The 2026 Monster Energy AMA Supercross Championship continued its electric start on Saturday night, with Angel Stadium welcoming a third consecutive sold-out crowd for Round 3 of the Monster Energy SMX World Championship. Under the lights in Anaheim, Chase Sexton delivered a milestone moment, earning his first victory aboard the Monster Energy Kawasaki, while Haiden Deegan remained undefeated in the Western Divisional 250SMX Class with a second straight win.

Sexton Shines in Anaheim Breakthrough

After one of the most talked-about offseason moves in the sport, Sexton’s transition to Kawasaki reached a major turning point in Anaheim. The 450SMX Main Event opened with Jason Anderson grabbing the holeshot aboard the Twisted Tea Suzuki, with Sexton right in the mix. Anderson controlled the early laps as Hunter Lawrence and points leader Eli Tomac settled into a tense battle behind him.

Sexton methodically worked his way forward, first reclaiming second place before setting his sights on Anderson. Once he found his rhythm, the Kawasaki rider made his move, trading passes briefly with Anderson before taking control just before the midpoint of the race. From there, Sexton stretched his advantage and never looked back.

Behind him, the fight for the podium intensified. Tomac and Lawrence both worked their way past Anderson, with Lawrence ultimately securing second and Tomac defending third in a hard-fought battle. Sexton crossed the line 3.3 seconds clear of the field, claiming his 17th career 450SMX victory and delivering Kawasaki its first Supercross win since 2022.

“It’s been a journey,” Sexton said after the race. “After Vegas last year, it wasn’t easy getting back to this point. Tonight I focused on riding solid and trusting myself. Putting Kawasaki back on top means a lot.”

Championship Picture Takes Shape

While Sexton celebrated his breakthrough, Tomac continued his picture-perfect start to the season. With two wins and a third-place finish, he remains the only rider to podium in every race so far and holds an eight-point advantage in the championship standings. Lawrence’s back-to-back runner-up finishes moved him into second overall, while Sexton climbed to third, 13 points behind Tomac. Ken Roczen slipped to fourth after an impressive charge from 21st to eighth.

Deegan Doubles Down in 250 West

The Western Divisional 250SMX Main Event once again belonged to Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing teammates Michael Mosiman and Haiden Deegan. Mosiman rocketed to the holeshot and led the early laps as Deegan charged forward into second. The duo quickly separated themselves from the field, setting up another high-level intra-team showdown.

For much of the race, Mosiman controlled the pace, but with just over three minutes remaining, Deegan made his move. A decisive pass for the lead opened the door, and Deegan immediately put the race out of reach, pulling away by more than five seconds to secure his ninth career win and second in a row to open the season.

“That was a solid ride,” Deegan said. “Mosiman puts in so much work, and I respect that. That’s what makes him such a tough competitor.”

Mosiman finished second for his second consecutive podium, marking the strongest start of his professional career. Behind them, Ryder DiFrancesco edged Cameron McAdoo in a late-race battle to earn the third podium spot, his second top-three result in just three rounds.

Early Advantage for Deegan

With back-to-back victories, Deegan now holds a nine-point lead in the Western Divisional standings over Mosiman. Max Anstie slipped to third in points after finishing sixth, leaving the title fight already beginning to take shape as the series prepares to move on from Anaheim.

With packed grandstands, breakthrough performances, and championship momentum building, Anaheim once again delivered a reminder of why Supercross’ return to Angel Stadium remains one of the sport’s most anticipated stops on the calendar.