ST. LOUIS, MO – June 7, 2026 – From 0-3 to the United Bowl. The Louisville Kings took down the St. Louis Battlehawks 29-20 in the Battledome on Sunday, continuing one of the most remarkable turnarounds in UFL history. The Kings' fifth straight victory and seventh in their last eight games punched their ticket to the United Bowl in their inaugural season.
Tanner Brown stole the show, becoming the first kicker in UFL history to convert two four-point field goals in a single game while adding another chapter to his record-breaking season.
The Battledome was rocking from the opening kick, but the Kings silenced the crowd early.
Following an opening-drive defensive stop, Louisville struck immediately. James Robinson broke free and raced 53 yards to the end zone. It was a statement start for a team that rushed for more than 170 yards per game over the final four weeks of the regular season, despite facing the UFL's top-ranked rush defense.
St. Louis answered with points, but not the touchdown they wanted. Ramiz Ahmed drilled a 37-yard field goal after the Battlehawks' regular-season red-zone struggles carried into the first quarter of the postseason.
Then came history. Following his record-breaking regular season, Brown etched his name into UFL playoff lore. The Kings kicker drilled a 60-yard four-point field goal, marking the second time he had converted one this season.
The Battlehawks left their red-zone issues behind in the first quarter. Luis Perez engineered a 10-play, 67-yard scoring drive to answer. He connected with Steven McBride on a 20-yard catch-and-run before finding James Bostic for 15 more.
Jarveon Howard finished the drive with a one-yard touchdown plunge. Despite finishing second in the UFL in rushing during the regular season, it marked Howard's first rushing touchdown of the year.
Then the defenses arrived. LaRon Stokes and Daniel Grzesiak sacked Perez on fourth down to give Louisville the ball back. Moments later, Travis Feeney returned the favor, pouncing on Chandler Rogers after a poor snap. Two of the league's most disruptive defenses were ready for the postseason spotlight.
Defense quickly turned into offense for St. Louis. The spark came on fourth-and-one when Perez drew Louisville offsides. On the next snap, he dumped the ball to Howard, who accelerated into open space for a 17-yard gain.
A play later, Perez rolled right and found Blake Jackson in the middle of the field. Jackson turned the corner, dove over the goal line, and gave the Battlehawks their first lead of the afternoon.
Rogers and the Kings looked poised to answer before halftime.
Big completions to Lucky Jackson and Tre McKitty moved Louisville into scoring territory before disaster struck.
The Kings dialed up a double pass. Tyler Hudson launched a deep ball toward an open Isaiah Winstead in the end zone, but the throw came up short. Myles Sims tracked it down and intercepted the pass, helping St. Louis take a 17-11 lead into halftime.
The Battlehawks outscored Louisville 14-0 in the second quarter and carried all the momentum into the locker room.
Louisville's defense quickly flipped the script to begin the second half.
After forcing a punt on the opening possession, Rogers reignited the offense. Facing third down, he found Isaiah Winstead underneath. Winstead made a defender miss, hit another gear, and turned it into a 52-yard catch-and-run.
A few plays later, Rogers went right back to his top target.
The quarterback dropped a perfect throw into single coverage, and Winstead climbed the ladder to haul in the touchdown. Perfect throw. Perfect catch. Louisville led 18-17.
The back-and-forth battle continued as the third quarter wound down. Howard kept the Battlehawks moving with runs of 13 and 20 yards on consecutive plays, but an offensive facemask penalty stalled the drive deep in Louisville territory.
Ahmed capitalized, drilling a 45-yard field goal to restore St. Louis' lead.
Perez stepped back onto the field in the fourth quarter holding a 20-18 advantage, but Louisville's defense tightened the screws. Two missed opportunities and a three-and-out handed the ball back to the Kings.
The momentum shift was immediate. Ian Wheeler opened the drive with an 11-yard run, and he then broke the game open.
Wheeler bounced outside, turned the corner, and hit the accelerator. Fifty-one yards later, he was celebrating in the end zone. Louisville suddenly led 25-20, and the run marked the Kings' third play of 50 yards or more of the afternoon.
St. Louis had chances to respond but couldn't get out of its own way. Sal Cannella hauled in a 21-yard reception to move the chains, but Chris Redman successfully challenged a holding penalty that wiped out the play. Another promising Battlehawks drive stalled after crossing midfield.
Their struggles on third down continued to tell the story. St. Louis sat at just 4-for-15.
Moments later, Stokes pressured Perez and swatted away a fourth-down pass, giving Louisville possession near midfield with seven minutes remaining.
Then came the kick. Already owning a 60-yard four-point field goal earlier in the game, Brown trotted onto the field for a 63-yard attempt. And he drilled it in the clutch.
Brown became the first player in UFL history to convert two four-point field goals in a game. The 63-yarder also stands as the second-longest made field goal in UFL history and Brown's third four-point conversion of the season.
Just like that, Louisville led 29-20 with under five minutes to play.
The Battlehawks had one final chance. Perez drove St. Louis deep into Louisville territory and into the red zone, needing a touchdown to keep the season alive.
The Kings defense delivered one final stand.
Cam Gill and Lonnie Phelps recorded sacks on the drive before Steele Chambers slammed the door shut. Chambers dove in front of a pass in the end zone and came away with the game-clinching interception.
A fitting finish for a defense that led the UFL in interceptions and served as one of the biggest catalysts behind Louisville's stunning turnaround.
The Kings once again imposed their will on the ground, finishing with 168 rushing yards. Wheeler led the way with 89 yards and a touchdown, while Rogers threw for a score and protected the football all afternoon.
Jaheim Thomas paced the defense with a game-high nine tackles, while Gill recorded his eleventh sack of the season.
Now, Louisville's dream season has one game remaining.
The Kings will face the DC Defenders in the United Bowl at Audi Field on Saturday at 3:00 p.m. ET on ABC.