ARLINGTON, TEXAS — The Arlington Renegades look to overcome a rocky 0-2 start, Saturday vs D.C. Defenders.
There will be an XFL Championship game rematch this Saturday in Arlington, TX as the Arlington Renegades take on the D.C. Defenders.
The last time these two teams faced off, it was in San Antonio with the XFL championship on the line. Renegades won convincingly 35-26 to win their first championship in franchise history. I’m sure a win for the Defenders won’t make up for the loss in the championship last season, but it could go a long way in trying to get back to that point in 2024. The Defenders look to stay in the top two of the XFL Conference standings which would lock them in for a playoff spot come June.
As for the Renegades, they are looking for their first win of the season and there’s no better opponent to do it against than the D.C. Defenders. Renegades QB Luis Perez is still confident in the offense despite the slow start as a team, alluding to the lack of attention to detail on occasion not being what it’s supposed to be. He says they’re “close” to executing the way they need to offensively in order to be successful, stating “three to five plays change every single game.” This will be the 5th time Perez himself is playing against the Defenders since the start of the 2023 XFL season.
While Perez was a member of the Vegas Vipers, he played the Defenders twice, losing both games. Then, once he was traded to the Renegades, he played against the Defenders twice, going 1-1, winning the game that mattered the most. So, the familiarity factor might have a role in this game for Luis Perez. When asked about the upcoming rematch, Perez gave the Defenders their praise, having faced them a few times already. However he’s confident in this week’s preparation, stating, “I really feel good with our game plan against them this year.
Kickoff vs the Defenders is set for 12pm CT at Choctaw Stadium. Stay tuned for more.
