Las Vegas, NV · August 29, 2026

The Utah Great 8's are the first champions in International Arena League history. Utah beat the Cincinnati Slingers 62–59 in the IAL Championship Game on August 29, 2026, and defensive back Damon “Prime Time Dame” Williamson (#22) is a world champion in his first professional season.

How it happened

• The matchup: No. 2 seed Utah against No. 1 seed Cincinnati, the same team the Great 8's opened their inaugural season against in April.
• Halftime: Cincinnati led 31–26 behind quarterback Charles McCullum and IAL Offensive Player of the Year Andison Coby.
• The turning point: Utah's special teams recovered a fourth-quarter onside kick.
• The finish: Head coach Siaha Burley and quarterback Ramone Atkins drove the Great 8's to the go-ahead score late, and Utah held on, 62–59.

The team summed it up on Instagram (@utahgreat8s): “NEARLY 20 YEARS IN THE MAKING. The State of Utah has its first pro title in nearly two decades.” Dame's own post (@primetimedame): “Who said winnin ain't everythang?”

Dame 22 on the title team

Dame signed with Utah ahead of the league's first season and is listed on the official IAL roster as Utah Great 8's DB #22. He came to Utah after college stops at the University of Mary, Arizona State (where he wore #38) and Clark Atlanta, and he finished his rookie pro season with a championship ring.

Watch the championship

8 Minutes. One Championship. $2 Million. The league's eight-minute recap of the title game:

The Battle for $2 Million · Cincinnati Slingers vs. Utah Great 8's, 8.29.26:

Full broadcast · IAL Championship Game:

Sources: IAL — “Utah Great 8's First Ever IAL World Champions”; IAL official rosters; video from the league's official YouTube channel.

Dame 22 — Advancing in IAL Championship Tournament

LAS VEGAS, NV — The Utah Great 8s kept their championship hopes alive and advancing on August 8, 2026 at the Orleans Arena, taking down the Arizona Juggernauts in the IAL Championship Tournament bracket.

The double-elimination format means every game is pressure-packed, and the Great 8s responded to that pressure the same way they have all season — with physical, disciplined football on both sides of the ball. Dame 22 and the Great 8s defense kept the Juggernauts' indoor offense contained, setting up the offense to do its work.

The win moves Utah into a winner's bracket showdown with the #1-seeded Cincinnati Slingers on August 15 — with a spot in the championship final on the line.

August 8 — Playoff Result

The Great 8s are two wins away from an IAL Championship. Dame 22 has earned every snap of this run. Next up: Cincinnati.

Watch: IAL YouTube | Follow Dame: @primetimedame

Dame 22 — Vegas Playoff Spotlight & IAL Championship

LAS VEGAS, NV — It's championship time. The Utah Great 8s, finishing the IAL regular season at 9–3 and seeded #2 in the inaugural 2026 IAL Championship Tournament, have arrived at the Orleans Arena in Las Vegas ready to compete for a title.

For Dame 22 — Damon Williamson — this is what every mile of the journey from Scottsdale to Bismarck to Tempe to Atlanta was about. A professional championship tournament. High stakes. Win or go home.

2026 IAL Championship Bracket

Tournament Format

The IAL Championship uses a double-elimination bracket, with rounds held at the Orleans Arena on:

• August 1, 2026
• August 8, 2026
• August 15, 2026 — Winner's Bracket vs. Cincinnati Slingers (#1 seed)
• August 22, 2026
• August 29, 2026 — IAL Championship Game

What Dame 22 Brings to the Playoffs

Indoor arena football in the playoffs is a completely different animal. The stakes are higher, the margin for error is smaller, and the defensive backs who can lock down in space are the difference makers. Williamson has spent his entire career preparing for moments exactly like this — high pressure, big stage, no excuses.

"Every rep is preparation. Every game is a statement. This is what we worked for." — Damon Williamson, Dame 22

The Great 8s are gunning for a championship. Dame 22 is leading the charge from the back end.

Watch live: IAL YouTube | Follow Dame: @primetimedame | @primetimedame_