Behind the Bots

Our Interview with T.W.I.R.C. host Jevan Woodrow!

This week on the podcast, we’re catching up with fellow combat robotics superfan/BattleBots content creator Jevan Woodrow, host of the very popular YouTube channel This Week in Robot Combat! We learn his story, get his perspective as a British fan, and learn more about his beetleweight builds.

 

This week’s combat robotics news:

• BattleBots 2022 calendar now on sale: facebook.com/SkorpiosBattleBot/posts/276135267855769 
• Big Bot Bits launching BattleBots poker chip Kickstarter: facebook.com/bigbotbits 
• Deep Six picks up shaving sponsor: facebook.com/deepsixbattlebot/posts/280256794106461 
• Double Jeopardy is going brushless: facebook.com/teamdoubletroubledoublejeopardy/posts/906074043350097 
• Hydra is running new hydraulics this season: facebook.com/Whyachi/posts/4829879330358177 
• Dragon Slayer shop walkthrough: facebook.com/DragonslayerBattlebots/posts/122359413534616 
• Skorpios visits Free Shipping’s shop: youtube.com/watch?v=CzZEaxKNKA8 
• Gruff stuff will be available at Robot Ruckus: facebook.com/gruffrobot/posts/279786687487511 
• Switchback launches exclusive merch bundle: switchbackon.tv/products/pre-order-switchback-supporter-bundle 

 

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Our Interview with Matt and Wendy Maxham (Cobalt! Stinger! Sewer Snake!)

This week on the podcast, we’re catching up with BattleBots veterans Matt and Wendy Maxham. Matt and Wendy began competing in the early 2000s with Sewer Snake, and returned to BattleBots in 2015 with Stinger: The Killer Bee. For the past two seasons, they’ve competed with Team Robotic Death Company, with Gigabyte and Cobalt.

 

This week’s combat robotics news:

• BattleBots releases explosive second teaser image: https://www.facebook.com/battlebots/posts/10158160636386406 
• BattleBots Halloween costumes: https://www.facebook.com/groups/56319454480/posts/10159498796579481/  
• Ty Little and Hot Wheels 
• Blacksmith Hot Wheels: https://www.facebook.com/Teamhfa/posts/364342265239161 
• Blade dalgona how-to: https://youtu.be/taBCuga0U1g 
• Blip and Tantrum considering poker chips: https://www.facebook.com/tantrum.battlebot/posts/1563520427321760 
• Captain Shrederator cutting poker chip shipping costs: https://www.facebook.com/spinwinning/posts/4345021428930063 
• Deadlift has fire: https://www.facebook.com/robogymrobotics/posts/4923024131083725 
• Super limited edition purple Whyachi poker chip: https://www.facebook.com/Whyachi/posts/4815074918505285 
• Glitch Halloween pumpkin: https://www.facebook.com/glitchbattlebot/posts/129627006103421 
• Fresh HiJinx merch: https://www.facebook.com/HiJinx.BattleBot/posts/463304861887891 
• Kraken Halloween costume: https://www.facebook.com/KrakenBattleBot/posts/286353733490911 
• Skorpios’ spooky Halloween special: https://youtu.be/yhpN4Ogq6Po 
• Rusty’s Halloween pumpkin: https://www.facebook.com/teamironforce/posts/279598257505166 
• Switchback incorrectly insists it’s not a hammer drum: https://www.facebook.com/switchbackontv/posts/232844535578970 
• Tombstone Halloween costume: https://www.facebook.com/TombstoneBot/posts/281001340698072 
• Witch Doctor builder stickers: https://www.facebook.com/witchdrshaman/posts/4082432671861536 

 

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Our Interview with Dragon Slayer builders Dylan Halsey, Jordan Neal and Justin Kizer

This week on the podcast, we’re going medieval with Dragon Slayer builders Dylan Halsey and Jordan Neal. Last year, Dylan and Jordan worked together to build Piranha, a heavyweight combat robot that was ultimately not selected to compete in the 2020 season of BattleBots. This year, they gutted the components from Piranha and reapplied with a vertical spinner called Dragon Slayer.

 

Dragon Slayer is the team’s first combat robot, and we learn what it was like competing on the world’s biggest combat robotics stage as true rookies.

 

This week’s combat robotics news:

• BattleBots opens official store on Amazon: https://www.facebook.com/battlebots/posts/10158152541841406 
• Lisa Winter’s NFTs: https://www.facebook.com/groups/56319454480/posts/10159474765234481/ 
• Gigabyte promotes Robots on Ice: https://www.robotsonice.org/ 
• Glitch’s LED light show: https://www.facebook.com/glitchbattlebot/posts/127624662970322 
• Perfect Phoenix captain Tyler Nguyen competing at Norwalk next month: https://www.facebook.com/TylerNguyen09/posts/2721953824771888 
• Robot Ruckus fundraiser tickets on sale now: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/robot-ruckus-2021-vip-fundraiser-tickets-164662858041 
• Skorpios brought 3 fully functioning robots to BattleBots: https://www.facebook.com/SkorpiosBattleBot/posts/266687018800594 
• Switchback’s poker chips contest: https://www.facebook.com/switchbackontv/posts/225927366270687 
• Witch Doctor’s poker chips are a HIT: https://www.facebook.com/witchdrshaman/posts/4059278044176999 

 

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Our Interview with Skyline builders Alon Belkin, Joshua Kong and Kyle Loyola

This week on the podcast, we’re catching up with combat robotics builders Alon Belkin, Joshua Kong and Kyle Loyola! Last year, Alon captained Axolotl, the hot pink, salamander-themed vertical spinner run by high school students from Southern California.

 

This year, Alon, Joshua and Kyle have teamed up to build Skyline, an ambitious dual horizontal spinner that they’ve been testing on the local combat robotics circuit, in hopes of getting accepted to BattleBots in the future. It’s interesting, weird and we really like it.

 

This week’s combat robotics news:

• BattleBots reveals one fight early (Blacksmith vs. Free Shipping): https://www.facebook.com/Teamhfa/posts/353476589659062 
• Deep Six is selling poker chips, eventually: https://www.facebook.com/deepsixbattlebot/posts/265324072266400 
• Double Jeopardy attacks helpless pumpkins: https://www.facebook.com/teamdoubletroubledoublejeopardy/posts/887742428516592 
• End Game featured on local TV: https://www.facebook.com/oyesrobotics/posts/1712580578939630 
• Hydra claims vertical attachment is “very real” https://www.facebook.com/Whyachi/posts/4770160592996718 
• Glitch’s weapon is 57 pounds: https://www.facebook.com/glitchbattlebot/posts/125887299810725 
• Gruff launches gruffstore.com: https://www.facebook.com/gruffrobot/posts/266735888792591 
• Hotkoin tackles Bunny Sauriol’s beetleweight Mouser: https://www.facebook.com/malicebattlebot/posts/427478475447694 
• Skorpios and Chronos appeared at Smashbotz: https://www.facebook.com/SkorpiosBattleBot/posts/261295346006428 
• Exclusive offer for Witch Doctor Supporters: https://www.facebook.com/witchdrshaman/posts/4037121156392688 

 

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Our Interview with Roasting Robots host Mystrsyko2 aka Mike Stropkovic!

This week on the podcast, we’re catching up with the preeminent combat robotics content creator himself, Mystrsyko2, aka Mike Stropkovic! Mike has been creating BattleBots videos on YouTube since the ABC reboot of the show, hosts the fantastic combat robotics podcast Roasting Robots, builds his own robots, and even owns a heavyweight combat robot of his own. We’re really looking forward to this one.

 

This week’s combat robotics news:

• BattleBots reveals the 2021 roster to Supporters: https://www.facebook.com/battlebots/posts/10158122858996406 
• End Game has M A G N E T S: https://www.facebook.com/oyesrobotics/posts/1701296033401418 
• Hydra vertical configuration? https://www.facebook.com/Whyachi/posts/4724939230852188 
• Glitch reveals “vulture drive” feature: https://www.facebook.com/glitchbattlebot/posts/122054903527298 
• HUGE looks thicc: https://www.facebook.com/BattleBotsHuge/posts/902817100324164 
• JackPot captain Jeff Waters’ first combat robot: https://www.facebook.com/JackPotBattleBots/posts/357493959406968 
• Orby Blade’s official reveal: https://www.facebook.com/TeamORBY/posts/824048004929681 
• P1 drops my favorite t-shirt of the season: https://www.facebook.com/AberrantRobotics/posts/1053397508825936 
• Pardon My French official reveal: https://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=381024053726063&id=100054554135468 
• Skorpios answers maybe the oldest question in BattleBots: https://youtu.be/cdDTl1__0RA 
• Switchback test footage: https://www.facebook.com/switchbackontv/posts/213922920804465 
• An *INCREDIBLE* working model of Tantrum made out of Lego: https://www.facebook.com/tantrum.battlebot/posts/1542235229450280 
• Yeti test box footage: https://www.facebook.com/YetiBattleBot/posts/390185905867935 

 

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Our Interview with Overhaul Captain Charles Guan!

This week on the podcast, we’re catching up again with Overhaul captain (and noted vantruck enthusiast) Charles Guan, to talk the 2021 season of BattleBots, ask him all your anime questions, and explore more about the costs of building a heavyweight for TV.

This week’s combat robotics news:

• Captain Shrederator’s online store is up: https://www.facebook.com/spinwinning/posts/4229912790440928
• Deep Six shows off its forks: https://www.facebook.com/deepsixbattlebot/posts/251511333647674
• End Game shows off its forks: https://www.facebook.com/oyesrobotics/posts/1697978173733204
• Hydra’s frame cost $20,000: https://www.wjfw.com/storydetails/20210923174829/local_company_builds_battlebots__blue_collar
• Hydra sparks forks war: https://www.facebook.com/Whyachi/posts/4704685619544216
• Glitch releases redacted photo: https://www.facebook.com/glitchbattlebot/posts/120118583720930
• Icewave’s cover sells for $750: https://www.ebay.com/itm/174942811283
• Malice gets in on the fork game: https://www.facebook.com/malicebattlebot/posts/413216480207227
• Riptide box footage: https://www.facebook.com/riptidebattlebot/posts/128675949514367
• Official SawBlaze and Whiplash Hexbugs unboxing: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hN85GQ3iPno 

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Our Interview with JackPot teammate Shea Waffles Johns!

This week on the podcast, we’re catching up with JackPot teammate Shea Waffles Johns! We learn more about the 2021 build of JackPot, BattleBots moving to Las Vegas, why it’s a good idea to drink some types of glitter, metal collecting, and what it’s like to work for SendCutSend.

 

This week’s combat robotics news:

• September 2021 Norwalk Havoc winners: Bots FC and Emulsifier (30#), Pramheda (#12) and Project LiftOff (3#)
• BattleBots teases the Golden Bolt award: https://www.reddit.com/r/battlebots/comments/potoai/s6_coming_soon/
• Blacksmith’s flame control board: https://www.facebook.com/Teamhfa/posts/334990314841023 
• Captain Shrederator’s online store is up: https://www.facebook.com/spinwinning/posts/4217117405053800 
• Glitch gets help from the solar team at Berkeley: https://www.facebook.com/glitchbattlebot/posts/118230193909769 
• Son of Whyachi HexBug fan creation: https://www.facebook.com/Whyachi/posts/4684522571560521 
• Tantrum reveal: https://www.facebook.com/tantrum.battlebot/posts/1532651173742019 

 

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Our Interview with New Tantrum Co-Captains Ginger Schmidt and Alex Grant!

This week on the podcast, we’re catching up with Tantrum’s two newest co-captains, Ginger Schmidt and Alex Grant! Ginger and Alex have both built really interesting robots earlier in their careers, through FIRST Robotics, and then later, in competitions like NASA’s Robotic Mining Competition. They’ve been competing with Tantrum since the 2018 season, and are taking over as co-captains this season, as Aren Hill moves on to captain the new flipper bot Blip.

 

This week’s combat robotics news:

• Nuclear Blast returns as Blacksmith’s title sponsor: https://www.facebook.com/Teamhfa/posts/333486438324744 
• Blade’s newest weapons test: https://www.facebook.com/TeamORBY/posts/809490279718787 
• Captain Shrederator t-shirts on sale: https://www.facebook.com/spinwinning/posts/4188894404542767 
• Duck selling S3 and S4 top plates to pay some bills: https://www.facebook.com/BlackandBlueRobotics/posts/229144039225865 
• Gary Gin’s 39-degree slushies: https://www.facebook.com/freeshippingbot/posts/203377245118483 
• Hydra after day 1: https://www.facebook.com/Whyachi/posts/4670831022929676 
• HiJinx back patches for sale for $52: https://www.facebook.com/HiJinx.BattleBot/posts/431758841709160 
• 2021 HUGE reveal: https://www.facebook.com/BattleBotsHuge/posts/893545631251311 
• Norwalk Havoc picks up SendCutSend as a sponsor: https://www.facebook.com/NorwalkHavoc/posts/398978141583601 
• Lucky drive test: https://www.facebook.com/tkorobotics/posts/248359583960753 
• P1 and hamfish: https://www.facebook.com/AberrantRobotics/posts/1040794716752882 
• Riptide’s blurry insides: https://www.facebook.com/riptidebattlebot/posts/125727346475894 
• SawBlaze’s fly-over: https://www.facebook.com/SawBlazeBattlebots/posts/237345518398870 
• Shatter’s 2021 kit reveal: https://www.facebook.com/BotsFC/posts/252172276911588 
• Skorpios is selling poker chips: https://www.facebook.com/SkorpiosBattleBot/posts/239018178234145 
• Uppercut 2021 reveal: https://www.facebook.com/UppercutBattlebot/posts/355363642590996 
• Witch Doctor design reveal: https://www.facebook.com/witchdrshaman/posts/3945365232234948 

 

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Our Interview with Rookie BattleBots Captain Kyle Miller with Glitch

This week on the podcast, we’re sitting down with the brand-new team Glitch, built by students from U.C. Berkeley. This absolutely gorgeous robot combines a stealth bomber aesthetic, billet body, omnidirectional wheels and a punishing vertical eggbeater. We learn more about the team and their build process, now that filming of the 2021 season has wrapped.

 

This week’s combat robotics news:

• Filming of the 2021 season of BattleBots has wrapped
• New BattleBots slot machine: https://www.8newsnow.com/news/local-news/battlebots-slot-machine-debuts-as-2021-world-championship-tapes-in-las-vegas/
• BattleBots is getting an artist-in-residence: https://www.vegas24seven.com/battlebots-announces-las-vegas-artist-david-fay-as-first-artist-in-residence/ 
• Team Whyachi on builder pay: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2VriBrKYbl8 
• Join Team Uarrior: https://www.facebook.com/uairrior/photos/a.215497238556391/3923228984449846/ 
• Blacksmith unveils the fire-breathing “Power Saw”: https://www.facebook.com/Teamhfa/posts/327214575618597 
• Captain Shrederator unveils “Killdozer of Freedom”: https://www.facebook.com/spinwinning/videos/367510231579660/ 
• Duck shows off very long forks: https://www.facebook.com/BlackandBlueRobotics/posts/226473182826284 
• Glitch’s machined billet frame(s): https://www.facebook.com/glitchbattlebot/posts/114968597569262 
• Glitch’s test box footage: https://www.facebook.com/glitchbattlebot/posts/114968277569294 
• Two-Headed Death Flamingo confirmed? https://www.facebook.com/2hdflamingo/posts/232140198917791 
• David Small wins the Battle of David: https://www.facebook.com/malicebattlebot/videos/1232221650558746/  
• Perfect Phoenix appears at BattleBots? https://www.facebook.com/TylerNguyen09/posts/2690319264602011 
• Zach and Diana made robotic Pokemon for ComiCon: https://youtu.be/kCkU6U9KSWg 

 

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BattleBots S6 Championship Filming Week Special (From the Pits!)

This week on the podcast, we’re headed back to Las Vegas for a special report from Luke, who spent the first day of the 2021 championship in the pits.

 

This week’s combat robotics news:

• BattleBots unveils a BattleBots slot machine: https://www.facebook.com/SubZeroBattleBot/posts/335226058394453 
• Captain Shrederator’s new Wings of Freedom: https://www.facebook.com/spinwinning/posts/4149510125147862 
• Copperhead introduces Cuddles: https://www.facebook.com/CausticCreations/posts/495958385044096 
• Rob Masek joins Defender: https://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=122420323460768&id=101629572206510 
• DUCK’s functional test: https://www.facebook.com/BlackandBlueRobotics/posts/220306096776326 
• End Game’s new weapons: https://www.facebook.com/oyesrobotics/posts/1679536718910683 
• Miniature ‘Flat Gary’: https://www.facebook.com/freeshippingbot/posts/195480282574846 
• Free Shipping’s very popular slushy machines: https://www.facebook.com/freeshippingbot/posts/195367509252790 
• Free Shipping’s claw game: https://www.facebook.com/freeshippingbot/posts/193067142816160 
• HiJinx’s monocoque armor and frame: https://www.facebook.com/HiJinx.BattleBot/posts/420140426204335 
• JackPot has a glittery new sponsor: https://www.facebook.com/JackPotBattleBots/posts/334978338325197 
• Malice box video: https://www.facebook.com/malicebattlebot/posts/395553975306811 
• Overhaul box video: https://www.facebook.com/EqualsZeroRobotics/posts/4270032333033634 
• P1 box photo: https://www.facebook.com/AberrantRobotics/posts/1033656784133342 
• Riptide interview: https://www.facebook.com/riptidebattlebot/posts/120831833632112 
• Rotator in the box: https://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=239018001562097&id=100063616960932 
• SawBlaze’s glamor shot: https://www.facebook.com/SawBlazeBattlebots/posts/226201482846607 
• Shatter unveils the “Mary Special” https://www.facebook.com/BotsFC/posts/240106208118195 
• Skorpios unveils TASBot: https://www.facebook.com/SkorpiosBattleBot/posts/227633792705917 
• Valkyrie unveils “Doctor Acula” https://www.facebook.com/valkyriebattlebot/posts/491040065479031 

 

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