When armed robots clash: 5 best BattleBot fights ever

When armed robots clash: 5 best BattleBot fights ever

A look-back at why a techies’ hobby became an electrifying television show

BY BEN STRACK

If you’ve ever witnessed Muhammad Ali float like a butterfly and sting like a bee, George Foreman connect with a fierce uppercut, or Mike Tyson bite off someone’s ear and spit it out like spoiled milk, then you know how entertaining boxing can be. Now replace those strapping athletes with robots seeking to destroy one another, and you have BattleBots.

The combat sport organized into elimination tournaments was televised until 2002, featuring host Bill Dwyer, technical expert Bill Nye, and correspondents Carmen Electra and Randy and Jason Sklar.

The robot combat sport, created by Greg Munson and Trey Roski, was televised for five seasons (from 2000-2002) on Comedy Central, but have no illusions, this pastime was no joke.

In the BattleBots arena (a 48x 48-ft “BattleBox”), 3- minute showdowns are all it takes for a hostile fray to excite the rowdy, bellowing crowd. When bots with sharp steel blades up to 4 feet long, spinners reaching 2,000 rpm, and mechanical arms able to flip an opponent up to ten feet in the air, faceoff with each other, it’s easy to see why macho men would enjoy BattleBots just as much as the techies who built them.

They’re also the reasons why we’re taking a look back to count down the top 5 BattleBot FIGHTS of all-time!

5. Ziggo def. Shrike

Ziggo (left) slowly moves toward Shrike to deliver the first of two blows, which would be enough for the knockout.

As one-sided as this short battle between Shrike and Ziggo was, this knockout showcased the capability of certain bots to absolutely destroy others. A knockout occurs when one of the bots is unable to move for 30 seconds. Ziggo’s steel blades spin at 2,000 rpm, making it a unique force to be reckoned with in the lightweight division (60 lbs). This battle was clearly no contest, but the relentless Ziggo slowly inching up to the immobile, helpless Shrike for the kill is as entertaining as anything you will see in the ring.

BONUS COVERAGE: Another example of Ziggo’s force vs. Scrap Daddy:

4. Son of Whyachi def. Nightmare

The two bots move toward each other moments before Nightmare (right) is knocked backward by Son of Whyachi’s lethal spinner.

One of the quickest knockouts in the history of BattleBots , this faceoff between Nightmare and Son of Whyachi took no time at all, yet still managed to give fans something incredible to witness. In the heavyweight division (220 lbs), the much-larger Nightmare, with its spinning 4-foot blade is tossed aside by Son of Whyachi, whose rotor speed tops at 950RPM. Bots with powerful spinners have a history of winning, but nobody could predict such a memorable knockout in the first 10 seconds.

“Down goes Nightmare! Down goes Nightmare!”

Son of Whyachi’s knockout is even more impressive when you see the destruction that Nightmare’s blade can cause in the clip below:

3. Biohazard def. Vlad the Impaler

Biohazard’s low design helps the bot get under and attempt to flip Vlad the Impaler with its mechanical arm.

Unlike the quick knockouts shown above, the heavyweight final between Vlad the Impaler and Biohazard was a showdown of strategy and grit, resulting in Biohazard winning by points, which is based on strategy, aggression, and damage. The bot’s low, electric lifter design helped it become the most successful combat robot in the sport, posting a record of 27-3 and winning six championships. A great moment in this even-matched battle comes when the “pulverizer” (hammer hazard) breaks while coming down on Vlad the Impaler.

No hazards would get in the way of these bots during this memorable finals match.

2. T-Minus def. TriDent

T-Minus (right) flipping TriDent with its lifting arm, a regular occurrence in this battle.

Another 3-minute contest, this one between TriDent and T-Minus, gives us #2 on our list. T-Minus’s full-pressure pneumatic flipper proves to be too much for TriDent in this middleweight fight. With sparks flying throughout due to the “kill saws” rising out of the floor, and TriDent being flipped constantly, this entertaining match ended with TriDent narrowly escaping destruction from the spinning blades placed against the arena wall.

1. Son of Whyachi def. Biohazard

The first deadly blow to Biohazard (right) by Son of Whyachi only 5 seconds into the fight sent sparks flying.

This Season 3 Heavyweight Final was one of the most exciting BattleBots showdowns of all time. With a few big hits delivered to Biohazard at the beginning, Son of Whyachi finds himself trapped in the “pulverizer,” unable to move. When it seems he is on the brink of defeat, he starts spinning, and clashes with Biohazard once again. The referees blow the whistle, thinking that Biohazard has been knocked out, but when they review it, they decide that since both bots were moving, there will be a judge’s decision.

Damaging Biohazard with huge collisions, Son of Whyachi did something almost no other bot could do: defeat a BattleBot who would go on to lose only three times in its career. This feat of dethroning Biohazard after being pulverized and rendered immobile deserves #1 on our list.

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