December 18, 2025
By Daniel Cohen
As the new year approaches, what better time than now to look back at some of the most entertaining games from the 2025 season. Whether you’re looking to scout teams, analyze film, or just enjoy some incredible ultimate, the following seven games—out of the 155 played last year—should be at the top of your watch list.
Week 1 | Salt Lake Shred vs. Atlanta Hustle
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The Week 1 Game of the Week featured a first-ever meeting between Salt Lake and Atlanta. Coming into the game, we knew these were historically two playoff-caliber teams, but there was a bit of uncertainty with both teams following an offseason filled with player movement. Salt Lake ended the previous season looking out of sorts and were coming off their worst offensive season in franchise history (12th in offensive efficiency in 2024), plus they’d lost Grant Lindsley, Elijah Jaime, and Sean Connole in the offseason, the latter two to Atlanta. The Hustle, on the other hand, had added the aforementioned Shred players, in addition to goal scorers Cameron Brock and Alec Wilson Holiday, looking to fill the vacated production from Bobby Ley and Matt Smith, who each announced retirements last offseason.
After a one-game sample from both teams, there was little doubt these two would be Championship Weekend favorites all season. The matchup quickly unfolded into a back-and-forth offensive showcase, as both teams would end up converting 70-plus percent of their offensive possessions. With just 18 turnovers combined for the entire game, it was one of the most efficient games of the 2025 season and set the tone for two franchises that would go on to win their respective divisions.
Week 4 | New York Empire vs. Boston Glory
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The East Division was deservedly in the spotlight for the bulk of last season, and the storylines surrounding Boston and New York felt like the center of it all. Glory had been improving every season, building a more consistent culture, and had added 2024 Rookie of the Year Tobe Decraene to complement two-time MVP Jeff Babbitt in 2025. The Empire brought in several UFA veterans prior to the 2025 season and were looking to rebound following their first round playoff loss to Boston—thanks to a Babbitt buzzer beater—from the previous season.
The Week 4 meeting unfolded with the usual back-and-forth nature of these teams, before Boston slowly began to pull away in the second half. With less than seven minutes to go, Boston was up 17-13 and looked to be asserting themselves as the team to beat in the East. But New York wasn’t going to go down without a fight, and after a thrilling late-game comeback to force overtime, the game would once again be up for grabs until the final seconds.
Week 6 | Atlanta Hustle vs. Chicago Union
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After storming out of the gates to a 6-0 record, the Atlanta Hustle met resistance on their road trip to the Central Division in Week 6. Facing Minnesota and Chicago on back-to-back days was always going to be a grueling test, and what resulted were two of the most exciting games of the season between three championship contenders. The Hustle would end up suffering their first loss of the season to Minnesota before traveling down to Chicago for the second leg of their trip, about to face a team that had played just one game to that point (a win over Minnesota two weeks prior). This game was going to be yet another test for Atlanta, but also finally give the league an indication of what to expect from Chicago in 2025.
Despite the absences of stars Daan De Marrée (CHI) and Brett Hulsmeyer (ATL), the game produced plenty of big plays on both sides with constant action throughout. Austin Taylor looking like the best center handler in the league, Pawel Janas taking charge late, huge momentum swings, and clutch defensive plays are just a small handful of takeaways from the double overtime thriller.
Week 8 | DC Breeze vs. New York Empire
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The DC vs. New York rivalry rarely disappoints, and Week 8 was no exception. The stakes were elevated for their second meeting of 2025, as New York entered Week 8 with a 3-5 record, having just lost to the Breeze 23-15 the prior week. It felt like do-or-die time for the Empire given how close the rest of the division was—New York had already lost to both Montreal and Toronto—whereas for DC it was a chance to build on their dominant win and put the rivalry to rest in 2025.
With their backs against the wall, the Empire faced a three-goal deficit early, but clawed their way back towards the end of the first half and would eventually trade points throughout the third and fourth quarters. John Randolph played lights out for New York, while DC’s Aidan Downey was a perfect fit on his new team, but neither team could separate beyond a two-goal margin in the second half. The game would end up needing two overtime periods to finally settle the score. If you’re looking for big plays down the stretch, late-game controversy, and statement games from several key players, look no further than DC vs. New York from Week 8.
West Division Championship Game | Oakland Spiders vs. Salt Lake Shred
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In their fourth straight West Division Championship Game appearance, Salt Lake was looking to make it back to Championship Weekend after Seattle cut their season short in 2024, hosting Oakland on their home turf in the quarterfinals. On the other side, the Spiders were in the midst of a franchise-best season on offense, and they were able to claim a spot among the final eight teams for the first time since 2015, when they last won a title.
Led by two-time Coach of the Year Bryce Merrill, the Shred became known for thrilling second-half comebacks in 2025, and this game was the prime example; down by three in the fourth quarter after trading blows with Oakland throughout the game, the Shred defense—particularly Tony Mounga—again rises to the occasion to spark a change in momentum. This game featured one of the best finishes of the playoffs, with massive defensive highlights down the stretch, both teams hanging on until the final throw, and a true “anyone’s game” feeling on both sides.
Central Division Championship Game | Minnesota Wind Chill vs. Chicago Union
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Heading into the Divisional Championship round, Minnesota vs. Chicago was one of the most highly anticipated matchups of the season: The reigning champs against the undefeated 12-0 Union. Their last meeting had been a shocking blowout on the fourth of July, as Daan De Marrée and the Union ran away with the game early in their 25-15 win. Could Chicago steamroll the reigning champs for a second straight game, or was Minnesota’s postseason experience and ability to play to the moment going to give them the upper hand?
After a strong first quarter put Chicago up 5-3, Minnesota began the second with four straight breaks, and the momentum swings were constant from then on. An encore of the De Marrée vs. Justin Burnett matchup provided the fireworks we were looking for in their previous meeting, and the game would come down to the final minutes, with each team looking to answer the other and keep the pressure on their opponent. “Defense wins championships” rang true for this one, as each team recorded double-digit blocks.
Semifinal Game 2 | Atlanta Hustle vs. Minnesota Wind Chill
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The Atlanta vs. Minnesota semifinal game had one of the most high-energy environments I’ve ever witnessed in person. Breese Stevens Field in Madison became Minnesota’s home away from home, as countless Wind Chill fans made the trip to cheer on their hometown team in pursuit of a repeat championship. The Wind Chill bench was as rowdy as the fans, each feeding off the energy of the other, and I can only imagine what it was like for Atlanta, a team making their first ever Championship Weekend appearance, to stay focused in that setting.
It’s perhaps debatable which team was better on paper, but most analysts had the Hustle favored, despite the fact that the Wind Chill defeated Atlanta in their regular season meeting back in Week 6. With one of the most balanced teams in the league last season, Atlanta looked like they had all the pieces necessary to win it all, and when they opened up the scoring in the third quarter to go up 14-10 on the reigning champs, their potential felt like it was at an all-time high. But as quickly as they created that four-goal second half cushion, it had completely vanished with Minnesota’s 4-0 run to start the fourth, fueled by the collective energy of the team, the stadium, and individual players. Paul Krenik played shut down D, Burnett had a massive layout block late against his former team, and the team had “Minnesota Magic” feeling like a new trademark of Championship Weekend.
