Renegades stun Defenders to capture 2023 XFL championship

The Arlington Renegades took down the D.C. Defenders 35-26 in stunning fashion to win the 2023 XFL championship Saturday.

The Renegades, led by former Oklahoma head coach Bob Stoops, were powered to victory by the arm of Luis Perez. Perez was named MVP of the championship game after slicing up the Defenders' secondary to the tune of 288 yards, three touchdowns, and no interceptions.

Perez's first touchdown came on Arlington's opening drive as he found Sal Cannella on a 41-yard pass to give the Renegades a 6-0 lead. It was a lead they'd never surrender.

Perez quickly got back to work on his next drive, throwing another touchdown to put his club up 14-0.

The Defenders finally found the end zone for the first time with just over 30 seconds left in the second quarter, as Abram Smith pounded it in from two yards out to cut the deficit to 17-6. Arlington added a field goal before the half to make it 20-6.

D.C. tried to rally with 20 second-half points but was unable to claw all the way back. The Defenders narrowed the deficit to nine with just over a minute remaining before Jordan Ta'amu's fourth-down pass was picked off by defensive back Cre'Von LeBlanc to seal the Renegades' victory. The fourth-down attempt came in lieu of a kickoff.

Ta'amu, who was named the 2023 XFL Offensive Player of the Year, was held in check by the Renegades' defense. He completed just 16 of his 30 pass attempts for 245 yards with two touchdowns to three interceptions.

The 5-6 Renegades entered the championship game as underdogs against the Defenders, who held a 10-1 mark prior to Saturday's bout.

However, Perez's insertion into the starting lineup in Week 8 after being acquired in a midseason trade changed the Renegades' fortunes. Arlington scored over 26 points in three of their final four games, including the postseason.

For Stoops, the XFL crown joins his collection of hardware, which also includes 10 Big 12 titles and a college football national championship.