Robot Combat League
Robot Combat League is a television show on the Syfy network about robot fighting competitions. On the show, teams use exosuits to control fighting robots. The series is hosted by Chris Jericho, and premiered on February 26, 2013 at 10 PM EST.
Overview
Each weekly show features tournament competitions between 8-foot, 1000-pound humanoid robots controlled by human competitors, one robo-jockey and one robo-tech per team. The series features twelve teams of individuals from diverse backgrounds. Each team is paired with a robot that they control using an exo-suit that directs its movements. Each fight goes three rounds, and the winning team advances. There are 12 total robots.The robots range from an axe-headed laser eyed warrior to a robot made of plexiglass and a roll cage.
The robots and the suits used to control them were created by robotics expert Mark Setrakian.
Rules
Competitors
Each team consists of a uniquely themed robot and two human controllers.- One human is the "Robo-Jockey," controlling the robot's arms and torso while standing via an exosuit-like harness strapped to his or her back and arms.
- The other human is the "Robo-Tech," seated in a chair while using two joysticks to control the robot's feet and any other unique parts, such as the movable axe "head" on A.X.E.
Several cameras may be mounted on each robot by the show staff to capture show footage, but none of the camera images were used to help control of the robot.
The robots are controlled by the "Robo-Jockey" and "Robo-Tech" via direct line-of-sight, from two raised platforms at either end of the arena.
The initial team seed order was determined by a timed challenge in the first episode.
Episodes
Overview
Season 1 (2013)
Season One teams and competition results
Robots
Human competitors
Tournament results
Season One team status
Seed | Robot | Robo-Jockey | Robo-Tech | Team status | Defeated by | Wins | Losses | Final position | Notes |
1 | Steel Cyclone | Bayano Kamani, former Olympic athlete | Dr. George Kirkman, robotics teacher | Knocked out in Round 2 of first fight; lost by decision | Crash and Steampunk | 1 | 2 | Semi-finals | Won Wild Card round; returned in semi-finals |
2 | Commander | Jeffrey Fellin, helicopter pilot | Paulo Younse, JPL engineer | Knocked out in Round 3 | Scorpio | 0 | 1 | First fight | Did not participate in Wild Card selection |
3 | Game Over | Keisha Howard, pro gamer | Annika O'Brien, robotics engineer | Lost by decision | A.X.E. | 0 | 1 | First fight | |
4 | Brimstone | Devonric Johnson, former All-American athlete | Russell Tait, mechanical engineer and software developer | Knocked out in Round 3 | Crash | 1 | 1 | Quarter-finals | |
5 | Medieval | John Peel, former college athlete | Heather Knight, electrical engineer | Lost by decision | Steampunk | 0 | 1 | First fight | Did not participate in Wild Card selection |
6 | Robohammer | Amanda Lucas, MMA fighter | Saura Naderi, roboticist | Knocked out in Round 1 | Drone Strike | 0 | 1 | First fight | Daughter of George Lucas, cameo appearance episode 3 |
7 | Drone Strike | Ciji Thornton, pro gamer | Fazlul "Fuzz" Zubair, rocket scientist | Knocked out in Round 3 | Steampunk | 1 | 1 | Quarter-finals | |
8 | Steampunk | Ashley Mary Nunes, superhero impersonator | Kyle Samuelson, robotics teacher | Lost by decision | Crash | 3 | 1 | Championship | Assisted by Fazlul "Fuzz" Zubair in Championship |
9 | Thunder Skull | Heather Williams, race car driver | Brandon Lewis, I.T. specialist | Disqualified during first fight / Knocked out in Round 3 | Brimstone and Steel Cyclone | 0 | 2 | Wild Card | Lost Wild Card round |
10 | A.X.E. | Andrew Montanez, MMA fighter | Ross Mead, PhD robotics researcher | Knocked out in Round 2 | Scorpio | 1 | 1 | Quarter-finals | |
11 | Scorpio | Diana Yang, industrial design student | Chris Hardouin, toy designer | Lost by decision | Crash | 2 | 1 | Semi-finals | |
12 | Crash | Amber Shinsel, software engineer | Dave Shinsel, software manager | Undefeated | 4 | 0 | Champions | Father/daughter team; assisted by Ross Mead in Championship |