Five things to watch for in Week 9 of the 2025 UFL season

The St. Louis Battlehawks (6-2) get a test run at The Dome at America’s Center this weekend to kick off Week 9 of the UFL season when they host the San Antonio Brahmas (1-7) on Friday (8 p.m. ET on FOX and the FOX Sports app).

Friday’s contest is the last home game of the regular season for the Battlehawks, who are a league-best 4-1 at home this year, averaging nearly 30,000 fans a game. The UFL announced that St. Louis will host the DC Defenders (6-2) in the XFL Conference title game on June 8 regardless of how the two teams finish the final two games of the season.

The Battlehawks and the Defenders are tied for the top spot in the XFL Conference and will meet in Washington, D.C. on May 30 in the final game of the regular season. St. Louis will also host the UFL title game on June 14.

"It’s a blessing," Battlehawks head coach Anthony Becht said, when asked about his team’s home-field advantage. "It’s a blessing to play in a place that’s loud, and on third down it’s hard for the other team. I wish we could play all 10 (games) here. That would be awesome, and they would show up every week. 

"We are very fortunate to have a fan base like this here, and we don’t take it for granted ever because we know how important it is."

[MORE: What is the UFL? Everything to know about the 2025 United Football League ]

Elsewhere, the Memphis Showboats (2-6) host the Arlington Renegades (3-5) on Saturday (noon ET), followed by the Michigan Panthers (6-2) hitting the road to face the Birmingham Stallions (5-3) at Protective Stadium (3 p.m. ET). 

In the weekend's finale, the Houston Roughnecks (3-5) host the Defenders on Sunday (4 p.m. ET on FOX and the FOX Sports app).

Here’s a closer look at five things to watch for in Week 9: