UFL Conference Championship Recap: Heartbreak in St. Louis Sets Stage for D.C. vs. Michigan Championship Game

The United Football League Championship Game is set. Unfortunately for St. Louis Battlehawks fans, their team will again be on the outside looking in. The D.C. Defenders vanquished the Battlehawks in a one-sided affair at the Battle Dome and will face the Michigan Panthers, who themselves vanquished some long standing demons by defeating the Birmingham Stallions. We’ll crown a new spring football champion this Saturday but let’s look back at the conference title games.

Panthers 44, Stallions 29

As the long saying goes, the eighth time is the charm. After losing to the Stallions for seven-straight times, the Panthers finally got one over on their rivals for their biggest win ever. The duo of the returning hero, Bryce Perkins, and the unstoppable force in the backfield, Toa Taua, exploded on offense — and the Stallions just couldn’t keep up.

Taua rushed for three touchdowns in this game while Perkins added two - one on the ground and one through the air. The MVP candidate proved his worth by energizing a team that looked listless without him under center. Perkins, the league's Offensive Player of the Year, has been my pick for MVP all season because of his electric play and his ability to rally the Panthers and, although Jordan Ta’amu will likely win the award on stats and games played, Perkins might get the last laugh by playing his way back into the NFL.

Unfortunately for the Stallions, the dream of the four-peat ends here, and this might also be the end of the line for J’Mar Smith. The feel-good story of the 2025 UFL season crumbled near the end of the second quarter, when he threw a backbreaking pick-six to Kai Nacua. Smith was pulled in favor of Matt Corral and never saw the field again.

While the Stallions battled back late in the game to trail by just 5 points, consecutive turnovers doomed the club and gave Michigan 10 free points late. Cue the Gatorade bath for Panthers head coach Mike Nolan:

Defenders 38, Battlehawks 18

Another year, another disappointing end to a St. Louis Battlehawks season. This time, it was a total team effort that led to the disastrous ending. QB Max Duggan was inefficient and ultimately benched, the vaunted Battlehawks running game stalled in first gear, and the defense couldn’t stop anything the Defenders cooked up. 

Check out his highlights from today here ⬇️ pic.twitter.com/gpoqgb3TRC

— D.C. Defenders (@XFLDefenders) June 9, 2025

Jordan Ta’amu and the Defenders torched the Battlehawks’ top-ranked defense for 388 total yards, while the Defenders defense sacked Battlehawks QBs five times throughout the game. The Battlehawks mustered just 240 total yards, including only 83 total rushing yards, and managed to only sack Ta’amu once.

There were few highlights for the Battlehawks, but this one-handed grab by Hakeem Butler bears mentioning:

Hakeem Butler! 🤯

📺: FOX pic.twitter.com/IDgsRE2zju

— St. Louis Battlehawks (@XFLBattlehawks) June 9, 2025

Unfortunately, that’s about it for good news on the Battlehawks. Sunday was a complete dismantling, leaving St. Louis fans to question the club’s future from top to bottom. Head coach Anthony Becht yet again fails to prepare his team for a big game, QB Max Duggan’s shortcomings as a passer reared their ugly head, and the team’s defense couldn’t make up for the offense’s shortcomings. 

The UFL Championship Game between the DC Defenders and Michigan Panthers airs live from The Dome at America's Center in St. Louis this Saturday, June 14th at 7 PM CST on ABC. Tickets are still available for the game, visit Ticketmaster to purchase your tickets today and enjoy the last bit of pro football left until August.