St. Louis, MO - 3/28/2026 - The St. Louis Battlehawks opened their 2026 UFL campaign by grinding out a rugged 16–10 victory over the defending champion DC Defenders at The Dome at America’s Center. It wasn’t flashy football — it was a bruising, field-position battle that slowly tilted toward St. Louis as the afternoon wore on.

DC jumped ahead early behind a history-making 60-yard field goal from Matt McCrane, the first four-point kick under the league’s new long-range scoring rule. A short touchdown run later in the quarter gave the Defenders a 10–3 edge and briefly silenced the Dome crowd.

From there, the Battlehawks defense slammed the door shut.

St. Louis turned the game into a trench fight, swarming quarterback Jordan Ta’amu with relentless pressure. Pita Taumoepenu spearheaded the chaos with 2.5 sacks as the Battlehawks piled up seven total sacks and forced two interceptions. DC managed only 153 yards all game and never scored again after the opening quarter.

Quarterback Brandon Silvers settled in after a shaky start and delivered the game’s defining moment midway through the third quarter, zipping a touchdown pass to tight end Tyler Neville to give St. Louis its first lead. Tucker McCann added three field goals, including a late kick that stretched the margin to six and let the defense finish the job.

The matchup felt less like a season opener and more like a heavyweight rematch. Every possession was contested, every first down mattered, and the Dome crowd fed off each defensive stop. By the fourth quarter, the Defenders looked worn down while St. Louis controlled the clock and tempo.

Instead of winning with explosive offense, the Battlehawks won with pressure, patience, and discipline — a performance that suggested Ricky Proehl’s first season in charge might lean on toughness as much as talent.