Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson has given fans their first glimpse at the teams that will make up the newly formed United Football League.
Last week, the Brahma Bull announced that his XFL would be uniting with the USFL to form the UFL, which aspires to cement the future of spring football. It is hoped that the joining of the leagues will improve the quality of football and give a better product to fans and players. Johnson and business partner Dany Garcia acquired the XFL in 2020 after Vince McMahon’s second attempt at the world of professional football was snuffed out by the COVID-19 pandemic.
The UFL Teams
This week, the UFL announced the eight teams that will compete in the first season of the new league. The roster will consist of four teams from the XFL and four teams from the USFL. They are as follows.
USFL Conference
- Birmingham Stallions
- Houston Roughnecks
- Memphis Showboats
- Michigan Panthers
XFL Conference
- Arlington Renegades
- D.C. Defenders
- San Antonio Brahmas
- St. Louis Battlehawks
Houston was the one overlapping market for the XFL and USFL and was one of the strongest markets for both leagues. As a result, the USFL’s Houston Gamblers have been rebranded as the Houston Roughnecks.
Coaches
Here are the Head Coaches for the UFL teams, They include returning names from both the XFL and USFL.
- Skip Holtz (Stallions)
- Curtis Johnson (Roughnecks)
- John DeFilippo (Showboats)
- Mike Nolan (Panthers)
- Bob Stoops (Renegades)
- Reggie Barlow (Defenders)
- Wade Phillips (Brahmas)
- Anthony Becht (Battlehawks)
Kicking Off
The UFL’s 10-game regular season will start on Saturday, March 30, 2024. The opening game will see USFL champions Birmingham Stallions take on XFL champions Arlington Renegades. Players will report to training camp on Saturday, February 24, 2024, in Arlington, Texas. Season tickets for all eight markets are available for purchase.
Johnson and Garcia also discussed the launch of the UFL on ESPN. You can check out their comments in the video below.