The International Tag Team was a competition held during Nickelodeon Robot Wars. It was essentially a combination of two tournaments, the War of Independence and the Tag Team Terror, with a format reminiscent of the original Tag Team Terror event broadcast as part of the fourth UK series.
The episode featuring the International Tag Team - the second of the Nickelodeon series - was originally broadcast on the network on September 1 2002.
Format[]
Two teams, each with two robots, entered the arena at once. Only one member from each team was allowed to battle at any one time. If a robot wished to let its teammate into the action, it could return to its Corner Patrol Zone (CPZ) and 'tag' it to swap places. However, these rules were very frequently broken and battles often featured all four robots battling at once.
The tournament featured four teams; two American and two British. The first two battles were qualifiers to decide which team would go through to the final to represent their respective country. There was also a playoff for third place between the heats and final.
Competing Teams[]
Strengths, weaknesses and team members were not provided on statistics boards in this episode.
USA[]
- Zanzara & Run Away
 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Run Away | ||
| Weight | 184lbs | |
| Dimensions | 18" x 49" x 35" | |
| Power | 2 x 12v Motors | |
| Weapons | Side Blades | |
| From: Oregon | ||
| Team Members: Mark Joerger, Aaron Joerger, Alissa Joerger | ||
 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Zanzara | ||
| Weight | 211lbs | |
| Dimensions | 21" x 43" x 32" | |
| Power | 2 x 24v Motors | |
| Weapons | Spinning Blade | |
| From: Oregon | ||
| Team Members: Max Chapin, Jordan Robson | ||
- The Revolutionist & Spin Doctor
 | ||
|---|---|---|
| The Revolutionist | ||
| Weight | 209lbs | |
| Dimensions | 8" x 30" x 30" | |
| Power | Electric Motors | |
| Weapons | Body Spinner | |
| From: Florida | ||
| Team Members: Brian Nave, Michael Nave, Kenneth Bryant | ||
 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spin Doctor | ||
| Weight | 204lbs | |
| Dimensions | 21" x 43" x 32" | |
| Power | Electric Motors | |
| Weapons | Spinning Disc | |
| From: Florida | ||
| Team Members: Brian Nave, Thomas Beaver, Adam Baxter | ||
UK[]
- Rick & Ming 3
 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Ming 3 | ||
| Weight | 220lbs | |
| Dimensions | 30" x 51" x 30" | |
| Power | Electric Motors | |
| Weapons | Crusher Arm | |
| From: Somerset | ||
| Team Members: Alexander Cotterell, Oliver Cotterell, Andrew Cotterell | ||
 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Rick | ||
| Weight | 204lbs | |
| Dimensions | 12" x 34" x 32" | |
| Power | Electric Motors | |
| Weapons | Spiked Flipper | |
| From: Hampshire | ||
| Team Members: Francis Gallagher, Kevin Gallagher, Ian Aldridge | ||
- Bigger Brother & Kat 3
 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Bigger Brother | ||
| Weight | 204lbs | |
| Dimensions | 12" x 31" x 35" | |
| Power | Electric Motors | |
| Weapons | Flipper | |
| From: Sussex | ||
| Team Members: Joe Watts, Ellie Watts, Ian Watts | ||
 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Kat 3 | ||
| Weight | 193lbs | |
| Dimensions | 33" x 48" x 33" | |
| Power | Electric Motors | |
| Weapons | Axe | |
| From: Surrey | ||
| Team Members: Jade Spaven, Georje Reed, Ian Inglis | ||
Round 1[]
Note: Robots that started in the arena are listed first
US Qualifier - Zanzara & Run Away vs Spin Doctor & The Revolutionist[]
The Revolutionist hits Zanzara
Run Away and Zanzara are both flipped
Zanzara and Spin Doctor both charged at each other and collided head-to-head, with bits falling off one of the machines. Both robots spinning weapons seemed to break, so Spin Doctor tagged The Revolutionist, who started spinning. Zanzara hit the pit release button, but was hit in the rear by The Revolutionist and sent spinning, the impact breaking off its back panels. It repeated this action as the Pit descended. Run Away quickly rushed out, but missed Revolutionist. As it backed away, Revolutionist clipped one of its wheels and immobilised it. Shunt and Matilda began to attack Run Away and the now-obviously-immobile Zanzara, who was flipped over. After Refbot counted them out, the House Robots managed to place both robots onto the Floor Flipper, and they were both thrown together.
- "The whole team got flipped at the same time! You won't see that too often!"
- — Stefan Frank as Zanzara and Run Away fly
Shunt then pitted Run Away, but was unable to push Zanzara in as there wasn't enough room in the Pit.
Winners: The Revolutionist & Spin Doctor
UK Qualifier - Rick & Ming 3 vs Kat 3 & Bigger Brother[]
Kat 3 axes Rick
Ming 3 crushes Bigger Brother
As the battle started, Rick turned to try and use its spinning disc on Kat 3, but it did not appear to be working. Kat 3 struck the top of Rick with its axe, but caused no visible damage. Rick then attempted to use its flipper, but only lifted Kat 3 up slightly. Kat 3 missed with its next axe strike, and Rick then managed to overturn it. As Kat 3 tried unsuccessfully to right itself, Ming 3 drove out without a tag, grabbed hold of Kat 3's wheelguard and dragged it away from Bigger Brother, who had also come out of its CPZ.
- "And now the rules have gone out the window! They're supposed to tag up but they're all in on the action now!"
- — Stefan Frank
Bigger Brother flips Ming 3 onto the wall
Bigger Brother is nearly flipped out of the arena by Rick
Bigger Brother tried to flip Kat 3 over, before turning on Ming, trying to flip it out of the arena. It was unable to, so it flipped Ming over instead. Ming 3 quickly self-righted using its side "wings" and grabbed hold of Bigger Brother with its claw. Bigger Brother managed to escape and was finally able to right Kat 3, who got its axe stuck in Bigger Brother's flipper. Bigger Brother escaped and, again, tried to throw Ming 3 out of the arena, with no success. It managed to push Ming into the Pit release button, only to be overturned itself by Rick, who nearly managed to flip Bigger Brother out of the arena just as cease was called. The Judges were called on to make a decision, and Rick and Ming 3 were given the decision.
Winners: Ming 3 & Rick
Play-off[]
Before the play-off, it was revealed that both Run Away and Kat 3 were too badly damaged to continue. As a result, Zanzara and Bigger Brother were forced to fight alone.
Zanzara vs Bigger Brother[]
Bigger Brother flips Zanzara
Zanzara, who was having weapon problems, attempted to evade Bigger Brother, but the British robot pushed it into the arena wall and flipped it, sending it spinning, but landing back on its wheels. Bigger Brother flipped up Zanzara again, before pushing it onto the Disc of Doom trigger. Dead Metal attempted to attack Zanzara, but missed, and Bigger Brother flipped Zanzara up onto the arena wall. As Refbot moved in, Shunt axed Zanzara, but ended up righting it. The House Robots attacked Zanzara anyway, with Bigger Brother pushing it back towards them as it tried to escape. Zanzara now appeared to be having difficulty moving, but it survived to a Judges' decision. In editing, this battle was heavily reduced in length.
Winner: Bigger Brother
Final[]
Note: Robots that started in the arena are listed first
Ming 3 & Rick vs Spin Doctor & The Revolutionist[]
Ming 3 engages with Spin Doctor
Rick flips The Revolutionist over
Spin Doctor drove straight at Ming 3, and its spinning disc managed to deflect Ming's advances. The two robots drove around each other until Spin Doctor hit Ming's front wedge side on. As Ming pushed its American opponent into the arena wall, The Revolutionist came out of its CPZ and hit Ming side on, but this only put it off balance slightly. Rick came out of its CPZ, hit The Revolutionist front on, but was spun away upon impact. The Revolutionist tried to follow, but it ended up hitting Ming, which caused it to bounce up in the air. It landed right side up, but its spinning shell had slowed down enough to allow Rick to get underneath it and flip it onto its back.
- "Sir K has taken Ming 3 out to the center of the arena, that's not right!"
- — Stefan Frank
Ming 3 is dropped by Sir K
Sir K captures Rick, prior to dumping it out of the arena
Ming 3 then tried to pierce the underbelly of the fallen Revolutionist, but it was then suddenly grabbed by the wheel by Sir K, who dropped it upside down in the middle of the arena, whilst Sgt. Bash grabbed The Revolutionist with his front claw. This attack seemed to immobilise Ming. Spin Doctor tried to attack Rick, who spun away, and Spin Doctor's disc got caught underneath the arena grinders. Sir K then grabbed Rick and threw it out of the arena.
- "Sir K. just picks Rick up and chucks him out of the arena! He wasn't even in the Corner Patrol Zone, and I bet the judges will have something to say about that."
- — Stefan Frank as Rick is unfairly dropped out
As Refbot counted out The Revolutionist, it appeared as though Spin Doctor was the only robot still moving. However, because both Ming 3 and Rick had been unfairly immobilized by Sir K, the Judges chose to judge the battle up until that point, which went in favour of Ming 3 and Rick, making them the International Tag Team champions.
- "The Judges have ruled that Sir K's ejection of the Rick robot was an illegal ejection, they've ruled that. They've also ruled that the amount of damage to these teams, Spin Doctor and Revolutionist was greater than the amount of damage inflicted to [Ming 3 and Rick], so that's why they decided to go in that direction."
- — Dave Aizer
Rick and Ming 3, the International Tag Team champions
Winners: Ming 3 & Rick
Trivia[]
- The episode's format was traditionally named 'Tag Team Terror' by its other appearances on Robot Wars, but this competition was instead known only as the International Tag Team, with Dave Aizer only once referencing the word terror in the whole episode.
- The International Tag Team competition was the only episode of Nickelodeon Robot Wars to utilise all five of the available House Robots and one of only two tournaments of the series to do so, the other being the Mayhem.
- Of the American Competitors, only Run Away had competed in any previous Tag Team competitions.
- Bigger Brother competed with its third partner in as many Tag Team Terror appearances.
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