UFL 2025: Best hot mic moments from Defenders-Panthers championship game

The DC Defenders are 2025 UFL champions after taking down the Michigan Panthers by double digits in Saturday’s title game, 58-34.

Both teams’ offenses were humming, but the Defenders had a historic day, scoring a league-record 58 points to take home the trophy. With all the points, both teams had their share of moments to celebrate and boast about. 

Here are the best hot mic moments from the 2025 UFL title game.

“Oh yessir!”

Panthers RB Nate McCrary, who broke free for a 35-yard touchdown run down the left sideline to get Michigan on the board first, celebrated the opening touchdown before he even broke the plane. 

“Boom! Boom!”

Defenders interim head coach Shannon Harris was proud of himself after dialing up a touchdown. QB Jordan Ta’amu hit a wide-open Cornell Powell on a corner route in the back of the end zone to give DC its first lead of the game. 

“Get off of me bruh!”

Ta’amu told the Panthers’ defenders what he had just done to them after shedding a pair of tacklers for a 1-yard touchdown run. To boost the Defenders to victory, Ta’amu showed off his skills on the ground and with his arm.

“Get your sorry a– off the field!”

After Defenders CB Kiondre Thomas picked off Panthers QB Bryce Perkins, Thomas’s teammate Trey Dean rubbed it in further. As Perkins was exiting the field, he got up in his grill and told him to do just that. At that point, the Defenders were up 21 points, and Perkins was making desperate throws, one of which ended in Thomas’s hands. 

“You the f—— MVP!”

Defenders TE Briley Moore hyped up Ta’amu after his quarterback made one of his best throws of the day — a 73-yard connection with WR Ty Scott. Ta’amu’s throw led Scott open and hit him in stride and the receiver did the rest. Ta’amu’s deep ball placement and arm strength were at the root of the Defenders’ championship run, and Moore acknowledged that with his comments. Ta’amu went on to win UFL Championship Game MVP.

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