The International Championship was the twelfth episode of the second season of Robot Wars: Extreme Warriors. It was designed in the same format as the Robot Wars War of Independence with competitors from both the US and UK competing for a spot to represent their country in the final round. The episode was first broadcast on TNN on June 24, 2002.
Format[]
This was a straight knockout competition between eight robots, four representing the US and four representing the UK, with the fights of the first two rounds being fought between robots representing the same country. Only the final offered a US versus UK encounter.
Robots Competing[]
UK Robots[]
Kat 3 | ||
Weight | 193lbs | |
Dimensions | 33" x 48" x 33" | |
Power | 2 x 800w Electric Motors | |
Weapons | Powerful Axe | |
Strengths | Durability | |
Weaknesses | Poor Maneuverability | |
From: Addlestone, Surrey, UK | ||
Team Members: Keith Williams, Georje Reed & Julie-Ann Williams |
Razer | ||
Weight | 213lbs | |
Dimensions | 18" x 48" x 26" | |
Power | 2 x 24v Electric Motors | |
Weapons | Hydraulic Pincer | |
Strengths | Excellent Maneuverability | |
Weaknesses | Reliability | |
From: Bournemouth, UK | ||
Team Members: Ian Lewis, Simon Scott & Vinny Blood |
Tornado | ||
Weight | 213lbs | |
Dimensions | 10" x 36" x 29" | |
Power | 2 x 750w Electric Motors | |
Weapons | Spinning Disc | |
Strengths | Powerful | |
Weaknesses | Unreliable Drive Chains | |
From: Huntington, UK | ||
Team Members: Andrew Marchant, David Gamble & Bryan Moss |
Wowot | ||
Weight | 206lbs | |
Dimensions | 36" x 50" x 39" | |
Power | Electric Motors | |
Weapons | Powerful Jaws | |
Strengths | Heavily Armored | |
Weaknesses | Lack of Battle Experience | |
From: Essex, UK | ||
Team Members: Adam Clark |
US Robots[]
Brawler | ||
Weight | 214lbs | |
Dimensions | 21" x 48" x 23" | |
Power | 2 x 750w Motors | |
Weapons | Hammer and Spear | |
Strengths | Durability | |
Weaknesses | Exposed Tires | |
From: Chino, California | ||
Team Members: Errol Miller, David Miller & Linda Miller |
General Chompsalot 2 | ||
Weight | 217lbs | |
Dimensions | 15" x 42" x 34" | |
Power | 2 x Wheelchair Motors | |
Weapons | Large Powerful Jaws | |
Strengths | Invertible | |
Weaknesses | Poor Armor | |
From: New Berlin, Wisconsin | ||
Team Members: Tim Berghoefer, Dave Berghoefer & Martin Berghoefer |
Joker | ||
Weight | 213lbs | |
Dimensions | 22" x 39" x 36" | |
Power | 3 x Electric Motors | |
Weapons | Rotating Disc | |
Strengths | Plenty of Power | |
Weaknesses | No Self-Righting Mechanism | |
From: Rome City, Indiana | ||
Team Members: Skip Harmeyer, Jerry Folsom & Cody Harmeyer |
Manta | ||
Weight | 220lbs | |
Dimensions | 48" x 27" x 16" | |
Power | 2 x Electric Motors | |
Weapons | Rotating Blade | |
Strengths | Low Ground Clearance | |
Weaknesses | No self-righting mechanism | |
From: Stephens City, Virginia | ||
Team Members: Jeff Cesnik, Billy Boden & Arthur Heckman |
Round 1[]
Manta (US) vs Joker (US)[]
As the battle began, both robots got their spinning weapons up to speed. Upon first impact, Manta's spinning blade impacted with Joker's, causing the latter to bounce up. Manta was able to push Joker towards the flame pit, but Joker dodged away. Manta then drove towards Sir Killalot and got caught in his embrace, with Joker trying to keep it boxed in, but Manta escaped. Joker continued to clash with Manta head on, but its disc appeared to be slightly lop-sided.
- "I think Manta has definitely done some damage on that first hit to Joker. One thing about these teams, they're both going to go head-up til no one's left and Manta's betting it's gonna be the other guy"
- — Stefan Frank
Joker changed tactics and reversed into Manta, but this caused a slight bend in its rear armour. After driving over the flame pit again, Joker tried to attack a pursuing Manta, but Manta was so low that the attachments on Joker's blade could only scuff its armour. Manta continued to push Joker around before landing another powerful charge from behind, bending Joker's rear armour even more.
As the two dodged each other again, Joker tried to reverse into Manta once more, but Manta turned and struck Joker's rear once more with its blade. With this impact, Joker lost all mobility, and as its disc slowly ground to a halt, Manta pushed it across the arena towards Sir Killalot. The house robot nudged Joker a few times, but was unable to grab it as Manta backed away.
- "Joker's free-wheeling, it looks like."
- — Stefan Frank notes Joker's immobility
This didn't last long as Manta came on the attack again, forcing Joker into the angle grinders and the flame pit as Refbot counted it out, causing more damage to the rear. Sir Killalot came in and, just after Sgt. Bash activated the pit, picked up Joker by one of its attachments and lifted it up. This didn't work and Joker was dropped, so Sir Killalot grabbed it by the main body and spun it around.
- "Those pincers came from the Jaws of Life, and they've just kinda reversed them for Killalot"
- — Stefan Frank
Sir Killalot picked up Joker once again and, despite calls by the audience and even the Sylvan Lake Robo Warriors to drop it in the pit, he dumped it out of the arena instead.
Winner: Manta
Tornado (UK) vs Wowot (UK)[]
As the battle began, Tornado backed away from Wowot before dodging around the side and pushing its opponent straight into one of the CPZs. Wowot did not make an attempt to move away until both Sir Killalot and Sgt. Bash had intercepted it. The latter dragged Wowot out of the corner and crumpled into its side, receiving a slam from Tornado in the process. After a few more slams from Tornado, Wowot was released, but seemed sluggish to respond as Tornado continued to push into it. It managed to drive up Wowot's wedge at one point, but the large jaw mechanism was simply held aloft and Tornado escaped.
- "I don't know who he thinks he's fighting."
- — Stefan Frank on Wowot's jaw position
Tornado pushed Wowot from behind, damaging some rear armour and pushing it towards another CPZ. Wowot veered out of the way, but stopped moving, allowing Tornado to push it from the side back towards Sir Killalot's CPZ. Wowot was able to escape, but Sir Killalot simply dragged it back into his corner. Nonetheless, he was unable to actually grab hold of Wowot, who used its jaw mechanism to fend off attacks.
Wowot made it to the centre of the arena, but by now its jaws were sagging on the ground. Tornado once again started pushing it from behind, before activating the pit. Wowot did not have full mobility and Tornado eventually lined it up and pushed it towards the pit, leaving one wheel stranded over. Another shove caused Wowot to tip into the pit and one more push on its own claw by Tornado finally got both wheels in, eliminating Wowot from the competition.
- Mick Foley: "You've seen some very powerful American robots that push around a lot, how do you think you'll stand up to them?"
- Bryan Moss: "We have met one previously in the World Championships, so we think we should do alright"
- — After the battle
Winner: Tornado
General Chompsalot 2 (US) vs Brawler (US)[]
Brawler turned away from General Chompsalot 2 and drove into the arena wall. General Chompsalot 2 pursued Brawler quite sluggishly. Brawler began spinning and knocked into General Chompsalot 2, doing minimal damage. Brawler ran away from General Chompsalot 2 as it began to get closer. General Chompsalot 2 began to charge towards Brawler only for Brawler to evacuate the attack.
Brawler began to spin again, this time tearing off the "tongue" of General Chompsalot 2 before fleeing. For a while General Chompsalot 2 chased after Brawler who ran away every time General Chompsalot 2 got close to it. General Chompsalot 2 grabbed hold of the spike weaponry of Brawler and both robots ended up spinning in circles because of it. General Chompsalot 2 managed to push Brawler into a CPZ, only for Brawler to get away and Sir Killalot to attack General Chompsalot 2.
- "And Killalot has taken full advantage of the fact that Chompsalot drove into that CPZ"
- — Stefan Frank
General Chompsalot 2 managed to get away from Sir Killalot and continued its hunt for Brawler. General Chompsalot 2 eventually managed to get hold of Brawler side-on. General Chompsalot 2 dragged Brawler towards the pit release button, and eventually managed to push the smaller robot into the pit, nearly going down itself. Despite futile attempts from Brawler, General Chompsalot 2 eventually escaped.
- "They just went through this thing like clockwork! Poor Brawler didn't seem to have a chance! "
- — Stefan Frank describes the battle as a whole
Winner: General Chompsalot 2
Razer (UK) vs Kat 3 (UK)[]
Razer almost immediately attacked Kat 3's wheels, but at first did not succeed in getting hold of the wheels or any bit of armour. Kat 3 fired its axe but failed to get any effective hits. Razer came back in for another attack on Kat 3's wheels, this time getting a firm grip. Razer crushed the wheels a few times before backing away. Kat 3 turned in an attempted get away from Razer's crushing claw, however Razer slammed into Kat 3, getting it onto Razer's front wedge. Razer then crushed the front of the stranded Kat 3. Kat 3 slammed its axe down but this achieved nothing.
- "Poor Kat 3, flailing about with their axe but they cannot connect"
- — Stefan Frank
Razer backed away before attacking the main body of Kat 3 however it didn't penetrate the armour, so it went back to attacking its wheel again. A few more attacks eventually rendered Kat 3 immobile. Refbot began counting Kat 3 out whilst Razer pushed it around and Sgt. Bash pressed the pit release button. Razer finished the battle off by pushing Kat 3 into the pit.
- "Well that was a cat-astrophe."
- — Keith Williams after the battle
Winner: Razer
Semi Finals[]
Manta (US) vs General Chompsalot 2 (US)[]
General Chompsalot had the faster start, but Manta was able to dodge around the side, and turned to strike its opponent's jaw with its blade. It then struck General Chompsalot 2 on the wheel, ripping off its eye hubcap, which resulted in Manta's blade getting jammed. General Chompsalot 2's attempts to attack only resulted in it driving over the top of Manta, who eventually got its blade spinning again. It then charged straight into General Chompsalot 2's mouth, which closed on the blade, leaving one of General Chompsalot 2's wheels spinning off the ground.
- "The power on the front of Manta's disc is enough to lift Chompsalot up off the ground and his wheels are spinning!"
- — Stefan Frank
Now locked together, General Chompsalot 2 appeared to be gaining the upper hand, and eventually pushed Manta into the the arena wall, releasing its grip. It quickly circled Manta and slammed front-on again, losing its tongue for the second time in two battles. However, Manta did not appear to be mobile, so General Chompsalot 2 gripped hold of its spinning blade and pushed it into the pit release bumper. As Dead Metal used his saw on Manta, General Chompsalot 2 dragged it away towards the opening pit and tried to push it in within the last ten seconds of the battle. Despite two attempts, where in one attempt, half of Manta was suspended above the pit, General Chompsalot 2 was not successful in pitting Manta and the fight went to the judges. Nevertheless, General Chompsalot 2 still won the Judges' decision.
Winner: General Chompsalot 2
Tornado (UK) vs Razer (UK)[]
Tornado entered the arena with a horizontal flywheel mounted on a large cage-like structure that covered its entire body, specifically designed to combat Razer.
As the battle began, Razer charged straight at Tornado. Although its crusher couldn't reach Tornado's body through the cage, it was able to push Tornado into a CPZ, knocking the chain off its opponent's flywheel in the process. Sgt. Bash did not come in to investigate until after the two robots had left the CPZ, and Tornado began to push Razer around the arena, Razer's claw unable to do anything. Tornado then pushed Razer into the Disc of Doom button, before dragging it away via the cage. It then made a frontal charge, straight up Razer's wedge, which allowed the world champion to get a small grip behind Tornado's flywheel.
Tornado continued to push Razer towards Dead Metal's CPZ, but the house robot instead tried to attack Tornado's cage. The two robots escaped, but Dead Metal continued to follow and sawed into Tornado's frame. During the commotion, Razer managed to get its claw caught within the frame and it lifted Tornado up into the air, to the delight of Team Razer. Tornado's large frame nearly caused Razer to overbalance, and it was forced to let Tornado go, whereupon it was revealed that something had fallen out of one of the robots.
- "Somebody's motor's laying right out on the arena floor. I wonder what that came out of. It must have been the spinning front disc of Tornado, because Razer's so well enclosed, nothing that big would drop out without you really seeing some major damage."
- — Stefan Frank's thoughts on the mystery item
Tornado then pushed Razer into Sgt. Bash's CPZ, but the house robot ignored Razer and instead tried to attack Tornado's frame, along with Dead Metal. Tornado pushed Razer into another CPZ, but the house robots proceeded to attack Tornado again, with Dead Metal burying his saw into Tornado's flywheel.
- "There were plenty of times there when we pushed Razer into the CPZs and the House Robots didn't touch them"
- — Andrew Marchant
Time ran out and the judges were called to make a decision. Deeming the attacks by the House Robots on Tornado unfair, they gave a split decision victory to Tornado, much to the displeasure of the audience.
Unknown by the viewing public, it was later revealed there was a misunderstanding in regards to the item that fell out during the battle; the judges believed it was one of Razer's wheels, but when Team Razer addressed them, it was revealed to be Tornado's weapon motor instead. By this point, however, it was too late to overturn the decision.
Winner: Tornado
Final[]
General Chompsalot 2 (US) vs Tornado (UK)[]
For this match, Tornado was now armed with the scoop. Immediately at the start, Tornado hit General Chompsalot 2 and flipped it over but General Chompsalot 2 was able to self-right. General Chompsalot 2 tried to bite into Tornado but Tornado managed to flip it over again and push it into the arena wall. Shunt came in to attack and General Chompsalot's jaws grappled onto the house robot's rear scoop. Tornado rammed General Chompsalot 2 again but General Chompsalot 2 remained stuck to Shunt.
Refbot came in to separate the two robots as Tornado pressed the pit release button. Tornado then pushed General Chompsalot 2 towards the opening pit. General Chompsalot 2 teetered on the edge of the pit and tried to back away but its wheels couldn't get traction. Tornado rammed the back of General Chompsalot 2, finally pitting it. This meant that Tornado was the winner of the International Championship, on behalf of the United Kingdom.
International Champion: Tornado
Trivia[]
- This episode marked the first ever appearance of Tornado's 'anti-crusher weapon', and the first of three occasions where it would be used against Razer.
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