Inside the UFL - Inside the United Bowl

by Fran Stuchbury
Published on June 18, 2026 under United Football League (UFL)

Louisville Kings celebrate the United Bowl title
(Louisville Kings, Credit: Fran Stuchbury)

The UFL weekend began with Media Day on Friday, featuring interviews with players and coach from both teams. First up was Louisville.

Kings Head Coach Chris Redman, who played as a backup quarterback with the Baltimore Ravens, filled his coaching staff with four other members of the Super Bowl XXXV-winning roster on his coaching staff.

• Former linebacker Jamie Sharper - Defensive Coordinator.

• Former cornerback Chris McAlister - Defensive Backs Coach.

• Former linebacker Brad Jackson - Linebackers Coach.

• Former quarterback Tony Banks - Wide Receivers Coach.

Sharper said the Kings defense uses similar techniques to the Ravens' squad on which he played including practice work, getting off blocks and completing interceptions.

Last season Sharper won a UFL Championship with the Defenders as linebackers and special teams coach. "To come back and win another one with a guys I won a Super Bowl with would be outstanding," he said Friday before the title game.

Elsewhere on the staff, Louisville Offensive Coordinator Steve Logan has over 50 years of coaching experience.

He was the offensive coordinator - quarterbacks coach for the Alliance of American Football's Birmingham Iron in 2019.

"I enjoyed Birmingham," said Logan. "I had a great group of kids. I had quarterback Luis Perez as a rookie. I stayed in touch with Luis all through his journey. It was a quality league. It took us by surprise when it folded. We were playing in front of 18-20,000 fans in Birmingham almost every weekend, real good culture. Had it remained, it would have really grown."

After the Kings started the season 1-3. Chandler Rogers became the team's starting quarterback.

"It felt great to get my opportunity," explained Rogers. "It was something I worked very hard for. I was blessed they believed in me enough make changes and give me the opportunity."

Media had the chance to talk with the DC Defender next.

Anthony Hines III, who was released by the Houston Gamblers after week eight, signed with the Defenders on May 26th. He spent the three previous seasons with DC.

"Its big time to be back," added Hines. "I called this place home since 2023. One of the original XFL Defenders. It's great to be with these guys and coach Shannon Harris."

"At the end of the day it's a game by game thing," said Defensive Coordinator Blake Williams, " Who you are going against and who we have active and healthy. What do they do best."

Williams praised the play of All-UFL Linebacker Derick Roberson in particular.

"I talked about it all year long," explained Williams. "He is an imposing figure; he's an enforcer, all those things. At this stage of his career as a veteran he has great competitive timing. So many of his biggest plays of the year were in critical, gotta-have-it third and fourth downs in the red zone. I made that comment it was like Kobe Bryant wanting the ball at the end of the game. He was taking the last shot. He's one of those closers in big, game-time situations for us."

UFL president and CEO Russ Brandon and UFL co-owner Mike Repole also spoke to the media.

After Repole came on board following last season, many changes were implemented.

Three new markets that included Louisville, Orlando and Columbus, Ohio were added. Two teams rebranded: the Arlington Renegades back to the Dallas Renegades, and the Houston Roughnecks became the Houston Gamblers. In all, the league went to five new venues, joining holdovers in St. Louis, Birmingham Stallions and DC.

Russ Brandon was happy with several rule changes that helped increase scoring, including receivers only needing one foot in bounds for catches. Also new this year, once a team crosses the 50-yard line, they must attempt to convert on fourth down or try a field goal. Traditional punts are allowed if the ball is sitting exactly on the 50-yard line, or if it is after the two-minute warning of either half.

Four-point field goals from 60 or more yards also brought excitement to the kicking game.

After starting the season 0-3, Louisville defeated DC, 27-20, as the Kings closed the season on a six-game winning streak.

In the two previous games between the teams the Kings defense forced eight turnovers.

In the title game they created three more: two fumbles and one interception to join six pass breakups and two sacks.

In the first quarter DC running back Xazavian Valladay broke off a 54-yard run but Louisville safety Keaton Ellis caught him from behind and forced a fumble. Cornerback Cameron Dantzler recovered the ball for a touchback.

In the second quarter, on a pass to the Defenders receiver Ty Scott, Kings cornerback Corey Mayfield Jr. delivered a crushing hit that jarred the ball loose. Louisville defensive back Eric Garror scooped it up and returned it 12 yards for a defensive touchdown, instantly shifting the momentum.

After railing 16-7 at halftime, the Kings defense held the Defenders to only four points in the second half.

Louisville, meanwhile, found it's offense with two big rushing touchdowns in the fourth quarter: 44 yards from MVP Ian Wheeler and 16 yards from James Robinson. They combined for 150 rushing yards on the afternoon.

"There's no one could deny us at the end of the season," said Redman. "We're going to find a way. It doesn't matter if we're down three or 30. We're going to end up winning that game. Nobody batted an eye when we were down at halftime today. We just kind of chipped our way back, and the the guys executed some incredible plays and Ian (Wheeler) broke a couple incredible runs for us, and I'm just really happy for these guys to to keep batting like they did all year.

"Our defense has been very opportunistic all year and when plays presented themselves, they went out there and made incredible plays for our team. That's why we're holding up a trophy. It is a team game. Offense can't play great all the time, defense can't play great all the time, so we all had to come together and that's what this team is all about."

The Kings won the turnover margin in this game against the Defenders.

"We talked about that throughout the course of the season," explained Defenders Head Coach Shannon Harris. "When we win the turnover margin, we just beat people up. When we don't do that, we have to find ourselves on this side of a loss."

One of the bright spots for the Defenders was kicker Matt McCrane. He went a perfect four-for-four on field goal attempts, including a 60-yard, four-point kick.

McCrane finished with 15 points scored, leading both teams.

The following day both teams flew back together on the same plane to Arlington, Texas, the year-round football operations home for the United Football League.

EXTRA POINTS

• The official attendance for the United Bowl at Audi Field on Saturday was 19,023.

• Players from 26 states and 2 countries took the field in the championship this past weekend.

• Louisville Kings running back Ian Wheeler, Louisville free safety Keaton Ellis and Kings running back James Robinson were named the OurSports Central United Football League Offensive Player, Defensive Player and Unsung Hero of the Week, respectively, for the UFL's United Bowl.

• Three players from the Kings signed NFL contracts following their championship win: wide receivers Tarik Black and Lucky Jackson inked with the Detroit Lions and kicker Tanner Brown, the UFL Special Teams Teams Player of the Year, signed with the New Orleans Saints.

• UFL Offensive Player of the Year, St. Louis Battlehawks wide receiver Hakeem Butler, signed with the Denver Broncos.

• Overall 13 UFL players signed to seven different NFL teams so far.

• The United Football League announced that Orlando Storm quarterback Jack Plummer was named the 2026 UFL Most Valuable Player of the Year.

• The United Football League announced that Orlando Storm Head Coach Anthony Becht was named the 2026 Buddy Teevens UFL Coach of the Year.

• DC Defenders wide receiver Cornell Powell was named the 2026 UFL Sportsman of the Year.

DC Defenders fans pack a local sports bar (Fran Stuchbury)	DC Defenders battle the Louisville Kings in the United Bowl (Fran Stuchbury)	DC Defenders battle the Louisville Kings in the United Bowl (Fran Stuchbury)
Cheerleaders at the United Bowl (Fran Stuchbury)	Golden Cup Beer Snake at the United Bowl (Fran Stuchbury)	ESPN's Tom Luginbill interviews Louisville Kings Head Coach Chris Redman (Fran Stuchbury)
Louisville Kings celebrate the United Bowl title (Fran Stuchbury)	Louisville Kings celebrate the United Bowl title (Fran Stuchbury)

United Football League Stories from June 18, 2026

• Houston Gamblers Wide Receiver Lawrence Keys III Signs with Detroit Lions - Houston Gamblers
• NFL Teams Quickly Turn to UFL Talent Following 2026 Season - UFL
• Columbus Aviators OL Chris Glaser Signs with Dallas Cowboys - Columbus Aviators
• Houston Gamblers Tackle Gottlieb Ayedze Signs with Miami Dolphins - Houston Gamblers
• United Bowl MVP and Louisville Kings Running Back Ian Wheeler Signs with Buffalo Bills - Louisville Kings
• Houston Gamblers Cornerback Ameer Speed Signs with Dallas Cowboys - Houston Gamblers
• Dallas Renegades Wide Receiver Denzel Mims Signs with Dallas Cowboys - Dallas Renegades
• Inside the UFL - Inside the United Bowl - OSC Original by Fran Stuchbury
• Inside the UFL - Inside the United Bowl - OSC Original by Fran Stuchbury
• Inside the UFL - Inside the United Bowl - OSC Original by Fran Stuchbury

The opinions expressed in this article are those of the writer(s), and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.