennel Club, the title of Grand Champion is not given -- it is earned through sustained excellence in the ring. The path begins long before a dog steps onto the mat at its first sanctioned show.
To achieve ABKC Champion (CH) status, a dog must accumulate a total of 150 conformation points. Points are awarded by placement: first place in class earns 10 points, second place earns 5, and third place earns 2. But the real points -- and the real prestige -- come from variety wins. A dog named Best Male or Best Female of its variety (Standard, Classic, Pocket, or XL) earns 20 points plus a coveted Major win. Best of Breed adds additional Top 10 ranking points. A minimum of two Major wins under two different ABKC-licensed judges is required, with at least two dogs in competition to constitute a legitimate class.
Once a dog achieves Champion status, the journey to Grand Champion (GCH) begins. The dog must then earn five Champion-level wins under at least three different judges. These are not simple placements -- they require beating other Champions in the Grand Champions Class, where every competitor has already proven its quality across dozens of shows.
The 2025 season saw a record number of entries at ABKC-sanctioned shows nationwide and internationally, making every Grand Champion title harder to earn and more meaningful to hold.
Variety: Standard | Owner/Handler: Marcus Delgado, Sovereign Bullies (Houston, TX)
2025 Record: 14 Best of Variety wins, 6 Best of Breed, 2 Best in Show | Total career points: 490+
There are dogs you remember and dogs you cannot forget. Sovereign Reign is the latter. Sired by CH Gottiline's Royal Protocol out of CH Razor's Legacy Diamond Queen, "Sov" came into the 2025 season with a Champion title already in hand and something to prove. At just three years old, his structure was textbook Standard -- 19 inches at the withers, 87 pounds of balanced muscle, a head like sculpted granite with a broad, clean muzzle and a topline that never breaks on the move.
Marcus Delgado knew what he had after Sov's first outing in 2024, when the young dog swept three consecutive Majors in Texas. But 2025 was a different animal. Delgado campaigned Sov across 22 shows in nine states. The result: six Best of Breed wins, including back-to-back victories at the Southeast Regional in Atlanta and the Pacific Coast Classic in San Diego. His crowning moment came at the ABKC Nationals in November, where he took Best of Breed over an entry of 186 Standards -- the largest class in Nationals history.
"He walks into a ring and the conversation stops," Delgado says. "That's not something you train. That's breeding."
“He walks into a ring and the conversation stops. That's not something you train. That's breeding.”
Variety: XL | Owner: Darnell & Keisha Washington, Ironside Kennels (Charlotte, NC)
2025 Record: 11 Best of Variety wins, 4 Best of Breed, 1 Best in Show | Total career points: 410+
The XL division has never been deeper than it was in 2025, which makes Midnight Protocol's dominance all the more remarkable. Standing 22.5 inches and weighing 128 pounds, "Proto" is an XL that moves like a Standard. His handler, Keisha Washington, spent two years conditioning him with a program that blended sprint work, swimming, and structured free-stacking drills. The result is a dog that covers ground effortlessly, with a powerful, reaching gait that judges consistently rewarded.
Proto's lineage reads like an XL hall of fame: his sire, CH Ironside's Dark Chapter, was a Top 10 XL in 2022, and his dam, Kingpin's Dynasty Belle, carries deep Greyline heritage through three generations. His Best in Show win at the Great Lakes Invitational in July -- over 240 total entries across all varieties -- was the signature moment of a season that saw him finish with 11 Best of Variety wins under seven different judges.
"Proto changed what people think an XL can be," says Darnell Washington. "He is powerful, yes. But he is also refined. That balance is what Grand Champion means."
Variety: Pocket | Owner: Sofia Reyes, Luna Star Bullies (Miami, FL)
2025 Record: 12 Best of Variety wins, 5 Best of Breed, 1 Best in Show | Total career points: 380+
The Pocket division has exploded in popularity in recent years, and Luna is a major reason why. At 15 inches and 52 pounds, she is compact power wrapped in a lilac tri-color coat that turns every head at ringside. Bred by Carlos Vega of RemyLine Kennels in San Juan, Puerto Rico, Luna carries the tight, muscular frame and confident temperament that the RemyLine name has become synonymous with in the Pocket world.
Sofia Reyes acquired Luna as a 10-month-old prospect and spent a year preparing her for the show ring. The investment paid off immediately: Luna took Best of Variety at her first four shows, a feat that earned her the nickname "Pocket Rocket" on social media. By mid-season, she had amassed a following of over 90,000 on Instagram, bringing unprecedented public attention to the Pocket division.
Her Best in Show at the Southeast Bully Bash in September -- beating Standards, XLs, and Classics -- was a watershed moment. "People used to overlook Pockets," Reyes says. "Luna changed that. She proved that quality has no size requirement."
“Proto changed what people think an XL can be. He is powerful, yes. But he is also refined. That balance is what Grand Champion means.”
Variety: Classic | Owner/Handler: James Okoro, Noble Crest Kennels (Portland, OR)
2025 Record: 9 Best of Variety wins, 3 Best of Breed | Total career points: 340+
The Classic variety occupies a unique space in the American Bully world. With the same height standard as the Standard variety but a lighter, more athletic frame that reflects deeper American Pit Bull Terrier influence, Classics are judged not on mass but on balance, proportion, and breed type. Noble Tradition embodies every word of that standard.
At 19 inches and 72 pounds, "Noble" carries a streamlined, athletic build with clean lines, a moderately broad chest, and movement that is effortless and ground-covering. His sire, CH WestCoast's Pacific Son, was one of the top Classic producers on the West Coast, and his dam, Greyline's Coastal Jewel, brought the deep foundation heritage that Classic enthusiasts prize.
James Okoro is a 15-year veteran of the ABKC show scene who has long championed the Classic variety. "Classics don't get the Instagram followers," Okoro admits. "But in the ring, when a judge puts their hands on a dog like Noble, they know. The structure is honest. The movement is real. That is what this breed was built on."
Noble's Grand Championship, achieved with his ninth Best of Variety win at the Northwest Fall Invitational in October, was the culmination of a methodical three-year campaign. He is now retired from the show ring and standing at stud, with his first litters expected in spring 2026.
The 2025 ABKC show season will be remembered for several milestones:
The 2025 class of Grand Champions represents the best of what the American Bully breed can be: structurally sound, temperamentally excellent, and produced by breeders who prioritize health and quality above all else. As the 2026 season begins, the bar has never been higher.
“People used to overlook Pockets. Luna changed that. She proved that quality has no size requirement.”
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