Fat Bear Week bracket is set: meet the heavyweights, underdogs and defending champ in this year's tournament

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.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE COVERAGE FROM OUTKICK OUTDOORS 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.

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.

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.