Every Battle Bowl has that matchup that perfectly captures what makes the Wilder Cup chase so compelling. This year’s clash between the #4 seeded Hitmen and the #13 seeded Release the Kraken is exactly that.
On one side stands one of the most decorated franchises in UBA history—a team that expects championships and measures success by trophies. On the other is a young, hungry franchise that caught fire at exactly the right time and now believes they’re capable of shocking the bowling world.
For the Hitmen, making Battle Bowl isn’t an accomplishment—it’s the expectation.
Bob Benton couldn’t have been more direct when describing their season:
“We met expectations. Winning the district? Expected. #1 seed in the Southeast? Expected. Battling through the playoffs? Also expected. We are here for revenge.”
That confidence comes from years of dominance.
The Hitmen have captured district championships in 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024, and 2026, along with a Team Rankings title in 2018. They also finished runner-up in the Wilder Cup in 2025, giving this team even more motivation entering Battle Bowl XVII.
This isn’t a roster built on individual stars alone. Benton believes the biggest advantage is their chemistry.
“Hitmen bring bowlers, not just people that bowl. This group is a family that bowls all over the country together. We know each other’s strengths and weaknesses inside and out.”
The roster includes WCS Cruiserweight Champion Markueon Caudle, while veterans like Chris Hans, fresh off a 300 game on bowling’s biggest stage in Reno, and Hall of Famer Nicholas Cenzoprano provide championship experience.
The mission is simple:
“We’re not here for the experience. We’re here to avenge last year’s close loss. Anything short of winning is disappointment.”
While Hitmen followed the expected path, Release the Kraken’s journey has been anything but ordinary.
Just weeks before the playoffs, they were fighting simply to stay alive.
Owner Richard Macchietto recalls entering the final week of the Long Island Division sitting fourth and facing elimination. Then everything changed.
The Kraken exploded for finishes of 38-2, 38-2, and 34-6, turning a season on the brink into a Sweet 16 appearance.
“We got hot at the right time.”
Sometimes that’s all it takes.
This team may not own a plethora of district titles or WCS champions, but they have something equally dangerous—confidence built through momentum.
Macchietto describes his biggest strength in one word:
“Family.”
Release the Kraken features a battle-tested roster loaded with young talent, including Mike Martell, Brandon Hughs, Chris Vietri, Tony Macchietto, Phil Macchietto, and several accomplished collegiate women’s bowlers who have helped fuel this postseason surge.
Their expectations?
One word.
“Win.”
The contrast couldn’t be clearer.
The Hitmen bring years of championship experience, proven leadership, and the pressure that comes with being one of the bracket favorites.
Release the Kraken enters with nothing to lose, everything to gain, and the momentum of a team that’s been playing playoff-level bowling for weeks.
If the Hitmen establish control early, their experience could prove overwhelming.
But if Release the Kraken keeps the match close, their confidence and fearless attitude could make them one of the tournament’s biggest Cinderella stories.
Battle Bowl has always been where legacies are either protected—or rewritten.
The Hitmen are chasing redemption after falling just short of a Wilder Cup title a year ago.
Release the Kraken is chasing history, hoping to turn a miraculous late-season run into the biggest upset of Battle Bowl XVII.
One team is fighting to continue a dynasty.
The other is trying to announce that a new contender has arrived.
When these two families step onto the lanes, only one will keep their Wilder Cup dream alive.
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