Should you draft Minnesota Vikings running back Demond Claiborne in redraft fantasy football leagues? Probably not. Should you remember his name and certainly add him to your Dynasty Fantasy squad? Indubitably.

Claiborne profiles as the Vikings’ RB3 this season, and with any luck, he’ll secure meaningful touches by season’s end.

Claiborne’s Speed Creates a Path to Early Touches

The ‘Sharp Football Analysis’ Skinny on Claiborne

Claiborne checked in at “Tier 12” of Rich Hribar’s fantasy running back tiers this week, sharing space with players like Kaytron Allen (Washington Commanders) and Braelon Allen (New York Jets).

Hribar wrote, “Demond Claiborne needs some rounding out, but he lands in a Minnesota backfield that could have some doors open. Aaron Jones will be 31 this season, and Jordan Mason has been a rushing-only back to date.”

“Claiborne is a slasher who can turn in splash plays with his speed. 42.5% of his rushing yards came on runs of 15 or more yards, the fifth-highest rate in this class. This also shows up in the return game. Claiborne only trailed Nicholas Singleton and Jadarian Price in career kickoff return yardage in this class, averaging 26.3 yards per kick return with 2 career touchdowns on special teams.”

Vikings fans waited patiently all offseason for a new running back. In the end, Claiborne was Minnesota’s choice.

“That speed component of his game was reinforced by a 4.37 40-yard dash at the NFL Combine, the third-fastest time at his position in Indianapolis,” Hribar continued.

“That speed will get him on the field. Claiborne has to be fast because at 5-foot-10 and 188 pounds, his frame likely played a role in the overall pounding he could take, limiting his overall touches and impacting all of the bumps and bruises he left games with.”

Bijan Robinson and Jahmyr Gibbs headlined Hribar’s first tier in 2026.

The Boom-or-Bust Potential Is Significant

Claiborne was drafted in Round 6. These are the halfbacks picked in that round since 2021:

• Khalil Herbert
• Elijah Mitchell
• Chris Rodriguez
• Kimani Vidal
• Ollie Gordon
• Chris Evans
• Devin Neal
• Gary Brightwell
• Tyler Badie
• Kevin Harris
• Keontay Ingram
• Jawhar Jordan
• Larry Rountree
• Deuce Vaughn
• Scott Matlock
• Tahi Brooks
• Trestan Ebner
• Jase McClellan
• Zach Evans
• Dylan Laube
• Kalel Mullings

It’s not a glowing pecking order, so if Claiborne beats the odds, he’ll boom and surge to the top of the list of recent Round 6 RB hopefuls.

The Key Frank Smith Caveat

Frank Smith, now in Minnesota as the assistant head coach, brings an exciting name to the table with his track record: De’Von Achane.

For the past four seasons, Smith served as Mike McDaniel’s offensive coordinator in Miami. During that time, Achane, a 2023 NFL draftee, blossomed into one of the league’s most dangerous running backs. While his speed was undeniable, Miami’s coaching staff under Smith truly maximized his impact on games.

That’s where Claiborne enters the picture. Achane, at 5-foot-9 and 185 pounds, recorded a blazing 4.32-second forty-yard dash. Claiborne, at 5-foot-10 and 195 pounds, ran a 4.37. While not identical, their similarities are enough to generate excitement among Vikings fans.

This offseason, the Vikings retained Kevin O’Connell and Brian Flores, but changes occurred lower on the coaching staff. Smith was one of the more intriguing new additions. Now, with another fast, smaller running back capable of big plays, optimistic Vikings fans are connecting the dots. They envision Smith replicating his success with Achane, this time with Claiborne in Minneapolis. It could happen.

Probably an Audition for 2027

Jones and Mason will assuredly be the Vikings’ main running backs in 2026, but beyond that, the outlook is cloudy. Jones is old, and the Vikings nearly released him this offseason, save for an accepted paycut. Mason is 27, but 2026 is the final year of his contract.

If you peeked into a crystal ball, there’s a reasonable chance neither man will play for the 2027 Vikings.

That’s where Claiborne’s trajectory gets fascinating. If he has the pop and vision to mimic Achane, well, the team is yearning for an RB1 of the future. Claiborne, for sure, has the youth and speed for the assignment. It’s just unclear if he has the vision and ability to break tackles like other RB1s.

Claiborne is under contract for the next four years. The timing and situation are ripe for a breakout on an RB1-needy team if he has the spine for it.

Otherwise, the Vikings will probably defer to the 2027 NFL Draft, which isn’t the worst option, as the class is already projected to feature heavy-hitting rookie RBs.

Dustin Baker is a novelist and political scientist. His second novel, The Invaders , is out now. So is … More about Dustin Baker

The £33.9 million Leighton Leisure and Community Centre has opened in Leighton Buzzard, UK, creating a next-generation public leisure, health and wellbeing hub for the local community.

Operated by Everyone Active on behalf of Central Bedfordshire Council, the centre replaces the ageing Tiddenfoot Leisure Centre and has been designed to deliver inclusive and accessible facilities for people of all ages and abilities.

More than 3,500 people visited the centre during its opening weekend, with the launch event attended by Olympic silver medallist and former world record holder Colin Jackson, alongside Maisie Summers-Newton, a four-times Paralympic gold medallist in swimming, and Olivia Newman-Baronius, who won swimming gold at Paris 2024.

The aquatics offer includes an eight-lane, 25m swimming pool with seating for 130 spectators, a 17m x 10m learner pool with a movable floor and a dedicated confidence water area to support early-years swimming.

Fitness facilities include a 150-station gym featuring Technogym equipment, group exercise studios, indoor cycling and Reformer Pilates, reflecting the increasing integration of boutique fitness formats into public leisure.

The centre also includes two squash courts, while recovery and wellbeing have been incorporated through the addition of hydromassage beds and three treatment rooms, which will be available for local health and wellbeing practitioners.

Accessibility features include two Changing Places facilities, while community rooms, meeting spaces and a café have been created to support the centre’s role as a social hub.

Gary Foley, Everyone Active’s contract manager, said: “The opening of this centre is hugely significant for the health and wellbeing of the local community.

“No matter what your age, interests or ability, there is an activity for you here.”

The development has been delivered with sustainability as a priority, with features including a high-performance building fabric, low-carbon heating and ventilation systems and materials selected for whole-life performance.

The wider site also supports active travel, with improved walking and cycling links, cycle storage and electric vehicle charging.

Simon Ramage, managing director at Willmott Dixon, which delivered the project, said: “Leighton Leisure and Community Centre represents the delivery of a modern, future-focused community asset designed to support both operational performance and long-term community wellbeing.

“By combining sustainable design principles with high-quality leisure provision, the project demonstrates how local authority developments can create lasting value for communities while also supporting wider environmental ambitions.”

Everyone Active offers a range of membership options at the centre, including its You+ membership, which combines gym, swim and group exercise classes with personalised coaching and support across health, fitness and wellbeing.

The opening comes as public leisure operators continue to broaden their remit beyond traditional fitness and swimming provision, with new-generation facilities increasingly incorporating recovery, health services, social spaces and specialist programming.

Duncan Jefford, who became managing director of Everyone Active in March after almost 20 years with the organisation, will discuss the future of public leisure when he speaks at HCM Summit on 22 October in London.

Jefford is also interviewed in an upcoming issue of HCM.

Duncan Jefford, who took over as managing director of Everyone Active in March, after almost 20 years with the organisation is interviewed in an upcoming issue of HCM and will be speaking at this year’s HCM Summit on 22 October in London.

Allianz Stadium will play host to Saturday’s
Round 19 NRL game between Sydney Roosters and
Parramatta Eels. The game kicks off at 7:35 pm with Sydney Roosters heading into the game as favourites with the bookmakers. Continue reading for our in-depth preview of the Sydney Roosters vs.
Parramatta Eels
game and give you our free tips and bets.

When: Saturday July 11, 2026 at 7:35 pm

Where: Allianz Stadium

Bet 💰: Bet On This Match HERE

Sydney Roosters vs Parramatta Eels Odds

Sydney Roosters vs Parramatta Eels Preview

The Roosters return from the bye looking to consolidate their place inside the top four when they host an improving Parramatta side at Allianz Stadium. Sydney has won its past two matches and continues to climb despite rarely producing its best football, while the Eels have shown encouraging signs in recent weeks with victories over Canberra and Manly. Daniel Tupou is set to celebrate his 300th NRL appearance, adding another storyline to a Roosters side likely to again feature several Origin representatives. Parramatta has become increasingly competitive under pressure, but Sydney’s outstanding home record against the Eels makes the hosts deserved favourites.

Oba Femi and Brock Lesnar’s feud will come to a head at SummerSlam in August and the showdown has the potential to be WWE’s match of the year.

Femi beat Lesnar at WrestleMania 42 and led to “The Beast Incarnate” deciding to retire – at least for a moment – at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas. Lesnar made a dramatic return a few weeks later, challenging and beating Femi at Clash in Italy.

COMPLETE PRO WRESTLING COVERAGE ON FOX NEWS DIGITAL

Oba Femi looks on during Monday Night RAW at Allstate Arena on July 6, 2026 in Chicago, Illinois. (Melina Pizano/WWE via Getty Images)

At SummerSlam, Femi and Lesnar will do battle inside a Hell in a Cell.

WWE Hall of Famer John Bradshaw Layfield called the next meeting between Femi and Lesnar a “generational matchup.”

“I’ve never seen anything like Oba – well, I have. I’ve seen Brock,” he told Fox News Digital. “It’s very much the carbon copy of Brock coming in. Brock coming in was like, oh my God, who is this guy? The guy can even talk and he’s gonna be one of the biggest stars in wrestling. Not only could he talk, he’s a really smart guy. Brock became one of the biggest draws in professional wrestling. He came one of the biggest draws in UFC. It’s an unbelievable story and now you got somebody who can rival that character.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM

Brock Lesnar in action against Oba Femi during Monday Night RAW at TD Garden on March 23, 2026 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Michael Owens/WWE via Getty Images)

“This Oba Femi comes out with the silly little walk he does. Everyone kinda does it, it’s like The Bushwackers. But the whole arena does it. I was in Vegas and I didn’t want to go to the matches and deal with the traffic and deal with the backstage area and so I kinda just watched it in a sports bar, I stood in the back where nobody could recognize me, and as soon as Oba came out, the entire sports bar was sitting there doing that Oba Femi dance. The guy is just unbelievably over.

“I really think that somewhere in the NFL this year, you’re going to see an entire NFL arena doing this dance. You’re gonna have somebody like Saquon Barkley or ‘King’ (Derrick Henry) or some of these guys do this dance and it’s infectious. Once one of them does, one of these great running backs or wide receivers, or somebody scores a touchdown, that’s when I think you’re gonna see entire arenas doing it. I just think Oba Femi is lightning in a bottle and Brock has always been that way. This is, to me, a generational matchup.”

Brock Lesnar and Oba Femi face off during WrestleMania 42: Night 2 at Allegiant Stadium on April 19, 2026 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Georgiana Dallas/WWE via Getty Images)

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SummerSlam will take place on Aug. 1 and 2 at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis.

Portugal’s Cristiano Ronaldo (7) and Portugal’s Bruno Fernandes (8) (AP Photo/Eric Gay)

Portugal midfielder Bruno Fernandes admitted he is struggling to accept his team’s early exit from the FIFA World Cup after their 1-0 defeat to Spain in the Round of 16. Portugal entered the tournament as one of the favourites, especially after winning the 2025 UEFA Nations League and boasting a strong squad led by Cristiano Ronaldo and several Champions League-winning PSG stars. Fernandes also arrived in top form after an outstanding season with Manchester United, where he scripted the all-time Premier League record for the most assists in a single season.Taking to Instagram, Fernandes expressed his emotions following Portugal’s exit.“Sad, frustrated, and disappointed,” Fernandes, 31, wrote.He said the quality of Portugal’s squad had given him high hopes of a deep World Cup run.“This group of players raised my expectations high, not only because of their quality, but also because of the incredible team we’ve built over the years,” Fernandes wrote.Portugal managed just two wins in five matches, beating Uzbekistan and Croatia before being knocked out by Spain.Despite the disappointment, Fernandes thanked everyone who supported the team throughout the tournament.“Thank you to all the players, the coaching staff, and everyone who supported us and helped us every day during the World Cup,” he wrote.“To all the Portuguese people, a big thank you for your support and belief.”

Lamine Yamal turns 19 on Monday of next week and with a little luck, he’ll have helped lead his nation to the 2026 World Cup semifinals. However, Yamal and Spain will have to get past Belgium in the quarterfinals on Friday and their European rivals are firing on all cylinders coming off a 4-1 win to knock out the USA on their home soil. Yamal already has 30 caps for Spain under his belt and was a La Liga Player of the Year while winning the league with FC Barcelona. Now Spain are -350 favorites to advance to the semifinals and Belgium are +265 underdogs in the latest Spain vs. Belgium odds from FanDuel Sportsbook. Yamal has only scored once during World Cup 2026, but he has seven goals for Spain and is priced at +140 to score in regulation or extra time on Friday.

However, Yamal does have 11 assists in his career for Spain and he’s listed at +165 to register one against Belgium. Kickoff is scheduled for 3 p.m. ET at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, Calif. and this will be the third World Cup meeting between the two nations. There are also several other Lamine Yamal props available for Friday’s match. Before locking in your 2026 World Cup picks and other World Cup bets for Belgium vs. Spain on betting sites like FanDuel, be sure to check out top picks from soccer insider Brandt Sutton.

Sutton is a former collegiate soccer player and has been SportsLine’s top soccer editor since 2017. He has followed soccer closely for much longer and factors in managerial tactics, projected lineups and past performances to make the most informed soccer betting decisions possible. Since 2025, Sutton has been profitable across multiple leagues, including the Premier League and Bundesliga. He’s also been profitable on his Champions League picks in 2026. Anyone wanting to follow his World Cup betting advice at sportsbooks and on betting apps could see big returns.

Lamine Yamal betting odds

Lamine Yamal anytime goal scorer including extra time (+140)

As a winger that attracts as much attention as Yamal, it’s not always easy to create scoring chances, but Yamal has taken 17 shots so far and put eight on target in 314 minutes of action. His pace and creativity on the wing will pose problems for a Belgian defense that relies on 30-somethings like Brandon Mechele and Timothy Castagne. You can buy this price up to +155 by playing it in regulation, but Yamal’s penchant for big moments makes paying the premium worthwhile here.

Lamine Yamal to assist anytime including extra time (+165)

Yamal provides an abundance of pace and creativity on the outside and it draws a lot of attention from opposing defenses. That gives him opportunities to provide for his teammates, which is how he’s managed 11 assists already in his national team career. He also has a history of creating scoring chances in big matches, having registered four assists during Spain’s title run at Euro 2024 when he was only 16.

Lamine Yamal to record two or more shots on goal (-105)

Spain gradually worked Yamal into action after he suffered a hamstring injury in April, playing him off the bench against Cabo Verde and Saudi Arabia. However, he still took five shots and put two on target in his 45 minutes against Saudi Arabia. He’s been in the starting lineup in each of the last three matches and has reached two shots on goal in two of those three matches, so this is a great price.

Top Lamine Yamal picks, player props for Spain vs. Belgium

• Lamine Yamal to assist anytime including extra time (+165)
• Lamine Yamal to record two or more shots on goal (-105)

Manchester City have launched a scheme that will see residents in areas surrounding the Etihad get cheap tickets for home games.

Manchester City are introducing £10 tickets for adults at every home game this season for their most local fans. Starting with the Premier League opener against Bournemouth next month, between 100 and 500 tickets will be available every match for any supporters who live in the areas surrounding the stadium.

The club have worked with fan advisory board City Matters on a new initiative which aims to both protect the local core of City’s support but also open opportunities up to Mancunians who may never have thought they could attend matches despite being on their doorstep. Tickets will be drawn by ballot for every match and will include the biggest fixtures against United, Liverpool, and Arsenal.

As defined by the council, addresses in Ancoats & Beswick, Clayton & Openshaw, Gorton & Abbey Hey, Ardwick, and Miles Platting & Newton Heath will be available for the ringfenced allocation. Tickets cost £10 for adults, £7.50 for concessions and £5 for Under-5s, and it is possible for multiple people to apply together if they wish to sit together; seats will be available across the stadium rather than in one particular block or area.

Lee Broadstock, chair of City Matters, said: “We’re really pleased to see the club take proactive steps to help local people watch Manchester City, with thousands of Premier League tickets available for just £10. By making matches more accessible, it will help more people from east Manchester attend regularly, get behind the team and contribute to the atmosphere that makes the Etihad such a special place on matchdays.”

The move is the latest effort from City to connect with their local community and matchgoing fanbase. Season tickets have been frozen for a third consecutive season after passionate pleas from fans in addition to protests in 2025, and matchday prices were reduced that year.

With the opening of the expanded North Stand part of a £300m redevelopment that aims to turn the Etihad into an entertainment destination for every day of the year, Blues bosses are aware that as they create more of a footprint in east Manchester it will have a bigger impact on those that live nearest to the stadium.

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Offering reduced tickets is a way of giving those residents a chance to be part of the action; the nearby concert venue Co-op Live, which has City Football Group as major shareholders, offers a similar scheme.

City’s managing director of operations, Danny Wilson, said: “Manchester City has always been rooted in its community and as we grow we want to ensure people who live closest to the Etihad Campus remain part of everything that happens here.

“We know matchdays bring significant social and economic opportunities to the area, but with more matches, more activities and more visitors than ever before, it’s important that those who live closest to us can continue to enjoy the experience, make lasting memories, and be a part of the journey with us.”

What happens in Vegas pays in Vegas.

Jerry Colangelo firmly believed since the 1980s that it certainly pays for the NBA to be in Las Vegas.

On Wednesday, July 8, a press release said that the 86-year-old former Phoenix Suns owner is leading a private equity group to bring Las Vegas an expansion NBA franchise.

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The league’s Board of Governors voted on March 25 to explore expansion teams in Las Vegas and Seattle to begin play in the 2028-29 season.

Colangelo has a Midas touch track record, launching successful expansion teams in the NBA, WNBA and MLB. He began his executive career as part of his hometown Chicago Bulls in 1966, moved to the desert to launch the Phoenix Suns in 1968, co-founded the Arizona Diamondbacks in 1995 and established the Phoenix Mercury when the WNBA began in 1997.

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UA basketball’s Koa Peat introduced by new NBA team, the Phoenix Suns

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UA basketball’s Koa Peat introduced by new NBA team, the Phoenix Suns

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UA basketball’s Koa Peat introduced by new NBA team, the Phoenix Suns

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UA basketball’s Koa Peat introduced by new NBA team, the Phoenix Suns

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UA basketball’s Koa Peat introduced by new NBA team, the Phoenix Suns

According to Front Office Sports, there are currently nine NBA teams owned private equity (PE) groups. JP Morgan reported in 2025 that nearly one in five teams across the NFL, NBA, MLB and NHL now have some PE involvement. Colangelo spoke to The Arizona Republic about the rise of PE groups changing the trajectory of NBA team ownership, and why he’s bewildered the league took so long to pursue Las Vegas.

On private equity group changing the landscape of sports team ownership.

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“As you look at team ownership in professional sports today, it’s become a very sophisticated endeavor. Thinking back over my experiences, one, the required equity was substantially less. It’s grown in the decades incredibly. I think in my journey, the Bulls came in at $1.2 million for an expansion team in ‘66. Phoenix was $2 million in ’68. I bought the Suns for $44.5 million in ’87 and sold for over $400 million in 2004, and then things exploded. Our $400 million was the highest price ever paid for a franchise in the history of the NBA, and it took seven years for that to be exceeded, and that was Golden State (Warriors). They came in at $460 million, maybe, somewhere in there. And then I think when Steve Ballmer bought the Clippers (in 2014), things changed dramatically. That was the 2 billion-dollar price tag, and then things changed dramatically when you saw private equity coming in through investment groups. That was a new twist. So, I guess the bottom line is evolve. Things have evolved in so many different ways in terms of valuations, price tags, the extent of groups and individuals interested in putting private equity into a professional sports team. So it’s a whole different game today.”

Why Colangelo’s surprised Las Vegas is without NBA team before NFL, MLB, NHL and WNBA.

“The NBA has indicated that there’s a serious look-see at two additional teams, and the two cities that have been mentioned are Seattle and Las Vegas. Ironically, I thought at one time the NBA would be the first professional team in Las Vegas, and I’m going back years. Obviously, what’s happened is that hockey, now Major League Baseball will be there with the (Athletics) team, the NFL is there (Raiders), and of the four, (the NBA) is the last of the big four, where I thought at one time it would be the first. In fact, I was a proponent of Las Vegas years ago because I thought it had great basketball history, centered around (late college coach) Jerry Tarkanian and UNLV with their great teams, great support, and then Las Vegas became a basketball hotbed for junior basketball, summer basketball, the NBA Summer League, USA Basketball. I selected Las Vegas as our home for USA Basketball, and so that was like a 20-year run (Colangelo was the Team USA men’s basketball director from 2005-21). The interest in basketball has continued in a big way in that market for sure.”

On why a Las Vegas NBA team will flourish.

“The other thing I’d say about Las Vegas, which makes it so unique is I’m very bullish on the franchise in the sense that Las Vegas is as much of an international city in the States when you think about it. The volume of visitors that go through Vegas — and in Vegas, there are similarities to Phoenix as a market — but at the end of the day, I think an NBA franchise in Las Vegas has the potential to be extremely successful for all the reasons that we’re now talking about.”

This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Colangelo talks private equity in NBA, Las Vegas expansion | Exclusive

Universal Tower Defense Z introduced the Hero Relic Set as part of Update 4.0. It can be obtained through the Extractions game mode, which involves completing various activities in an open map. Successfully completing the Extraction mode may potentially grant you pieces of the Hero Set. Being debuff-centered pieces of equipment, the Hero Relic Set is a great option for support and debuff-focused DPS units.

Let’s explore what the Hero Relic Set is all about in Universal Tower Defense Z.

An overview of the Hero Relic Set in Universal Tower Defense Z

The Hero Relic Set can be obtained by completing the Crime Fighting Extraction stage, which is a high-difficulty stage that can take a while to clear. This is particularly the case if you’re attempting to clear it solo, taking anywhere between 25 to 35 minutes to clear based on your team composition.

You can complete World Events in this mode, from which you have a chance to receive pieces of the Hero Relic Set. Whenever a World Event appears, approach it to find out its details and learn if it features the Hero Set or not.

World Events featuring the Relic Set have a 30% chance to drop the Accessory, while the Top and Bottom have 50% drop rate each. Since multiple World Events spawn while attempting the game mode, you needn’t worry about not getting these pieces on your first attempt.

Note that you will only get the rewards in your inventory after completing a successful Extraction. An Extraction notification will inform you when you can exit the stage and receive the prizes.

The mode offers multiple opportunities for Extraction, with a Final Extraction being the endpoint of the run. Note that if you don’t reach the Final Extraction point in time, your run will automatically fail and you will lose the rewards you collected along the way.

Here are the bonuses offered by the Hero Relic Set:

• Accessory: Applying debuffs on enemies grants the unit a 12% damage bonus for 10 seconds and increases debuff duration by 10 seconds.
• Top and Bottom: Increases damage dealt by 40% upon applying a debuff. Both pieces must be equipped at once for the bonus to apply.
• Set Bonus: Hero: Increases damage by 25%, elemental damage by 15%, and critical chance by 5%; reduces SPA by 5%.

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FAQs on Universal Tower Defense Z

How do I get the Hero Relic Set in Universal Tower Defense Z?

The Hero Relic Set can be obtained through World Events in the Crime Fighting Extraction mode.

What is the set bonus offered by the Hero Relic Set in Universal Tower Defense Z?

The Hero Relic Set’s Set Bonus increases damage by 25%, elemental damage by 15%, and critical chance by 5%, and reduces SPA by 5%.

Is Universal Tower Defense Z free to play?

Yes, you can complete all in-game content without relying on any premium purchases.