LOUISVILLE, KY – May 16, 2026 – Death, taxes, and drama in the UFL. The three things guaranteed this spring, and Louisville delivered yet again. The Kings pulled off another upset over the Defenders for the second straight week, keeping their playoff hopes alive while earning their first win at Lynn Family Stadium.
The loss was costly for DC in more ways than one. Quarterback Jordan Ta'amu exited with injury in the first quarter and missed the remainder of the game. And for the second straight week, DC failed to clinch a postseason berth.
Due to inclement weather, kickoff was delayed 36 minutes. Once it started, though, chaos arrived immediately.
Xazavian Valladay opened the game with a 54-yard kickoff return into Louisville territory. One play later, Ta’amu connected with Ty Scott, who made a defender miss and raced home for a 41-yard touchdown. Just like that, DC led 7-0.
And just as quickly, Louisville answered. Tyler Hudson took the ensuing kickoff 92 yards to the house, marking just the second kick return touchdown in the league this season. Thirty-one seconds into the game, it was already tied 7-7.
The first quarter only got wilder from there. Corey Mayfield Jr. intercepted Ta’amu on DC’s next drive, his league-leading fourth interception of the season. Shortly after, Tanner Brown drilled a 39-yard field goal to give Louisville a 10-7 lead.
Louisville’s defense then unleashed a dominant series. Steele Chambers stopped Abram Smith for a loss, Jaylon Allen recorded a sack, and Mekhi Garner came away with an interception off a dropped pass.
DC’s defense responded with a stand of its own, forcing another field goal attempt that Brown converted from short range.
Then came the biggest moment of the half. Ta’amu exited with injury after a rush attempt, forcing Spencer Sanders into action.
The Defenders later turned the ball over on downs, giving Louisville possession at the DC 39-yard line, but DC’s defense answered again. Bryce Thompson intercepted Chandler Rogers in the red zone to keep it a one-score game.
The opening half was pure mayhem: five turnovers, six sacks, nine tackles for loss, and 12 penalties.
Before halftime, Rogers finally found breathing room. Backed up deep in his own territory, he delivered a perfect strike to Isaiah Winstead for 45 yards, setting up Brown for history.
Brown blasted a 60-yard four-point field goal through the uprights, the first in Louisville history, extending the Kings lead to 17-7. He became just the second kicker this season to hit from 60+, joining Matt McCrane on the opposite sideline.
Then the turnovers returned. Travis Bell stripped Deon Jackson and recovered the fumble, only for Derick Roberson to force a Rogers fumble moments later that Curtis Jacobs recovered.
DC capitalized with a 51-yard McCrane field goal before Sanders engineered a late scoring drive. Smith capped it with a 21-yard touchdown run, spinning into the end zone to tie the game 17-17 entering halftime.
Louisville opened the second half with another strong drive. Rogers connected with Winstead for 16 yards and Lucky Jackson for 20 more, leading to Brown’s fourth field goal of the night. Brown tied the UFL single-season field goal record with his 22nd made field goal, accomplishing the feat in just Week Eight.
Sanders answered with arguably his best drive of the game. Keke Coutee and Cornell Powell both hauled in key first downs before Valladay took over on the ground. After a 15-yard burst into the red zone, he punched in a 13-yard rushing touchdown to give DC a 24-20 lead.
Facing adversity again, the Kings answered with their best drive of the night. Rogers orchestrated a grinding 16-play, 81-yard scoring march to retake the lead.
Ian Wheeler sparked the drive with a 20-yard rush before James Robinson powered Louisville downfield with multiple tough runs, including a 12-yard burst. Robinson eventually punched in the go-ahead touchdown from one yard out, though the extra point was blocked, leaving Louisville ahead 26-24.
The Kings defense delivered the next huge stop. Nick Kubitz sacked Sanders to force a punt, and Rogers immediately made DC pay.
He attacked over the top and found Winstead for a 24-yard touchdown, pushing Louisville’s lead to 33-24 with under eight minutes remaining.
Louisville’s defense continued to slam the door shut. Chambers intercepted Sanders, setting the Kings up to drain more clock.
DC still had one final push left. Sanders led a late touchdown drive capped by a three-yard Deon Jackson rushing score, but the Defenders failed on the three-point conversion attempt and later came up short on their 4th-and-12 attempt to retain possession.
Rogers and the Kings kneeled out the clock to secure another statement victory. Louisville finished with 134 rushing yards, while Jaheim Thomas led the defense with seven tackles and half a sack.
Valladay paced DC’s ground attack with 107 rushing yards as the Defenders totaled 218 on the ground, but they struggled badly on third down, converting just once in seven attempts.
Following the victory, the Kings remain home to host the Dallas Renegades next Sunday at 4:00 PM ET on FOX.