UFL Championship Full Game Highlights 🏆 DC Defenders vs. Michigan Panthers | UFL on ESPN

Check out highlights from the 2025 UFL Championship Game as the DC Defenders beat the Michigan Panthers, 58-34. Jordan Ta’amu threw for 390 YDS & 4 TDs in the victory.

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st louis for the championship game 10 weeks in one conference championship game these two teams battled to be in this position second year of the merge pro spring football leagues across the board there was so much talent in this league this year and you got the two best teams out there to determine it here is Xavier Malone on the return empty set now for Perkins and once again three straight completions for Malik Turner let’s see if they do it second and seven as McCra McCra finds a whole lot of room touchdown Panthers starts with the block here on the outside by Gunner Oaks he’s going to get Malik Fischer and he’s going to seal that hole and then Ryan Nelson works up the linebacker and there’s nobody left for Nate McCra and Nate McCra a guy that was a healthy scratch last week they decided to go with Matthew Coburn instead of McCra mccra fifth in the UFFL in rushing yards this year second and eight once again rolling and that’s exactly what Roland can do you give him a little bit of space and he’s up field to midfield for 25 yds this is a called run play and you got too many guys in the box you only have two guys over three they’re going to throw it to Chris Roland in space all day every day it’s an extension of the run game ready to go tomu goes to the end zone touchdown DC jaden Mickens watch the route by Chris Roland that’s going to take this safety it’s a switch route and then Mickens is going to get right down the alley on the scene all the attention on Chris Roland especially on these moments where you know they’re going to throw the football mickens takes the safety and opens it wide open as Roland goes out and now motions back to Amu sprint right looking to the end zone and it’s incomplete first third down Michigan has faced tonight perkins pressure right in his face gets it away gets it complete and it’s a first down as Mariner gets the reception boy look at the pressure coming from this right side perkins is going to do a great job of drifting but keeping his eyes downfield never panics and that is such a tough throw fading to your left dropping your arm to help win that conference championship game and earn this spot in the championship game wide open Mariner he’s got to strut on in bryce Perkins to Siosi Mariner a 38 yd touchdown this is what I’m talking about you have a full concept on the backside of a run play so you you got all these defenders that are playing the run with their eyes inside and then all of a sudden wait we got a pass concept you got three guys running complimentary routes and you just lose one cuz your eyes are in the back field and then you got to find a receiver and they’re switching and moving that is why it’s so difficult to play this Michigan offense when the run game gets going and they dropped co you know on the last series they dropped a couple guys too so when we saw that we were like yeah heads up for the you know read it out and keep going so thanks so much Bryce well Chris Roland at the end of that play the ball came loose and it appeared that DJ Miller came up with it but they’re going to have to talk this over on the sideline best impersonation of a receiver little toe tap was rolling on the jet sweep the ball comes out look at Miller keeps his feet in i just didn’t look like he had possession quite with those feet down but now it goes as a 10yd run as Miller was out of bounds no recovery and now we have a big play taken back because we had the left tackle more than three yds downfield when the ball was released our first penalty of the game but look at this jaden Mickens he picks up the block and he spins his way inside the 10 yd line dc comes right back for 65 yds and Jordan does a great job with his eyes looking left looking left pulling that backside safety Kai Nakua out of the picture and Mickens nobody was there this is what DC does they stretch you vertically and if you got your eyes in the wrong spot so now the short field goal attempt by Matt McCraine who has NFL experience with Arizona the Raiders the Steelers as he punches through the 22 y we’ll start low with the flat see if it comes open it doesn’t he’s going to have to scramble perkins is taken down and that was Malik Fiser who got to him so they’re going man here second and four numbers say pass and that’s what they do and right into the arms of Brandon Sanders the two former SEC Miss Rebels hooking up second and two he lost off we’re just going to give the underneath stuff to Amu to the end zone touchdown do we see power this is great by Tamu watch this play develop i want you to see what he’s reading he’s reading Adonis Alexander right here if Alexander drives on this route the corner’s open right behind him he throws with great anticipation this high-flying offense hasn’t missed a beat he’s been near perfect here’s Malone on the return and good coverage ball came out the ball came out and DC’s got it boy Malone just trying to make a play but he gets stripped by his own guy that’s Gunnar Oaks who’s trying to grab the football from Malone this is crazy watch 84 here he actually ends up grabbing the football he gets high friendly fire the tight end Gunnar Oaks first turnover of the game and boy does it set up DC and they are going for it here big Abram Smith comes in to play running back to Amu trying to do it himself reaching out touchdown Jordan Tamu freed by Tamu they didn’t block anybody on the initial handoff so he keeps it himself and then makes a little move on Rodel Carter and a great job being physical ready two-point conversion attempt to Amu looking left then goes to center and gets it it goes to Bryley Moore his reliable tight end the guys have said “We’ve got it we own it we’ve been through adversity before and locked in now we just got to keep doing what we’re doing.” because you see the offense we’re playing behind here’s Mickens on the reception as he spins his way for a first half and keeps his footing for even more ready to go tamu stepping up and getting it complete for a first down to Cornell Powell who had the touchdown catch earlier second and one ready ready set go jackson right into the end zone dion Jackson the DC defenders are rolling in this first half boy back to the touchdown watch the Reed guys going to jump inside here so Jordan Tom was going to see that he’s going to hand it off to the outside one block great cut ready to go they go end around to the option pass for the conversion jordan to Amu holds it in of what’s going on and this is the Philly special this is You knew Fred Kais was going to dial up something in this game shannon Harris rightfully so credited Reggie Barlo with the foundation that he laid but this team has taken Perkins comes up big to Turner malik Turner is going inside the 20 cuts back and he’s diving for the end zone and gets it perkins finds Malik Turner and this is why he won the MVP it’s plays like this the be ability to create off schedule get outside the pocket make plays downfield malik Turner did a great job too of staying alive and keeping his eyes on his quarterback cuz you never know when Bryce is going to leave the pocket [Applause] and they’re going to come up short right ready they go zahamu on first down he’s going to take a shot right into the hands of Tai Scott can you believe this championship game knockout punch after knockout punch back and forth they go they’re going to have these switch routes right here and I want you to pay attention to these two safeties right here they they’re worried about those two guys and nobody on the outside with Ty Scott one-on-one with D Delaney who remember they signed a week and a half ago dane is a really good player but has not been in this defense long he’s in the wrong coverage right he’s pointing to the safety someone’s messed up there jordan Tamu has 320 passing yards and three passing touchdowns in this first half and the conversion is no good looking for Sanders here turbo same play everyone same play quickly getting it out to space off of it though as they go to Chris Roland [Applause] as he puts it through it looks like they’re going to maybe drop to some type of a one high zone so we’re working the go side he’s got two guys other way in set perkins on third and seven downfield and it’s intercepted that is Thomas on the return keandre Thomas with the interception as Bryce Perkins was desperately trying to find anything downfield and right to DC keandre Thomas his first season with the defenders 84 is Mason Fairchild there is the screen here is Mason blockers in front and it’s another first down for DC all right 45 right there so and a box count yep exactly so it’s all about numbers jackson numbers were light in the box right into the end zone were right in the box and Deion Jackson sent right up the scoreboard with the touchdown run dc has 446 yds of total offense for home the beer snake would already be over the side of the stadium abram Smith goes ahead for a first down little rusty to start the season him and Abram Smith both but they hit their stride here late to AMU he’s going to take a shot downfield and he delivers again and this time it’s Seth Williams well Seth Williams a guy that they just signed on May 13th 62 211 former Auburn wide out he’s a jump ball extraordinaire had a big touchdown last week on a jump ball post route that time one-on-one coverage with DJ Miller now 387 yds for Tom who is the best passing game anybody’s ever had in the NFL and he’s adding to it to Brley Moore so surprising because DC’s done it on the ground they’ve done it through the air that they’ve been the ones that physically have dominated a Michigan team perkins has to step up in the pocket flag is down as he gets it to Turner turner turns the corner then spins his way into the end zone we’ll check on the flag back at the 21 yd line continues his strong night perkins kept the play alive turner the yards after catch and the extra effort to get in for the Panthers can they get to that 40 yd line and keep the ball yes devin Ross with the catch the play boy this is gritty watch Bryce Perkins hang in the pocket here and take a huge hit from Anthony Hines on a little bit of a green dog blitz now you look up at that scoreboard you see 27 points but keep in mind in the UFFL you can have eight and nine point possessions and now hitting him in stride is Cole Hickotani with the reception and Perkins gets it complete to Malik Turner again oh it’s just a little angle right he’s going to work outside first and then cut back underneath the defender this is such a good catch he’s got to flip his hands over it’s in traffic balls out in front a little bit this is a big time catch by Malik Turner how good has he been turner was hot bryce Perkins against that fourman rush that nearly gets to him and then he gets it complete to retain possession and get fast go fast moly go i thought Perkins was going to go down for sure the pass rush gets all around him somehow shakes Andre Manson once again play a little softer coverage on this one perkins flag is down as Perkins cannot escape the pressure of Anthony Hines he’s always had a good leg has B 49 yds and he puts it through he has 159 yds will they go back to him they’re going to bring pressure here a gap pressure it’s picked up fourth and 12 got to have it and it’s incomplete yeah yeah right ready go fourth down roland turns up field roland’s got more than just an inch another touchdown for DC and this is the most ever yeah look at all those bodies in tight around the line of scrimmage and Roland’s able to get the perimeter find a crease at 58 175 he just needs a tiny crease and fourth down and it’s incomplete so DC will take over and bring this clock down towards a UFFL championship oh we got a flag here we’ll wait on that hello flag what color Gatorade is it Tom green after the play personal foul unnecessary roughness defense number 48 also personal foul unnecessary roughness offense number 73 those penalties offset michigan was short of the line to gain it’s a turnover on downs it’s first and 10 DC and an MVP award to give out and I think we all know who that’s going to be [Applause] love you man boy do they well it’s official the DC Defenders are the UFL champions [Applause] [Music]