Mauler was the name given to a series of robots entered by South Bay RoboWarriors into the original 1994-1997 US Robot Wars competitions, plus international events filmed in connection to the UK Robot Wars television series. Each was notable for being among the first equipped with overhead spinning flails and blades, with the weapons of later incarnations effectively functioning as full-body spinners.
The original 1994 iteration, South Bay Mauler, was one of the first two middleweight robots to compete, but lost the inaugural Face-Off title in that class to The X-1. It also fought in and won a Melee event open to robots from all eligible weight classes, outlasting heavyweights including champion Ramfire 100 in the process.[1][2][7]
From 1995 onwards, future versions of Mauler would compete in the heavyweight class. Competing as Mauler 95 (alternatively formatted Mauler95[4]), the second iteration reached the second round of the Heavyweight Face-Off that year, only to be eliminated by eventual class co-champion The Master at that stage.[8][9]
For 1996, the heavyweight Mauler reverted to its South Bay Mauler identity, initially benefiting from a first-round bye in the Face-Off. It would, again, be eliminated in the second round, this time by La Machine.[10][11] Though successfully qualifying for the 1996 Heavyweight Melee final, South Bay Mauler would also lose the latter overall to Greg Munson and Trey Roski's entry.[12][13] A selection of South Bay Mauler's 1996 fights would be highlighted in the American Robot Wars 1996 and American Robot Wars Final 1996 VHS releases; its defeat against La Machine was also briefly highlighted in Heat D of The First Wars.
A redesigned Mauler (alternatively referred to as The Mauler or formatted as Mauler!) enjoyed much greater success in 1997, reaching the Semi-Finals of that year's Heavyweight Face-Off championship. However, the robot's tall cylindrical design prevented its flails from being able to damage defending champion BioHazard, resulting in The Mauler being turned over against the side wall and eliminated quickly.[14][15][16]
In 1999, a fifth incarnation (simply referred to on battleboards as The Mauler) was entered into The First World Championship as one of two USA representatives, the event filmed in the UK as part of The Third Wars. Despite appearing virtually similar to its 1997 form, it was disqualified before the first round, as the production team for the televised Series 3 deemed its weapon 'too unsafe' for the arena to fully contain.
Following a comprehensive arena redesign ahead of Series 4, Mauler subsequently took part in the American Robot Wars 2000 pilot under its sixth incarnation (also referred to as Mauler 2000[4]), defeating Spike and frenZy to win the US Championship. However, its victory would not be televised, as MTV declined to air the pilot or pick up its own domestic Robot Wars series.
Versions of Mauler[]
South Bay Mauler (middleweight, 1994)[]
Weighing 59lbs, the middleweight South Bay Mauler was a two-wheel drive robot with a cylindrical shell - repurposed from a galvanized steel washtub - and an overhead horizontal spinner with chain flails. Unlike subsequent versions, each of the flails - fitted with spiked maces - was attached to one end of a narrow beam, rotating horizontally through the use of a gearmotor. A pair of lead acid batteries powered the whole machine.[17]
South Bay Mauler's chassis and 'running gear' were repurposed from a Topo commercial robot, resulting in both wheels unusually being cambered inwards at a high angle. The Topo base was provided to Charles Tilford by Androbot founder Nolan Bushnell, the company itself having gone defunct by the time the 1994 competition took place.[18] Large batteries and a low power consumption also contributed to the robot's endurance in the multi-class Melee, belying its compact size and use of a relatively potent weapon for the time.[1][2][7]
Mauler 95/South Bay Mauler (heavyweight, 1995-1996)[]
Mauler 95, the first heavyweight incarnation, introduced a custom cylindrical design with a 'roll-formed aluminum plate',[19] plus a larger and more powerful overhead spinner. The spinner comprised of a top-mounted horizontal disc with four triangular blade-like extensions, from which spiked maces were suspended by chains. The maces would again provide the robot with a 360-degree attack range, striking opponents veering close enough to it. Two Grainger drill motors formed the basis of Mauler 95's drive system.[20]
An unusual feature of Mauler 95's design was the incorporation of 'vacuum-formed Gratuitous Detail Panels' around its sides. South Bay RoboWarriors purposefully designed these to be sacrificial, allowing them to be torn off by opponents without compromising its mostly aluminum construction. The panels incorporated square-shaped decals bearing the robot's name and sponsors, along with custom 'Team Mauler' decals created by Morgan and Henry Tilford.[1][21]
Contemporary accounts of the 1996 incarnation (reverting to the South Bay Mauler name) indicate that the robot's spinner incorporated an aluminum disc for the spinner, as well as 'thick rubber' shock mounts for its external armor.[22]
The Mauler (heavyweight, 1997 & Series 3)[]
Described by Team Spike's Andrew Lindsey as 'dangerous and nearly unkillable', the 1997 Mauler underwent a significant internal and external redesign. Steel was used for both the shell and welded chassis, the former being mounted on 'rubber bumpers' for shock absorption. The Mauler's drive system incorporated a Vantec speed controller, with the aluminum disc portion of the overhead spinner controlled by a 'mechanical switching system'.[23] According to BioHazard's Carlo Bertocchini, the shell had a height of approximately sixteen inches and a diameter of three feet.[16]
Externally, the robot mostly adopted a black and aluminum silver finish, with the 'disc' featuring a multicolored pattern highlighted by a yellow spiral. The front surface featured a menacing laughing face, with red accents for the eyes and 'bloodstained' teeth and nose, which would become one of Mauler's main artistic features in subsequent events. According to the South Bay RoboWarriors website, the face had originally been created out of masking tape by team member "General" Henry Tilford.[1] One side of The Mauler featured its name - formatted as Mauler! - in yellow or lime green text. The phrase "WOOPASS!!" was applied to the baseplate in green, blue and red.
The Mauler's 1999 form appeared to be based on the updated version originally seen at BattleBots Long Beach, still bearing battle scars from prior events. A noticeable difference was the use of only two spiked maces instead of four. At Long Beach, the remaining two maces had been replaced with panel-type blades by this time, though this configuration was evidently not used in its UK Robot Wars appearance. The Mauler's disc, maces and name were highlighted in lime green for The First World Championship, with the panels attaching the maces to the disc being painted bright red. Due to its disqualification, the robot as a whole would never get the chance to compete in this form.
Mauler 2000 (heavyweight, American Robot Wars 2000)[]
Mauler in The Pits for American Robot Wars 2000
Originally debuting in Season 1.0 of Comedy Central's BattleBots, Mauler 2000[24] (also simply referred to as Mauler) was a significantly updated version bearing 'five times the weapon power' of Mauler 95.[1] For the first time, its newer Robot Wars weapon configuration would be similar to that in contemporary BattleBots events, incorporating two mace flails and two chisels (referred to by the team as the "Chisels of the Apocalypse"[1]) attached to the main disc. Cosmetic updates included a new red, black and yellow "Psychic Void"[1] spiral pattern on the weapon disc, applied by Henry Tilford using masking tape and 'magic marker' pens.[25] A photo of Mauler in the Series 4 Pits complex, however, suggests that an alternative red and yellow pattern with a full black base was used for American Robot Wars 2000.
Robot History[]
1994 US Championship[]
The original South Bay Mauler was among the sixteen robots present at the inaugural US Robot Wars event, taking place on August 20 1994. One of two middleweights in attendance - the other being The X-1 - it would challenge Mike Winter's machine head-to-head for the first-ever Middleweight Face-Off championship.
- "If I do get a jab on some of my opponents as I did on my wheelbarrow, they'll have a lot of holes punched in 'em."
- — "Supreme Commander" Charles Tilford[2]
The inaugural Middleweight Face-Off between South Bay Mauler and The X-1
South Bay Mauler got its flails up to speed, tentatively moving across the arena as the six-wheeled X-1 lined up for a fast drive across the center. A couple of rams from The X-1 followed, sending South Bay Mauler further backwards into the reach of one of the arena flippers. While able to avoid taking significant damage from The X-1's rear spike, South Bay Mauler was eventually toppled over by its pneumatic lifter. Trapped between the arena flipper and the wall, South Bay Mauler conceded the 1994 Middleweight Face-Off championship through this knockout loss.[2]
South Bay Mauler and The X-1 would both return for the multi-class Melee, featuring all robots which were still capable of functioning. Together, they would face heavyweights Doolittle, Ramfire 100, The Beetle and Tiny Tim; plus the lightweights Spiny Norman and Zomo. All competitors would be joined mid-match by the House Robot from the Escort event.
Within the opening seconds, South Bay Mauler pushed and tried to attack the diminutive Spiny Norman with its flails, after Will Wright's machine got stuck on the upper-right flipper. Tiny Tim, The X-1 and Ramfire 100 all joined in the scrap. Contact with Spiny Norman's spiked shell halted the flails, however, which struggled to spin back up properly while South Bay Mauler hesitated in the upper perimeter. South Bay Mauler later found itself in the center of the arena, surviving a jab from Ramfire 100's turret-mounted spike. Ironically, it would end up outlasting the then recently-crowned Heavyweight Face-Off champion, while proceeding to duel with the House Robot.[1][2][7]
South Bay Mauler exchanged rams with the House Robot, initially without issue. At some point, however, it lost its spinning arm entirely - reported in Gearheads: The Turbulent Rise of Robotic Sports as a result of a swipe from the House Robot's 'flipper'. South Bay Mauler, now weaponless, was later pushed towards the left wall by the House Robot, while the latter's flipper broke off one of its own hinges. It proceeded to tank multiple whacks from the House Robot as it swung its damaged weapon around, and emerged as the only competitor still fully mobile at the end of the ten-minute match. South Bay Mauler was thus declared the winner of the Melee - the only multi-class battle of its kind in the early US Robot Wars events.[1][7][26]
1995 US Championship[]
The completely-redesigned Mauler 95 would reprise the South Bay RoboWarriors' place in the 1995 competition. Competing solely in the Heavyweight Face-Off, it was originally due to fight The Mulcher in the first round. Safety concerns over The Mulcher's lawnmower weapon - and its potential to fling shrapnel out of the arena - lead to James Osborn's machine being disqualified moments before the fight could take place.[27][28]
Mauler 95 would progress to the second round by default, where it would face a fellow veteran in Mark Setrakian's The Master.
The initial impact between Mauler 95 and The Master
Mauler 95 takes further damage from The Master's saw
Before the call to 'Action' was made, it was allowed to bring its overhead flails up to maximum speed. Mauler 95 otherwise remained close to its starting position as The Master charged into it, smoke and dust flying as the latter brought its saw into contact with the top of its shell. More weapon-on-weapon exchanges followed, with Mauler 95 generating sparks and surviving further grazes from The Master's saw. Mauler 95, however, was slow to get away, allowing The Master to start lifting and pushing it back with its newly-introduced electric lifter.[8][29]
Mauler 95 kept its weapon spinning, but otherwise could not inflict major damage as The Master gave it another two lifts. During this exchange, the already-bent spinner assembly had stopped turning, leaving an extremely sluggish Mauler 95 vulnerable to more lifts and pushes. A tentative phase lead to The Master hoisting Mauler 95 opposite one of the mousetraps, after which Mauler 95 struggled to crawl away from danger. Another lift suspended Mauler 95 off the floor against the other side of the same mousetrap, to resounding cheers from the audience. Mauler 95 remained virtually stationary once it had been placed back onto the arena floor, compelling The Master to pin, push and lift it again.[8][29]
The Master biffed Mauler 95 into the reach of the mousetrap, which descended on the South Bay RoboWarriors machine. Mauler 95 kept crawling across the arena under further pressure from The Master, which stalled its own engine for its now-removed cutting saw. Crowd members began chanting The Master's name, before Mauler 95 was lifted twice more. Mauler 95, in spite of its limited mobility, survived the full five minutes, but would lose the fight to The Master and be eliminated from the Heavyweight Face-Off.[8][29]
1996 US Championship[]
For the 1996 competition, the heavyweight Mauler reverted to its "South Bay Mauler" identity. In the Heavyweight Face-Off, it initially received a bye from the first round, allowing it to progress without having to fight at that stage.[11]
In the second round, South Bay Mauler faced the newly-updated La Machine, the previous year's middleweight and Heavyweight Melee champion.
- "Here, we have the South Bay Mauler preparing to do battle with... La Machine!"
- — Paul Vallis at the start of South Bay Mauler's first 1996 match
South Bay Mauler is bulldozed by La Machine
Bringing its flails up to speed, it was immediately slammed towards the left-most wall by La Machine. The impact was almost enough to throw South Bay Mauler over its side, though it landed upright. Both robots separated, after which South Bay Mauler continued to be bumped, then scooped up into the lower mousetrap. South Bay Mauler was pinned down by the hazard multiple times, while being continuously rammed by La Machine, before eventually managing to break free.[10]
La Machine (left) and South Bay Mauler (right) fight on in the arena
After this, it was rammed and nudged further, the second impact stopping South Bay Mauler's flails. Another deflection by La Machine followed, before South Bay Mauler was again pushed under the mousetrap. On this occasion, the mousetrap snagged South Bay Mauler by the top, briefly lifting it off the arena floor. South Bay Mauler would again be pushed and rammed by La Machine, which proceeded to slam and pin it into the corner.[10]
- "South Bay Mauler was also overpowered by La Machine..."
- — Paul Vallis
During moments not highlighted in American Robot Wars 1996, South Bay Mauler continued to be pushed into the walls and hazards, but survived multiple pinning attempts. During the closing seconds, it managed to get its flails back up to full speed, only for La Machine to flick and push it back with several more rams. The five-minute match ended in rapturous applause and an audience vote, which unanimously backed Greg Munson and Trey Roski's machine. South Bay Mauler was once again eliminated from the Heavyweight Face-Off at this stage.[10]
For the first time since 1994, South Bay Mauler would compete in Melee battles, initially appearing in the opening rounds of the Heavyweight Melee tournament. In its first-round clash, it would face Killbborg, Nemesis and Punjar.
South Bay Mauler's flails quickly caused problems for Nemesis, ripping the right side panel off Chris Harriman's machine. All four robots converged near the perimeter, allowing it to also tear off Nemesis' back panel. Nemesis, unfazed by the damage already sustained, rammed South Bay Mauler with its front spike. The collision caused South Bay Mauler's weapon to stop spinning. As it struggled to escape, it was pushed and swatted by the nearby mousetrap, while taking a blow from the swinging Ball of Doom.[30][31]
South Bay Mauler kept duelling with Nemesis, but again fell foul of its pushing power and the nearby mousetrap. Eventually, it was pushed into two of the arena flippers, after which it eventually started attacking Nemesis with its flails again at reduced speed. As the Melee passed the three-minute mark, South Bay Mauler, Nemesis and Killbborg were engaged in another pushing match. Punjar, in turn, would push South Bay Mauler towards the opposite side of the arena, into a mousetrap and the flipper hazards. South Bay Mauler took another push from Punjar just as time ran out, and an audience vote was conducted. All four robots were still deemed mobile, and would progress to the Heavyweight Melee Final together.[30][31]
The Final itself featured a total of twelve competitors. South Bay Mauler and its fellow Round 1 opponents would face La Machine, The Master, DooMore, Tazz, Red Scorpion, Merrimac, Gutrip and Marvin for a chance to claim the 1996 Heavyweight Melee title.
South Bay Mauler (center-left) gets caught in an early pile-up
In a mirror of its 1995 Face-Off loss, South Bay Mauler immediately entered a duel with The Master, exchanging attacks with the latter's newly-installed swinging blade. This soon lead to a pile-up within the center of the arena, which had the effect of stopping South Bay Mauler's flails completely. The Master took advantage by pinning South Bay Mauler against a quartet comprising of La Machine, DooMore, Punjar and Merrimac. South Bay Mauler got its weapon spinning again, only for it to be halted by a drive from Marvin. In turn, Marvin would push it back into the surrounding pile-up. With Tazz applying further pressure to Willis Wong's machine, South Bay Mauler responded by clattering its weapon into Marvin.[12][13]
South Bay Mauler duels with Marvin
At this point, Punjar joined in by pushing South Bay Mauler into the lower mousetrap. South Bay Mauler was later left alone, giving it another chance to bring the spinning flails back up to speed. A ram from Merrimac stopped the flails yet again, which had also begun striking the now-pinned La Machine. Another pile-up began developing, during which South Bay Mauler was pushed against the upper-left flipper by Nemesis. After this, South Bay Mauler kept away from the action for some time, with Tazz by its side. This was until La Machine - now free from the flipper - tipped Merrimac onto its side against it. Both South Bay Mauler and Merrimac were continuously rammed for some time by La Machine, which proceeded to ram and flip Tazz against South Bay Mauler itself.[12][13]
Moments later, South Bay Mauler was rammed once more by La Machine, before swiping a recovering Punjar, itself having attacked The Master moments prior. It would end up collaborating with Punjar to attack Mark Setrakian's machine, delivering more direct blows to the latter as it was being pushed within reach of the flails. South Bay Mauler next moved back into the center, with Killbborg in pursuit. It and Merrimac would idle there for some time, until DooMore, Punjar (still carrying The Master) and Nemesis all piled into them. South Bay Mauler then found itself being pushed against the bottom-left flipper by La Machine. South Bay Mauler, recovering, would end up being scooped up and pushed further by both Punjar and La Machine. In the process, it would again be delivered into the lower mousetrap, the right-most wall bumper, and the bottom-right flipper.[12][13]
The surviving competitors (including South Bay Mauler) gather for the audience vote
South Bay Mauler would find itself in yet another series of pile-ups, including a six-way skirmish also involving La Machine, Punjar, Killbborg, Nemesis and the re-righted Tazz. The latter would also result in it being scooped up by Merrimac, moments before all robots involved started separating. Once freed, South Bay Mauler would engage in further duels with both La Machine and Punjar, weathering blows from the latter's much smaller flail weapon. The match initially concluded with an announcement by Michael Meehan, confirming that a tie was being considered by the Judges. At that point, South Bay Mauler crept towards Tazz, itself struggling to move around on its right wheel. A further announcement regarding a provisional tie was followed by a call for all mobile robots to gather in the center.[12][13]
As documented in American Robot Wars 1996, an audience vote was subsequently cast, in order to decide a winner among the surviving robots. South Bay Mauler would ultimately lose out on the vote, and the chance to win the 1996 Heavyweight Melee championship outright.
1997 US Championship[]
The Mauler returned once more for the 1997 competition, with significant improvements to its construction, weaponry and internals. In that year's Heavyweight Face-Off, it was drawn to face newcomer Bubba in the first round.
The Mauler smashes into Bubba
As in prior Face-Off bouts, The Mauler spent the opening moments getting its spinner up to full speed. It closed in on Bubba, itself struggling for drive and weapon control, striking its overhead spinning arms as it retreated to the lower-right corner. A further collision with Bubba followed, giving The Mauler another opportunity to inflict damage. This, however, had the effect of halting The Mauler's flails for several seconds, as both robots moved into the center. It kept following an increasingly jerky Bubba, before initiating another series of heavy hits to Bubba's shell and arms. These were enough to immobilize Bubba completely; The Mauler concluded the match by hitting and bending one of its arms even further.[32][33]
In the second round of the main bracket, The Mauler faced Mash-N-Go.
The Mauler rips apart the back of Mash-N-Go
Both robots crept slowly towards each other; The Mauler spun its flails while Mash-N-Go - minus working weapons - resorted to 'taunting and insulting' it with its LED sign. The Mauler tore a chunk off Jim Anderson's machine with its first hit, before proceeding to attack its axes and remaining bodyshell. One blow caused both robots to lock together. The Mauler was pushed back across the arena, but momentarily broke free from this 'deadly embrace' once it backed away.[34][35]
Mauler "decapitates" Mash-N-Go's decorative head
The Mauler kept being chased by Mash-N-Go regardless, which halted its flails once more. A second pushing match followed, after which it dealt a series of lighter hits on the front of Mash-N-Go. Another spinner-stopping collision left The Mauler momentarily spinning by the chassis instead. Another pushing and grappling match ensued, with The Mauler steering Mash-N-Go towards and away from the lower wall. Once both robots broke free, The Mauler kept trying to spin up, but was continuously pressured by Mash-N-Go as the battle entered its final minute.[34][35]
Yet another pushing match took place; The Mauler broke free with just over thirty seconds remaining. By that point, Mash-N-Go appeared to be immobilized on one side, allowing The Mauler to attack with the spinner again. A final series of blows allowed The Mauler to break the wooden handle of one of Mash-N-Go's pickaxes, as the battle reached the end of the full five minutes. The subsequent Judges' decision ruled The Mauler as the winner.[34][35]
The Quarter-Finals saw The Mauler face Z, a tracked entry from Victor Lang.
Z spikes The Mauler
While again spinning its flails up, it was unable to avoid an immediate spike-first ram from Z. The impact, however, would benefit The Mauler, as one of its maces ruptured the upper dampener of Z's spike. Hydraulic fluid sprayed everywhere, though The Mauler would still be pushed back into the wall, then the upper spike trap. Both heavyweights left skid marks over the now-oily surface. The Mauler, slow to evade Z's attacks, was repeatedly shoved into the walls and rammed. One such attack resulted in it being scooped up and pushed against the upper-left corner.[36][37]
The Mauler, carried over the top of Z, remained powerless as it was pushed backwards into the wall closest to the lower spike trap. It would continue to be rammed up until the final thirty seconds, even while trying to bring its flails back into action. An overheating battery aboard Z resulted in a malfunction and sudden immobilization, allowing The Mauler to break free in the closing moments. With Z not deemed to have survived long enough by the organizers, The Mauler was declared the winner by knockout, its flails spinning as it drew alongside Z for the last time.[36][37]
With a place in the Face-Off Final at stake, The Mauler would face the defending heavyweight champion BioHazard in the Semi-Finals. Before the match had even begun, it was immediately put at a disadvantage, as Carlo Bertocchini's machine was too low to be directly hit by the maces.[16]
BioHazard flips The Mauler onto the side wall
Both robots sized each other up in the center of the arena. As a result of the size differential, The Mauler was unable to damage BioHazard at all, as it was pushed and pinned between the 'curb' and the upper-right flipper. Once its weapon stopped spinning, it was simply lifted onto the 'curb' and against the side wall. The impact was forceful enough to flex the polycarbonate wall layer behind, forcing nearby bystanders to retreat. Needless to say, The Mauler could not free itself from this position, and was eliminated after its strongest Heavyweight Face-Off run.[14][15][16]
As in the previous year, The Mauler also fought in the Heavyweight Melee tournament. Its first-round battle involved more encounters with La Machine and Gut Rip, the three veterans fighting Badger and TallyWhacker.
The Mauler and Gut Rip are bulldozed by La Machine
The Mauler initially hung back, but began whacking TallyWhacker with its flails following the latter's run-in with La Machine. These attacks caused major internal damage for the Distraction Laboratories entrant, tearing out the battery pack for its receiver.[38] With TallyWhacker immobilized as a result, The Mauler turned its attention towards Gut Rip, only to be pushed back by Bob Schneeveis' machine. A violent slam by La Machine separated both machines, while also flipping Gut Rip completely over. The Mauler and Badger briefly duelled, and were separated in a similar manner by La Machine.[39][40]
The Mauler is almost toppled again by La Machine
From that point, The Mauler became more passive; rams by Badger and La Machine slowed its flails to a crawl, eliminating the danger present to both. La Machine proceeded to collect and almost throw it over with a powerful ram. The Mauler was rammed again, pushed into the left wall bumper and finally turned onto its side against the wall. Similarly to its Face-Off defeat, The Mauler was unable to self-right, and was eliminated from the Heavyweight Melee tournament at this point.[39][40]
Series 3[]
The Mauler, representing the USA, made its only proper UK Robot Wars appearance in The First World Championship, filmed alongside The Third Wars. There, it was initially due to fight Cyprus representatives and UK Series regular Cerberus in the first round. However, concerns emerged surrounding the safety of The Mauler's flail weapons, forcing it to undergo a 'final trial' to evaluate whether it could be safely operated in the arena as intended.
- "...although we've got problems, I hear... err, with Mauler, in The Pits. And Mauler has had to go out into the testing zone... for a final trial. And the problem... is the weaponry and the safety of that flailing weapon. Does that look under control to you? One final test to see if the team from California can stay in the competition. Is that safe? That's the major concern."
- — Jonathan Pearce
The Mauler in the testing area during the First World Championship
The South Bay RoboWarriors are disqualified
While The Mauler appeared to function normally in the outdoor 'testing zone', a risk assessment by the Robot Wars production staff deemed the spinning weapon too powerful to be contained safely in the main arena. Producer Bill Hobbins and Health & Safety officer David Deane addressed the South Bay RoboWarriors onscreen, confirming their assessment that the robot was 'too unsafe' to compete. A lack of suitable certification and measures for welding was also cited, possibly suggesting that The Mauler's own welding was also deemed inadequate. As a direct consequence, The Mauler was disqualified from The First World Championship, allowing Cerberus to progress to the Quarter Finals by default.
- "Fine. I've asked my questions, and you've answered them, and I don't see any way around it... que sera, sera [whatever will be, will be], back to San Francisco!"
- — Charles Tilford graciously accepts The Mauler's disqualification
American Robot Wars 2000[]
Mauler also competed in the unaired MTV pilot American Robot Wars 2000, as one of the eight robots selected to compete. When the number of competing teams was reduced to four due to one team withdrawing, Mauler passed its audition thanks to Morgan Tilford's giant foam cowboy hat and "manic energy".[41]
In its first-round battle, Mauler fought Spike. At some point during the battle, Mauler got up to speed and collided with Spike, causing sparks to fly. It managed to rip off the doll head attached to Spike, causing it to fly across the arena. It was unknown whether the battle ended in a knockout or judges' decision, but Mauler was declared the winner.[42]
Mauler qualified for the final, where it fought frenZy. During the battle, Mauler's top was attacked by frenZy, but the nature of Mauler's spinner managed to tear away frenZy's spiked blade. Mauler was then able to attack frenZy with its spinner and ultimately emerge victorious, winning American Robot Wars 2000 outright.[43]
Results[]
| SOUTH BAY MAULER (1994) - RESULTS | ||
| 1994-1997 US Competitions | ||
| 1994 US Championship | ||
| Middleweight Face-Off Runner-up | ||
| Face-Off | vs. The X-1 | Lost |
| Melee (Multi-Class) Champion | ||
| Melee | vs. Doolittle, Ramfire 100, Spiny Norman, The Beetle, The X-1, Tiny Tim, Zomo | Won |
| MAULER 95 - RESULTS | ||
| 1994-1997 US Competitions | ||
| 1995 US Championship | ||
| Heavyweight Face-Off Round 2 | ||
| Round 1 | vs. The Mulcher | Won by default |
| NOTE: The Mulcher was disqualified for being 'too dangerous' to compete. | ||
| Round 2 | vs. The Master | Lost |
| SOUTH BAY MAULER (1996) - RESULTS | ||
| 1994-1997 US Competitions | ||
| 1996 US Championship | ||
| Heavyweight Face-Off Round 2 | ||
| Round 1 | vs. No opponent | Bye |
| NOTE: South Bay Mauler received an automatic bye from the first round. | ||
| Round 2 | vs. La Machine | Lost |
| Heavyweight Melee Final | ||
| Melee | vs. Killbborg, Nemesis, TerMinal frenZy | Qualified |
| Melee Final | vs. DooMore, Gutrip, Killbborg, La Machine, Marvin, Merrimac, Nemesis, Punjar, Red Scorpion, Tazz, The Master | Lost |
| MAULER (THE MAULER) - RESULTS | ||
| 1994-1997 US Competitions | ||
| 1997 US Championship | ||
| Heavyweight Face-Off Semi-Finals | ||
| Round 1 | vs. Bubba | Won |
| Round 2 | vs. Mash-N-Go | Won |
| Quarter-Final | vs. Z | Won |
| Semi-Final | vs. BioHazard | Lost |
| Heavyweight Melee Round 1 | ||
| Melee | vs. Badger, Gut Rip, La Machine, TallyWhacker | Lost |
| UK Series | ||
| Series 3 | ||
| The First World Championship Representing USA, Round 1 (disqualified before first battle) | ||
| Round 1 | vs. Cerberus (CYP) | Disqualified |
| NOTE: The Mauler was disqualified after production staff ruled that its weapon was too powerful to be safety contained in the arena. | ||
| American Robot Wars 2000 | ||
| American Robot Wars 2000 | ||
| US Championship Champion | ||
| Round 1 | vs. Spike | Won |
| Final | vs. frenZy | Won |
Wins/Losses[]
- 1994-1997 Wins (Middleweight): 1
- 1994-1997 Losses (Middleweight): 1
- 1994-1997 Wins (Heavyweight): 5
- 1994-1997 Losses (Heavyweight): 5
- TV Wins: 2
- TV Losses: 0
- Total Wins: 8
- Total Losses: 6
NOTE: South Bay Mauler's bye in the 1996 Heavyweight Face-Off is omitted from the Wins tally. The Mauler's disqualification against Cerberus in The First World Championship is not considered to be a loss.
Series Record[]
1994-1997 US Competitions[]
| Events | Mauler Event Record |
|---|---|
| 1994 | Middleweight Runner-up (Face-Off) as South Bay Mauler Melee Champion (multi-class) as South Bay Mauler |
| 1995 | Heavyweight Face-Off, Round 2 as Mauler 95 |
| 1996 | Heavyweight Face-Off, Round 2 as South Bay Mauler Heavyweight Melee, Final as South Bay Mauler |
| 1997 | Heavyweight Face-Off, Semi-Final as The Mauler |
UK Series[]
| Series | Mauler Series Record |
|---|---|
| The First Wars | Did not enter |
| The Second Wars | Did not enter |
| The Third Wars | Disqualified before First World Championship, Round 1 |
| The Fourth Wars | Did not enter |
| The Fifth Wars | Did not enter |
| The Sixth Wars | Did not enter |
| The Seventh Wars | Did not enter |
| Series 8 | Did not enter |
| Series 9 | Did not enter |
| Series 10 | Did not enter |
Mauler also won the American Robot Wars 2000 pilot outright.
Outside Robot Wars[]
For the Long Beach 1999 BattleBots event, Mauler retained its Robot Wars 1997 name, but did not win a battle, losing to frenZy and Punjar in the main heavyweight division, and to Razer in the end of season Gigabot Rumble.
The version due to compete in the First World Championship, Mauler 2000, later fought in Season 1.0 of BattleBots. It did well in this season, beating Nightmare before losing to Killerhurtz in its second battle after breaking down, despite tearing its opponent's axe off. It also took part in the end of season Heavyweight Royal Rumble, but lost to BioHazard after getting turned over by its lifting arm.
For Season 2.0, a new version of Mauler, known as Mauler 51-50 was built, which competed in the rest of the BattleBots heavyweight championships. However, this version proved to be very unstable, as it overturned itself on two occasions after being put off balance, (including its first ever battle against Bigger Brother, which it lost). Within the fighting robot community, any act of instability thereafter was informally referred to as "doing a Mauler". Mauler 51-50 also entered one of the end of season Heavyweight Rumbles, but was flipped over, ironically, by Bigger Brother. Mauler 51-50 returned for Season 3.0, beating Dreadbot before losing to Canadian robot Incoming and being flipped by Little Sister, essentially a repainted Series 5 Bigger Brother, in the Heavyweight Rumble. It lost its first battle in Season 4.0 to Jabberwock, but won four battles in Season 5.0 (including a knock-out against SlamJob) to reach the round of 16, before losing to MechaVore.
For Season 5.0, Mauler 2000 was converted into super heavyweight competitor M2K02, and fitted with only two flails. However, it lost its only fight to Steel Reign.
After BattleBots ended, Mauler 51-50 was renamed Hellfire 666 but retired after only three fights including a fight against Shrederator. M2K02 was also renamed Mauler 2003 following its only BattleBots appearance.
Mauler's Morgan Tilford applied for the 2021 season of BattleBots as part of Spinning Mayhem, but was not selected to compete.
Trivia[]
The original 1994 South Bay Mauler in The Pits during The First World Championship
- Despite not competing in The First World Championship, Mauler lost to two UK Series competitors throughout its career in BattleBots: Killerhurtz in Season 1.0 and Bigger Brother in Season 2.0.
- The original 1994 South Bay Mauler makes a cameo appearance in The First World Championship, having accompanied the heavyweight Mauler and South Bay RoboWarriors to filming. One shot from the special shows it being visible behind Depoppesaurus Rex in The Pits, with its overhead flail weapon reattached.
- Had The Mauler not been disqualified from The First World Championship, it would have become one of four robots to have competed in both the original 1994-1997 US Robot Wars competitions and the televised UK Series in some form. The three machines to have done so are WYSIWYG, frenZy and the American Prometheus.
- In 2003, Mauler was inducted into The Combat Robot Hall of Fame as an inaugural member, in recognition of its innovative full-body spinner design, entertainment value and for coining the term 'doing a Mauler' in reference to its stability issues.[44]
Honours[]
See Also[]
References[]
- ↑ 1.00 1.01 1.02 1.03 1.04 1.05 1.06 1.07 1.08 1.09 'Maulers of Old', Team Mauler website (archived)
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 'Robot Wars 1994 Official Promo', ASilva528 (YouTube), uploaded February 14 2025
- ↑ Brad Stone (2003), Gearheads: The Turbulent Rise of Robotic Sports, p.40
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 'ROBOT WARS ® Photos', US Robot Wars website entry on Mauler 95 (archived May 2 1997)
- ↑ 'Robot Wars III 1996 Event Report', Team Minus Zero website (archived)
- ↑ 'Contestants: Heavyweight Class', 4th Annual Robot Wars (1997) souvenir programme, p.4
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 7.3 'next step', compilation of Next Step segments on the 1994 US Robot Wars event uploaded by garth knight (YouTube), March 1 2009
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 8.3 'Robot Wars 1995 San Francisco California (Part One)', Marc Thorpe (YouTube), uploaded March 26 2011
- ↑ 'Tournament Tree - Robot Wars 1995 - Heavyweights', Team Run Amok website
- ↑ 10.0 10.1 10.2 10.3 'Robot Wars 1996: La Machine versus South Bay Mauler (Heavyweight)', Andrew Lindsey (YouTube), uploaded December 28 2018
- ↑ 11.0 11.1 'Tournament Tree - Robot Wars 1996 - Heavyweights', Team Run Amok website
- ↑ 12.0 12.1 12.2 12.3 12.4 'Robot Wars 1996 - Heavyweight Melee 5', diabolicalmachine (YouTube), uploaded October 28 2008
- ↑ 13.0 13.1 13.2 13.3 13.4 'Robot Wars 1996: Heavyweight Melee 5', Andrew Lindsey (YouTube), uploaded January 15 2019
- ↑ 14.0 14.1 'Robot Wars 1997 Heavyweight match: The South Bay Mauler versus Biohazard', Andrew Lindsey (YouTube), uploaded May 9 2021
- ↑ 15.0 15.1 'MATCH: BIOHAZARD VS THE MAULER', Team Spike website (archived)
- ↑ 16.0 16.1 16.2 16.3 'Robot Battles', Robotbooks/BioHazard website (archived March 31 2001)
- ↑ Gearheads: The Turbulent Rise of Robotic Sports, p.40
- ↑ ibid, p.40
- ↑ ibid, p.52
- ↑ ibid, p.52
- ↑ ibid, p.52
- ↑ 'SOUTH BAY MAULER', Team Spike website (archived)
- ↑ 'THE MAULER', Team Spike website (archived)
- ↑ Inferred in Gearheads: The Turbulent Rise of Robotic Sports, p.176 to be "Mauler 2000", based on a passage explaining South Bay RoboWarriors' entry and subsequent negotiations with BattleBots' Trey Roski.
- ↑ Gearheads: The Turbulent Rise of Robotic Sports, p.174
- ↑ ibid, p.46
- ↑ 'THE MULCHER', James R. Osborn website (archived December 5 1998)
- ↑ 'Tournament Tree - Robot Wars 1995 - Heavyweights', Team Run Amok website
- ↑ 29.0 29.1 29.2 'Robot Wars 1995 - The Master vs Mauler', diabolicalmachine (YouTube), uploaded August 9 2008
- ↑ 30.0 30.1 'Robot Wars 1996: Heavyweight Melee 1', Andrew Lindsey (YouTube), uploaded January 13 2019
- ↑ 31.0 31.1 'Robot Wars 1996 - Heavyweight Melee 1', diabolicalmachine (YouTube), uploaded July 21 2008
- ↑ 'Robot Wars 1997 Heavyweight match: South Bay Mauler versus Bubba', Andrew Lindsey (YouTube), uploaded April 18 2021
- ↑ 'MATCH: THE MAULER VS BUBBA', Team Spike website (archived)
- ↑ 34.0 34.1 34.2 'Robot Wars 1997 Heavyweight match: South Bay Mauler versus Mash-N-Go', Andrew Lindsey (YouTube), uploaded April 21 2021
- ↑ 35.0 35.1 35.2 'MATCH: THE MAULER VS MASH-N-GO', Team Spike website (archived)
- ↑ 36.0 36.1 'Robot Wars 1997 Heavyweight match: The South Bay Mauler versus Z', Andrew Lindsey (YouTube), uploaded May 7 2021
- ↑ 37.0 37.1 'MATCH: THE MAULER VS Z', Team Spike website (archived)
- ↑ 'aug97', Distraction Laboratories website (archived)
- ↑ 39.0 39.1 'Robot Wars 1997 Heavyweight Melee 4', Andrew Lindsey (YouTube), uploaded May 11 2021
- ↑ 40.0 40.1 'HEAVYWEIGHT MELEE ROUND 4', Team Spike website (archived)
- ↑ Gearheads: The Turbulent Rise of Robotic Sports, pp.176-177
- ↑ ibid, p.177
- ↑ ibid, p.177
- ↑ The Combat Robot Hall of Fame ®, Team Run Amok website
External Links[]
- South Bay RoboWarriors/Team Mauler website (archived)
- Mauler 95 ("Mauler95") on the official US Robot Wars website (archived May 2 1997)
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