It is a two-wheel drive, box-shaped robot armed with a dangerous 50lb eggbeater spinner and front wedges. Even though it is invertible, it can self-right by spinning its weapon up to speed and use gyroscopic forces to flip back over, much like fellow Brazilian competitors Minotaur.
Black Dragon during World Championship IV hero shots.
Originally, Black Dragon was supposed to feature a large tail, but this was scrapped in the design stage. Black Dragon did well in its rookie season, entering the Desperado Tournament with a modest 1-1 record and securing a guaranteed Top 16 place by winning the bracket. Team Uairrior reached the knockout tournament as a result, before losing to veteran builder Donald Hutson and Lock-Jaw.
Black Dragon during World Championship V.
In spite of the travel restrictions arising from the COVID-19 pandemic, Black Dragon was able to enter World Championship V after arranging for quarantine time in Mexico en route to filming.[1]
"We totally thought that we could not attend to Season 5, 2020 was a ride with different emotions until we got everything prepared for our quarantine time in Mexico City."
— Team Uai!rrior explain how they made the 2020 season as an international team
The team redesigned Black Dragon's weapon system, reworking the pulley and moving the twin belts to the other side of their primary weapon, due to suffering many attacks on that side from horizontal spinners. Aesthetically, dragon motif had been swapped to the left-hand side of the robot. The team also had numerous wedge and weapon configurations depending on its opponent. Black Dragon backed up its strong debut season in 2020, defeating the feared Tombstone and then the much-improved Ribbot in the quarter-finals, despite being on fire for the majority of that fight. Black Dragon faced Whiplash in the semi-finals, but ultimately lost by judges' decision.
Black Dragon during World Championship VI hero shots.
For World Championship VI, Black Dragon unveiled a brand new eggbeater with teeth cut into it to inflict to gain more bite against opponents and deliver more wins by KO. The twin belts used in previous seasons for redundancy had also been replaced by one larger, more durable belt. Team Uai!rrior began their season with a win over Icewave, but lost to ROTATOR in the second fight. Black Dragon finished the Fight Night rounds with a knockout against Claw Viper, earning a 2-1 record and the No.18 seed. After taking down MadCatter, Black Dragon fell to Jake Ewert and Hydra in the Top 16.
Black Dragon during World Championship VII hero shots.
Team Uai!rrior returned for World Championship VII, with Black Dragon set to be captained by a new BattleBots team member, Julio Cortez. Gabriel Bertozzi returned for the first time since the 2019 season to drive Black Dragon.[2] The team confirmed their acceptance via Facebook and were later revealed as #16 in the BattleBots Pre-Season Power Rankings.[3] Their season began with a win over the returning Monsoon and a loss against Quantum. Black Dragon was then able to improve to 2-1 after defeating Beta in its third fight, but lost in its final qualifier to Riptide, ending its twenty-four match streak of never being knocked out in the process. Entering the tournament, Black Dragon scored a comeback win against RIPperoni, but fell in the Round of 16 to Ribbot after being KO'd for a second time in a row.
The brand new Black Dragon build in December 2023.
Fresh off its first career knockout losses, Black Dragon looked for redemption in BattleBots: Champions II. It advanced through to the final, but was defeated at that stage by Whiplash for the third time.
Team Uai!rrior's intention to compete in World Championship VIII was confirmed by the Skorpios team in a December 27, 2023 video.[4] Black Dragon has been completely rebuilt, and now features fully brushless drive and weapon systems as well as new front wedges. Henrique Oliveira will also captain the team.
Black Dragon is registered to compete at RoboGames 2024.
An early render of Black Dragon.
Black Dragon under construction in 2019.
Black Dragon with its plow signed, next to its Desperado Tournament Winner Giant Bolt.
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Robot History[]
World Championship IV[]
Black Dragon vs. Texas Twister
Black Dragon has a top panel torn off by Texas Twister.
Sparks fly as Black Dragon slams into Texas Twister.
Black Dragon takes Texas Twister to the killsaws.
Black Dragon post-fight.
Black Dragon's BattleBots debut came against veteran Fuzzy Mauldin and his new robot, Texas Twister. Black Dragon began on the back foot as hits from Texas Twisted caused smoke began to pour from the robot. Their weapon motor was damaged badly, leaving the Brazilian team with only their wedge to use against their opponent. Still, Black Dragon pressed on, taking hits with its wedge and pushing Texas Twister into the wall and into the screws. Texas Twister's weapon motor suddenly burst into flames, disabling its weapon. As such, a pushing match ensued between the two. Black Dragon took full advantage of its superior drive, pushing Texas Twister around, and flipping it over a few times. Texas Twister's right side drive eventually stopped working and Black Dragon shoved it towards the screws as the time ran out. Despite Black Dragon's dominance in the latter half of the match, the judges award a split 2-1 decision to Texas Twister.
Black Dragon vs. Bloodsport
Black Dragon pops Bloodsport into the air.
Black Dragon sends Bloodsport flying towards the wall.
Next for Black Dragon was against fellow newcomer, Bloodsport. Black Dragon started strongly as they began throwing their opponent into the air and nearly getting it upside down. Bloodsport stayed upright and worked to get its weapon going again. Black Dragon went on the attack again throwing Bloodsport into the air, this time breaking off Bloodsport's self-righting pole. Bloodsport still landed upright but now did not have a working weapon. Black Dragon attacked it as Bloodsport was being counted out, taking the win by KO.
Black Dragon vs. Captain Shrederator
Black Dragon closes in on Captain Shrederator.
Black Dragon and Captain Shrederator collide.
Although it was 1-1, Team Uai!rrior entered Black Dragon took part in the Desperado Tournament to compete for the Giant Bolt trophy and a spot in the Top 16 bracket. As the No.3 seed, it was put up against Brian Nave and the No.6 seed, Captain Shrederator. To combat the full-body spinner, Black Dragon went with a feeder wedge to help the egg beater weapon cause damage. As the match began, both robots stayed away to allow their weapons to get up to full speed. Black Dragon received two minor shots from Captain Shrederator, but it did not phase the Brazilian team. A third hit sent both robots flying in opposite directions, and gave Black Dragon a nasty gash on the left side of their wedge. Black Dragon also landed upside down, but used its weapon's gyroscopic forces to right itself. Captain Shrederator was having drive issues so Black Dragon came in for another attack, sending Captain Shrederator into the arena barrier, breaking off a few teeth from the shell. By this point, Captain Shrederator was barely moving and Black Dragon delivered a final hit that stopped the deadly spinner completely. Captain Shrederator was counted out, giving Black Dragon the win by KO as they advanced to the semi-finals.
Black Dragon vs. WAR Hawk
WAR Hawk is thrown onto the screws almost immediately.
Black Dragon backs off as WAR Hawk is left immobile.
Next for Black Dragon in the Desperado Tournament was No.2 seed WAR Hawk. In response, they went with a slightly different configuration with added wedgelets on top of the feeder wedge. Fortunately for Black Dragon, WAR Hawk wasn't working properly in the opening seconds, allowing them to move in and throw WAR Hawk onto the screws. With the main bot taken out, Black Dragon decided to overpower WAR Stop, shredding the minibot into two pieces. WAR Hawk was unable to get down and was counted out, allowing Black Dragon to move on to the final.
Black Dragon vs. Minotaur
Black Dragon and Minotaur face off.
One step away from a guaranteed tournament spot, Black Dragon met the No.1 seed and fellow Brazilian team, Minotaur. For this battle, Black Dragon removed their feeder wedge and opted for wedgelets to go for the lower ground clearance.
Sparks flew as the match got underway as Minotaur's drum chipped away at Black Dragon's wedgelets. Both robots backed off and Black Dragon began to take some big hits, losing a wedgelet in the process. Black Dragon recovered and started to attack, pushing against Minotaur as they fought to get their weapon up to speed and right themselves. Black Dragon stayed on Minotaur, even after its weapon started to have issues. Eventually, Black Dragon got Minotaur up against the arena barrier and then on top of the screws, but Minotaur escaped both times. Time ran out with both robots still moving but the judges awarded Black Dragon a unanimous 3-0 decision, the Giant Bolt trophy and the first spot in the Top 16.
Black Dragon vs. Lock-Jaw
Black Dragon is attacked by Lock-Jaw.
As the 8th seed, Black Dragon's first opponent in the Top 16 was the first Desperado Tournament winner, former semi-finalist, and 9th seed, Donald Hutson and Lock-Jaw. As the match began, Black Dragon took a series of hits that threw it into the air but Black Dragon came out relatively unscathed each time. Black Dragon then got a bit of a break as Lock-Jaw was briefly stuck in the slot for the killsaws and managed to get a hit on them before Lock-Jaw escaped. Black Dragon then continued to take hits until Lock-Jaw's weapon began smoking. Black Dragon then took advantage by throwing Lock-Jaw upside down but as the match came to a close, Black Dragon was still taking hits and ended up upside down. Time ran out and the judges awarded a 2-1 split decision for Lock-Jaw, eliminating Black Dragon from the tournament.
Black Dragon vs. Skorpios
Black Dragon and Skorpios do battle.
Black Dragon take Skorpios to the pulverizer.
Later in the season, Black Dragon fought in an exhibition match against veteran Skorpios. Black Dragon was off to a very good start as they took advantage of Skorpios' tendency to tip backwards due to the weight of the weapon and threw them into the air. Skorpios recovered, so Black Dragon continued to control the fight with more tosses. Black Dragon then took minor damage from Skorpios before tossing them again. Black Dragon went straight at Skorpios' front, but neither robot had the edge. After the repeated attacks, Black Dragon managed to cause smoke to pour out from Skorpios, specifically around the point of the weapon arm. Still, both robots survived to a judges' decision, who ruled a unanimous 3-0 decision for Black Dragon.
World Championship V[]
Black Dragon vs. Kraken
Black Dragon is bitten by Kraken.
Black Dragon's first opponent in the 2020 season was Matt Spurk and Kraken. For the match, Black Dragon opted to use their lighter disc setup to allow for the tougher top armor and front wedgelets. Black Dragon didn't start off well as they were grappled so quickly by their opponent that they were unable to spin up their weapon in time. Black Dragon was pushed around, but also managed to push back at times. Eventually, Black Dragon was released, but lost a weapon belt in the process. Black Dragon worked to get its weapon going, but managed to collide with Kraken, bending one of Kraken's teeth. Black Dragon then flipped Kraken over, but Kraken quickly righted itself and Black Dragon was back to being in Kraken's mouth. After being released, Black Dragon circled again and its weapon managed to make contact with Kraken's teeth, ripping one of them out. This did not phase Kraken much, so Black Dragon toppled Kraken once more before being taken to the pulverizer. The time ran out with both robots still working and the judges awarded Black Dragon a 2-1 split decision.
Black Dragon vs. Claw Viper
Black Dragon attacks from the side of Claw Viper.
Next for Black Dragon was a match against newcomer Claw Viper, which had previously taken out HiJinx. Black Dragon went in with longer front wedgelets with the intent of getting under Claw Viper and this proved to be a good choice as they avoided their opponent's box rush and then threw them into the air. Black Dragon attacked Claw Viper's upper clamping arm before grinding and taking them across the arena where they eventually pushed them into the screws. Claw Viper remained motionless as smoke began to pour out but got going so Black Dragon hit it again. This time, Claw Viper did not move as some fire built up and was counted out, giving Black Dragon the win by KO.
Black Dragon vs. Copperhead
Black Dragon and Copperhead square off.
Black Dragon now found itself up against Copperhead for their third and final Fight Night battle. The Brazilian bot was armed with front wedgelets in this fight and took full advantage of the lower ground game early on. However, Black Dragon then took two big hits that left it upside down and cost it its only weapon belt. Black Dragon continued to come at Copperhead and was tossed around and shoved into the arena barrier. By this point, Copperhead was slowing down and eventually lost its weapon completely. Both robots were unable to mount much of an attack as time ran out. The judges awarded Copperhead the unanimous decision.
Black Dragon vs. SlamMow!
Black Dragon and SlamMow! collide.
Despite its loss, Black Dragon made the Top 32 as the No.5 seed, and was pitted against Craig Danby'sSlamMow!. Black Dragon started off rather poorly as they were unable to get under SlamMow!'s front wedge and were nearly flipped over. Black Dragon recovered and started delivering hits, throwing SlamMow! on its back but SlamMow! self-righted. Black Dragon then pushed SlamMow! around but was unable to get its flame thrower to ignite until after completing the shove. Black Dragon then tossed SlamMow! on its back again, costing SlamMow! a belt. Black Dragon then delivered a final hit that flipped SlamMow! over. This time, SlamMow! did not right itself but Black Dragon moved in just in case. SlamMow! was counted out, giving Black Dragon the win by KO and a spot in the Top 16.
Black Dragon vs. Tombstone
Black Dragon sends Tombstone into the screws.
Black Dragon pops Tombstone into the air.
Next up for the Brazilian team was Ray Billings and Tombstone. The fight started with Black Dragon inching slowly out of its square. Tombstone approached Black Dragon, pulling off a fake-out spin before going on the attack and testing Black Dragon's wedge. Tombstone began grinding on Black Dragon's wedge as it was being pushed around, soon being forced to spin around and avoid being shoved to the wall, then taking a shot to its left tire from Black Dragon's egg beater. Tombstone began to back away whilst swinging its blade at Black Dragon's wedge. Both bots went towards each other and met in a weapon-to-weapon collision which popped Tombstone several feet into the air. Tombstone then proceeded to land a counter-shot right to the left side of Black Dragon's wedge. Tombstone continued to press on, getting struck hard before turning around and being sent completely out of control by Black Dragon again, landing near the top-right corner of the BattleBox. Black Dragon charged at Tombstone again, trying to carry and box the 2016 champ. By this point, both robots lost their weapons due to Tombstone's wire for the weapon contractor coming loose, and Black Dragon suffering from an unknown cause, reducing the remaining two minutes to a pushing match. Black Dragon pushed Tombstone all around the BattleBox with its wedge until the end of the fight. It went to the judges, and Black Dragon took it unanimously, ending the King of Kinetic Energy's campaign for another Giant Nut.
Black Dragon vs. Ribbot
Ribbot clambers over a flaming Black Dragon.
Black Dragon is finally extinguished.
Fresh off its statement win, Black Dragon faced Ribbot in the quarter-finals, who opted for their forks and vertical spinner configuration for this fight. Black Dragon began by being circled by its opponents, but soon found its rhythm. The first weapon-to-weapon hit between the two bots caused Ribbot to pop in the air, shedding some of its decorative armor in the process. Black Dragon made contact with Ribbot once more, sending it flying across the box and damaging part of the side wall. With its entire cover now off, Ribbot escaped to the center of the arena, but Black Dragon had started smoking. As both bots drove around, the smoke became thicker and more substantial, creating a cloud inside the BattleBox. It became apparent that Black Dragon's weapon was no longer working, but the smoke continued. Ribbot was now upside-down, struggling for control of the fight. As it escaped, Black Dragon's smoke turned to fire but seemed unfazed, continuing to bully Ribbot into the screws. Neither robot had functional weaponry at this stage, but the flaming Black Dragon fought on and remained aggressive. With a minute to go, Black Dragon's fire engulfed the bot as it darted around the box, but Ribbot never found its feet for the remainder of the match. Despite being on fire for over two minutes, Black Dragon survived to the end and took the unanimous decision.
Black Dragon vs. Whiplash
Whiplash overturns Black Dragon and pushes it around the BattleBox.
Whiplash stacks Black Dragon against the wall.
Now in the semi-finals, Black Dragon faced the Vasquez family and Whiplash for a place in the final. Both weapons spun up to speed, but it was Whiplash who started on the offensive. Having gotten underneath its opponent, Whiplash landed a hit which sent one of Black Dragon's wedgelets flying away. Whiplash then managed to lift the Brazilian bot up, carrying Black Dragon to the side of the box and throwing it upside-down. Whiplash struck the wheel and flipped the Brazilian bot over again. Despite their attempts to hit with the weapon, Whiplash maintained its aggression and tipped Black Dragon over once more, before it was righted and Whiplash shoved it into the side of the box. Whiplash's right-side wedgelet had come off, temporarily beaching Black Dragon, but it managed to escape. After a few minor encounters, Whiplash then managed to tip Black Dragon onto its rear end, up against the wall. Stranded, Whiplash turned around and attempted to attack with the disc, using it as a hammer saw with the knowledge its opponent could not escape. This was unsuccessful however, as Black Dragon tried to spin up and tipped itself back over. With both bots now down a wedgelet and fork respectively, Whiplash hoisted its opponent onto the screws with ten seconds to go, landing another hammer saw attack as the screws reversed. This left a lasting impression on the judges, who unanimously ruled in favor of Whiplash, ending a remarkable run for Team Uai!rrior.
World Championship VI[]
Black Dragon vs. Icewave
Black Dragon hunts down Icewave in the opening seconds.
Black Dragon returned for the 2021 season, and its first opponent was against former quarter-finalist Icewave. As the fight began, Black Dragon attempted to charge down Icewave before it got up to speed, and successfully unbalanced the bot. It then got underneath the rear of Icewave as it tried to spin up again, sending it weapon-first into the Upper Deck. Though Icewave's internal combustion engine was still firing, the primary weapon itself was no longer spinning, allowing Black Dragon to bully it into a corner. Icewave was still able to drive as it returned to the center of the BattleBox, but Black Dragon again slid underneath, forcing it into the pulverizer where it lay dormant. Icewave was counted out soon after, giving Team Uai!rrior and Black Dragon their first win of the 2021 season.
Black Dragon vs. ROTATOR
Black Dragon attempts to attack with its flamethrower.
Black Dragon's second opponent was another former quarter-finalist in the form of Victor Soto and ROTATOR. ROTATOR led with its rear forks in an attempt to breach the front of Black Dragon's plow, and this proved successful in the opening seconds as Black Dragon was immediately shoved under the pulverizer. ROTATOR delivered the first hit of the match with its horizontal undercutter and pointed their forks at Black Dragon again. The Brazilian team got to the side of ROTATOR and shoved it into the arena barrier, threatening to score a big hit with their own primary weapon. However, the plow acted as a barrier between their weapon and ROTATOR's side and Black Dragon was unable to capitalize. ROTATOR delivered several glancing shots to the front of Black Dragon before a bigger hit caused their flamethrower to malfunction and throw sparks, accompanied by smoke. ROTATOR continued to attack and rode up the front of its opponent, digging into the floor as it used its own weapon to right itself. As smoke began to fill the BattleBox, Black Dragon struggled to get a meaningful attack on its opponent, who continuously used its forks to win the ground game. In the closing moments, ROTATOR pinned Black Dragon against the barrier before releasing, and the fight went the distance. The judges ruled unanimously in favor of ROTATOR, pushing Team Uai!rrior to a 1-1 record.
Black Dragon vs. Claw Viper
Claw Viper gets to grips with Black Dragon.
Black Dragon lands a hit with its weapon.
Last up for Black Dragon in the Fight Night rounds was a rematch from last season against Claw Viper. For this fight, Black Dragon dropped the plow in favor of two smaller wedges either side of their primary weapon. Black Dragon was box-rushed by Claw Viper in the opening seconds, evading the charge but finding itself picked up by their opponent. Claw Viper dropped the Brazilian bot, which landed a glancing blow to its rear to right itself. In doing so, Black Dragon appeared to have harmed the drive of Claw Viper as it only seemed able to drive in wide arcs. However, it was able to grab Black Dragon again but tipped over in the process on two occasions. The eggbeater drum then got underneath Claw Viper and coerced it against the screws, before backing away. Claw Viper was counted out, putting Black Dragon to 2-1 and earning it the No.18 seed.
Black Dragon vs. MadCatter
Black Dragon and MadCatter do battle.
Damage to Black Dragon's drum shows MadCatter was able to split it.
Black Dragon's first opponent of the tournament bracket was the No.15 seed, MadCatter. As the fight started, MadCatter raced towards Black Dragon, who fired their flamethrower in response. Black Dragon was able to flip MadCatter over and shove it into the short corner, but MadCatter righted itself and escaped. Black Dragon retreated to spin its weapon back up and popped its opponent up, taking a conservative approach to their weapon usage early on. MadCatter's elongated wedgelet then locked itself underneath the front of Black Dragon and as both weapons were up to speed, MadCatter was able to rip away the Brazilian bot's left-side wedgelet. The two locked horns in the middle of the BattleBox before MadCatter drove itself into the screws of the Upper Deck and fell back as Black Dragon threatened to attack. MadCatter righted itself using its lifting arm and attacked the front of its opponent, tearing off its other wedgelet. Black Dragon was able to land hits to MadCatter's underside and gave chase as a chunk of its rear armor flew away. From this point, MadCatter was able to win the ground game more consistently and slid its wedgelet underneath the front of Black Dragon with its weapon down, punting it against the wall. Team Uai!rrior spun their weapon back up and almost returned the favor, digging into the underside of MadCatter again. Black Dragon had its opponent pinned against the paddle hazard for a brief moment as it later carried MadCatter across the BattleBox with its flamethrower blazing. MadCatter landed the final hit of the match, overturning Black Dragon as the clock hit zero. However, the judges awarded a split decision in favor of Black Dragon, who advanced in the tournament bracket.
Black Dragon vs. Hydra
Black Dragon becomes stuck on the BattleBox.
Black Dragon throws itself at Hydra.
Now in the Top 16, Black Dragon faced off against Jake Ewert and Hydra. For this fight, Black Dragon again opted for wedgelets rather than its front plow. Immediately, Black Dragon spun up and tested Hydra's ground clearance, but rode up it and was thrown into the air, bouncing back upright. Black Dragon fought back and pushed Hydra towards the arena barrier, but was again flipped away. Hydra tentatively approached the center of the BattleBox as Black Dragon got to their left side, but could not make contact with their spinning weapon. Hydra misfired before Black Dragon again rode up the front of Jake Ewert's bot and was thrown high into the air. Unbeknownst to Team Uai!rrior, Hydra was suffering from drive issues in the middle of the floor, but Black Dragon continued to attack Hydra. Landing upside-down, Black Dragon was now able to make contact with their weapon, but was spinning downwards, propelling itself off its opponent every time the Brazilian team drove at Hydra. As a result, Hydra barely had to reposition as Black Dragon kept throwing itself at its opponent. Especially as Black Dragon was now right side up, this more often than not resulted in it being thrown in the air by Hydra rather than making meaningful contact with their own weapon. Black Dragon landed against the housing for the screws at one stage, but managed to shake itself free. Team Uai!rrior refused to leave Hydra alone, but the Team Whyachi bot countered every attack as Black Dragon caught fire with seconds to go, and their weapon was no longer spinning. The fight went the distance, and Black Dragon were eliminated at the Round of 16 stage.
BattleBots: Champions I[]
Black Dragon vs. Overhaul
Overhaul takes full control of Black Dragon.
Black Dragon is grabbed by Overhaul.
Overhaul performs a suplex on Black Dragon.
Black Dragon asserts its dominance.
Black Dragon returned for BattleBots: Champions I, and met Charles Guan'sOverhaul in the first round of the bracket. who started the match by getting caught on a seam in the floor. Overhaul managed to slide its lifter in underneath the front of Black Dragon and upended it. Not only did it flip the Brazilian bot over, but Overhaul proceeded to grab, lift Black Dragon and slam it against the floor several times in an impressive show of aggression and control. Black Dragon eventually drove away, but one of its hinged wedgelets was now skewed. Overhaul continued its aggression, picking Black Dragon up again and attempting to feed it to the screws. It could only reach the housing, so instead lifted Black Dragon behind it and landed an impressive suplex. However, this also righted its opponent and allowed it to find space to spin up its eggbeater weapon. With its right-side fork still damaged, Black Dragon struggled to win the ground game but eventually landed a few blows to the underside of Overhaul's lower jaw. In these exchanges, Overhaul's left-front tire began to peel away from its hub and it lost the mounting plate for its right fork. Black Dragon got to Overhaul's side and propped it on two wheels against the screws. It then continued to attack the vulnerable treads, tearing into its right-rear wheel before throwing it over. The Brazilians drove Overhaul into the short corner and left it there as the fight went the distance. In spite of its dominant display in the first half of the battle, the judges awarded Black Dragon the win by unanimous decision.
Black Dragon vs. Perfect Phoenix
Black Dragon rams Perfect Phoenix into the wall.
Black Dragon launches Perfect Phoenix.
Perfect Phoenix lays immobile.
Up next for Black Dragon was 13-year-old Tyler Nguyen and Perfect Phoenix. For this fight, Black Dragon was equipped with a freshly-painted front plow. Due to damage sustained to its opponent, Perfect Phoenix had to use its smallest bar. As a result, it weighed a mere 169lbs. This weight difference was immediately noticeable as Perfect Phoenix struggled to make contact with its shorter blade despite immediately spinning up to speed. Black Dragon outwedged Perfect Phoenix and rammed it against the wall, tearing away its front plow with the first attack. Black Dragon then rammed Perfect Phoenix into the housing of the screws, which saw Tyler Nguyen's bot fly high into the air but land upright. Still spinning, the bar had now carved a circle into the top panel of Perfect Phoenix as Black Dragon threw it into the air once again. Perfect Phoenix was struggling to move as its right-side drive appeared damaged, but it escaped back to the center of the BattleBox. However, as Black Dragon charged it into the Upper Deck, Perfect Phoenix was launched and despite landing right-side up, was no longer able to move. Black Dragon backed away as Perfect Phoenix's blade was buckled upwards and a count began. Black Dragon therefore advanced in the competition.
Black Dragon vs. Whiplash
Black Dragon becomes caught in the killsaw slots.
Whiplash throws Black Dragon onto the Upper Deck.
After scoring the first knockout of the bracket, Black Dragon faced off against Whiplash in a rematch from the 2020 season semi-finals. Keen to avenge its previous loss, Black Dragon entered this bout with its hinged forks once again. Whiplash was immediately able to overturn Black Dragon, ramming it weapon-first into the casing for the screws which righted the Brazilian bot. Black Dragon was chased by Whiplash, whose hinged fork became stuck in the killsaw slot for a moment before reversing to escape and flipping Black Dragon again. Whiplash allowed its opponent to throw its eggbeater drum into its front as a weapon belt lay on the BattleBox floor. Black Dragon's "ears" which typically helped it run inverted while keeping the weapon spinning became caught in the killsaw slots.
Whiplash and Black Dragon survive the three minutes.
Whiplash continued to harass its opponent, slotting its narrow, spatula-like lifter in the gap behind Black Dragon's eggbeater and hoisting it in the air, dropping it onto the Upper Deck. Black Dragon escaped to the center of the BattleBox but was still upside-down and unable to spin its weapon again with much power. Whiplash again got its lifting arm into play, dropping Black Dragon between the Upper Deck's screws. Black Dragon was finally the right way up, but still found itself being hunted down by the Vasquez family's robot, before lifting it back onto its front forks. Whiplash took advantage of Black Dragon's wheels being off the floor and rammed it into the screws. The Brazilian bot spewed fire in retaliation and met its opponent head on, but found itself flipped over once more. Time eventually ran out on the match, and Whiplash took the win by unanimous decision. As such, Black Dragon was eliminated from the bracket.
World Championship VII[]
Black Dragon vs. Monsoon
Black Dragon's first Fight Night opponent was against World Championship III quarter-finalist, Monsoon. For this fight, Black Dragon opted for its wedgelets.
Black Dragon and Monsoon do battle.
Both robots met in the center of the BattleBox and jostled for position, before Monsoon nicked the edge of Black Dragon. The Brazilian bot immediately responded by hitting the front of Monsoon, sending it bouncing into the corner and near the pulverizer. Monsoon repositioned and took advantage of Black Dragon momentarily turning its back to the British bot, hitting its rear panel and tipping Black Dragon over.
Monsoon is immobilized.
The 2020 season semi-finalist struggled to escape Monsoon as it approached and tore away one of its hinged wedgelets. The remaining wedgelet drooped limply and Monsoon delivered another couple of punishing hits in quick succession, the latter of which tore its other wedgelet off. However, this came at the cost of righting Black Dragon, who got its eggbeater drum spinner up to speed again. By contrast, Monsoon's weapon had suddenly locked and could no longer spin. It danced around Black Dragon before being caught by the weapon, tumbling through the air and landing upright. Unsure how to attack without its primary weapon, Monsoon continued to skirt around the Brazilian bot until it was hit again, this time tipping Tom Brewster's bot onto its side and against its wheelguard.
Without a functional spinner, Monsoon could not self-right and was counted out, giving Black Dragon a 1-0 start to the season.
Black Dragon vs. Quantum
Black Dragon's second Fight Night opponent was against another British bot, Quantum. The team equipped Black Dragon with additional UMHW plastic armor to defend against its opponent.
Quantum bites down but Black Dragon pushes back.
In the starting seconds, both competitors slowly approached each other until Quantum almost sunk its teeth onto the eggbeater of Black Dragon. The latter swerved away and retaliated with a grinding assault on the side of Quantum. Team Robo Challenge's crusher hooked its teeth behind the eggbeater. It shoved the Brazilian machine to the corner but not long after, they were slowly being overpowered in the pushing contest. Both robots separated after Quantum was slammed into the screws of the Upper Deck.
Quantum bites one of Black Dragon's wheels.
Quantum swiftly crept from behind and grappled one of Black Dragon's vulcanized rubber wheels and sent it to the pulverizer. It released its opponent after that successful attack. However, Black Dragon fled and returned to strike to the front of Quantum. Soon after, they gained distance from each other and remained cautious in their approaches. The eggbeater weapon grazed against Quantum before it was halted by the crushing jaw. Another back and forth pushing contest ensued before Black Dragon escaped. Team Robo Challenge started pursuing its opponent until their wedge took a bump from an uneven part of the floor. Black Dragon then drove up the wedge, but could not cause significant damage to the British crusher.
Quantum fails to release its hold after clamping down on the weapon of Black Dragon.
Yet again, Quantum successfully sunk its teeth down on the spinning weapon and tried its best to control Team Uai!rrior's robot. The opposing team requested for a release but Quantum was unable to let go as a solenoid wire had become loose.[5] Timeout was called and Trey Roski reported that the robots could not be pried apart, so the match went to the judges.
The judges assess both robots before making a decision.
All three judges took the opportunity to enter the BattleBox to assess damage caused to both robots. However, Quantum was unanimously declared the winner and Black Dragon fell to a 1-1 record as a result. According to Team Robo Challenge, it took around thirty minutes to separate the robots post-fight.[5]
Black Dragon vs. Beta
Black Dragon's third Fight Night opponent was against a third British bot in a row, Beta. The Brazilian bot was armed with two small forks for this battle, looking to get underneath the anti-vertical spinner configuration of its opponent, and was also fitted with extra armor on top to withstand Beta's deadly hammer.
"Nice shot by Black Dragon! Good gymnastics by Beta."
— Chris Rose as Black Dragon upends its opponent
Black Dragon throws Beta over.
John Reid's robot swung again, missing for a second time. The hammer was slow to retract, which allowed Black Dragon the opportunity to attack with less fear. Beta's weapon activated several more times, but it was noticeably limp as the British bot drove into the rails. Black Dragon retreated to the red starting square as it assessed its opponent's condition, and Beta began to slow. Its arm had still not retracted and Team Uai!rrior got to the back of Beta, ramming it into the screws.
Beta is left to be counted out.
Black Dragon then hit the side of Beta's armor, overturning it again. This time, there appeared to be no life left John Reid's machine as the veteran captain signalled defeat. Beta was counted out, and Black Dragon took the win by knockout.
"You know, not much went according to plan for John Reid in this fight. Black Dragon got great engagement on that new armor package right out of the gate. And the lighter hammer head was completely ineffective - a tough outing for Beta."
— Kenny Florian summarizes Black Dragon's dominance post-fight
Black Dragon vs. Riptide
Last up for Black Dragon in the Fight Night rounds was a Main Event against the previous season's co-Rookie of the Year, Riptide, who had so far won all three of its qualifiers by knockout.
"What happens when an immovable object meets an unstoppable force? We're about to find out..."
— Chris Rose pre-fight
Riptide cuts Black Dragon off immediately.
Riptide immediately drove towards the center of the arena, spinning up as Black Dragon kept to the outside of the BattleBox. The 3-0 bot cut Black Dragon off, however, guiding its front into the eggbeater spinner and throwing it into the screws. Riptide followed this up with several more shots while the Brazilian bot flailed helplessly.
"Riptide sends the message immediately... no-one's been able to escape the wrath of this weapon."
— Kenny Florian as Black Dragon is on the back foot
Riptide throws Black Dragon against the Lexan.
Black Dragon finally landed, but lay against the housing for the screws with its wheels off the arena floor. Riptide closed in again, tearing into the back and causing a gaping hole in Black Dragon's frame. Shrapnel also reached the roof of the BattleBox, shattering a light as glass rained down onto Team Uai!rrior's struggling bot. With their record in serious trouble of coming to an end, Black Dragon's primary weapon continued to spin and the robot turned into the front of Riptide, but rode up its forks again before being launched into the Lexan.
Riptide watches on as it ends Black Dragon's streak.
Riptide followed this attack up with an assault to the underside of Black Dragon, then striking its wheel and tossing the former semi-finalist through the air once more. Black Dragon landed inverted this time, and appeared to no longer be moving, prompting celebration from Team Break32.
Referee John Remar threatened to count Black Dragon out, and began doing just that soon after. With no life in the Brazilian bot, Riptide took the win by knockout, advancing to an unbeaten Fight Night record and becoming the first opponent to immobilize Black Dragon in the process.
Black Dragon vs. RIPperoni
Black Dragon's Mano theme for fighting RIPperoni.
Black Dragon entered the Round of 32 as the No.21 seed, where it fought the No.12 seed RIPperoni. Following its post-Fight Night rebuild, it entered the arena with a green and orange, twin forked plow configuration, painted to resemble Team Uai!rrior's duck mascot Mano.
Julio Cortez: "We believe that the weapons of Black Dragon could... tank a lot of hits off RIPperoni. Our strategy is with our forks... get behind him, deliver a good hit."
Gabriel Bertozzi: "I'll try to box-rush them, because I think that the weapon will not spin very fast. So I'll try to win this fight using control."
— Team Uai!rrior discuss their strategies against RIPperoni
RIPperoni gains an early advantage.
As planned by driver Gabriel Bertozzi, Black Dragon first attempted to box-rush RIPperoni, getting underneath the latter after it had maneuvered into the lower perimeter. Both spinners connected twice, the second exchange resulting in it being turned over by the Omega Team heavyweight. Black Dragon retreated, but RIPperoni followed it across the BattleBox, slamming into and tossing it into the air with two more heavy hits.
Chris Rose: "And we have an inverted Black Dragon -"
Kenny Florian [as RIPperoni tosses Black Dragon]: "OH!"
Chris Rose: "- and now we have a flying Black Dragon, or duck, or whatever the hell that thing is today!"
— As Black Dragon tanks early blows from RIPperoni's disc
A fourth collision resulted in Black Dragon being re-righted by Anna Zolnikov's machine. Black Dragon, now in the blue square, rammed and tipped RIPperoni backwards in response.
Black Dragon finds itself under the pulverizer.
Once RIPperoni self-righted, the two heavyweights exchanged several rams and more spinner attacks between them. During these moments, Black Dragon targeted RIPperoni's left wheel - but without causing major damage - while using its front forks to control its opponent as it pivoted around. Again, it was thrown upside-down by RIPperoni, but responded with an eggbeater blow that almost tipped its opponent over on its side. Black Dragon pressured RIPperoni near the bottom-right corner, exchanging more weapon-on-weapon attacks. However, this sequence eventually turned to RIPperoni's advantage, as it threw Black Dragon under its own team's nearest pulverizer.
Kenny Florian: "Black Dragon's tryin' to come back, but they are inverted!"
Chris Rose: "B'ooh!"
Kenny Florian: "It's not where they want to be!"
Chris Rose: "Oh, the hundred-pound pulverizer... dishing out some pain to Black Dragon!"
— As Black Dragon is thrown under a pulverizer by RIPperoni
RIPperoni almost unbalances before dealing a big shot to Black Dragon.
Black Dragon retreated across the BattleBox, only to drive back into RIPperoni's flywheel and be flung into an aerial spin. Undeterred, it rammed its gyrating opponent and was sent flying across the lower inner perimeter. More rams briefly lifted RIPperoni onto its right wheel, then allowed Black Dragon to be flipped back into the upright position near the bottom-left killsaw slots. By this point, however, Black Dragon's eggbeater had stopped rotating.
Even with this setback, Team Uai!rrior's machine began aggressively pushing and flinging RIPperoni across the BattleBox, taking advantage of the latter's gyroscopic instability. Another head-on collision ensued, allowing Black Dragon to send RIPperoni recoiling near the top-left paddle.
"...they are right-side up now, Chris! Black Dragon is as tough as they come. RIPperoni's gonna have to rip this bot's heart out, if they want to stop it!"
— Kenny Florian as Black Dragon causes RIPperoni to recoil
Black Dragon fights back.
Black Dragon continued to chase RIPperoni, ramming it into the bottom-left paddle, as its opponent gyrated manically on its left wheel. These pinning maneuvers caused RIPperoni's disc to clip the paddle and lift itself onto its right wheel, allowing Black Dragon to drive around the back and underneath. Sparks flew as RIPperoni clipped Black Dragon's left fork and flung itself clear. Black Dragon immediately pressured its opponent once again, proceeding to ram and send it recoiling into one of the Upper Deck screws. As the match entered the half-way mark, it gingerly pushed RIPperoni into one of the accompanying screw mounts, throwing the latter over once more in the process.
"You can hear the crowd chanting "Pizza, Pizza!" Oh, nice shot by Black Dragon... Black Dragon's all over 'im. BIG countershot for RIPperoni!"
— Chris Rose as both competitors exchange more attacks
Black Dragon bursts into flames.
Even without an active weapon, Team Uai!rrior maintained their machine's aggressive assault. Black Dragon withstood three more heavy hits from RIPperoni's disc, buffetting its opponent back towards the bottom-left killsaw slots in the process. However, as it survived a few more head-to-head exchanges - causing its eggbeater to rotate freely again - it instantaneously caught fire.
The flaming Black Dragon, nevertheless, rammed and threw RIPperoni over against the control booth, before steering it over the other killsaw slots from this end of the BattleBox. These attacks were enough to cause RIPperoni's disc to churn away at the floor, then - as before - kick itself into a violent flip. Black Dragon kept pushing RIPperoni from the back as the match entered the final minute.
"...they've been on fire before, they CONTINUE to attack!"
— Kenny Florian, as a burning Black Dragon maintains an aggressive performance against the faltering RIPperoni
A flaming Black Dragon drives RIPperoni onto the Upper Deck.
Sustaining more heavy hits from RIPperoni, it pushed the latter around, Black Dragon, capitalizing on its opponent's late mobility issues, before the two competitors circled around each other and the now-active killsaws on the bottom-right. Finally, Black Dragon rammed and sent RIPperoni hurtling over the Upper Deck screws, leaving it on the deck itself with just 35 seconds remaining. When it became clear that RIPperoni could not drive freely on its right wheel, Team Uai!rrior began celebrating as a knockout win became more certain.
"The countdown has started! They can't move! Fred Moore doin' everything he can to resurrect [RIPperoni]! CAN HE MAKE IT TO THE CLOSING BELL?! THEY CANNOT! Black Dragon has DONE IT! With just three seconds to go, RIPperoni is counted out! An all-time classic!"
— Chris Rose as Black Dragon takes the late KO
RIPperoni is knocked out with just three seconds remaining.
After two minutes and 57 seconds, RIPperoni was counted out, awarding Black Dragon a tense and closely-fought victory by knockout. Following the match, Team Uai!rrior exchanged congratulatory hugs with Omega Team, before Julio Cortez and Gabriel Bertozzi openly admitted their nerves and 'luck' over their recent triumph. After presenting the plush Mano mascot, dubbing it 'Lucky Ducky', Cortez publicly thanked his teammates, Omega Team and the audience.
"One more thing... weapons can stop Black Dragon, but fire never!"
— Julio Cortez
Black Dragon vs. Ribbot
Now in the Top 16, Black Dragon took on David Jin and the No.28 seed Ribbot in a rematch from the World Championship V quarter-finals. For this Top 16 battle, Black Dragon was armed with its heavier, 40lb eggbeater drum spinner and twin wedgelets on either side.
"They have a very durable robot too, so I think it's going to be a judges' decision. I think it's going to be a great show to watch..."
— Gabriel Bertozzi pre-fight
Ribbot launches Black Dragon through the air.
Both robots collided in the center of the BattleBox as their vertical spinners immediately got up to speed. Black Dragon's eggbeater drum spinner got underneath the front of Ribbot early, forcing it back towards the corner. David Jin's robot quickly retaliated, however, throwing the Brazilian bot upside-down and ripping away its right-side wedgelet. After losing one of its decorative eyes, Ribbot then struck the front of Black Dragon, tossing it through the air as it landed on the screws nearest the red starting square.
Chris Rose: "Black Dragon, inverted… WOAHH!"
Kenny Florian: "WOAH! WHAT A SHOT BY RIBBOT!"
Chris Rose: "Woah!"
— Chris and Kenny react as Ribbot strikes Black Dragon
Ribbot forces Black Dragon into the Upper Deck.
Still inverted, Black Dragon looked to drive away from danger, but was clipped again by Ribbot's vertical spinner and was flipped upright. As Black Dragon looked to mount a comeback, Ribbot got to its side and began grinding away against its frame while pushing the No.21 seed towards the Upper Deck. Ribbot used its drive power to remain aggressive, charging at its opponent as Black Dragon sat against the screws of the hazard. The amphibious robot hit again, warping the remaining wedgelet of Black Dragon as it suffered damage to its left-side drive.
Chris Rose: "OHH! Big time counter shot by Black Dragon."
Kenny Florian: "... but their drive is compromised on that left side, Chris. Ribbot needs to put them away; you cannot let Black Dragon hang around. They will make you pay."
Chris Rose: "Only been knocked out in 26 career matches, and its weapon is STILL spinning, and it is STILL dangerous!"
Kenny Florian: "Absolutely. With the power of these two weapons, one shot could change this fight in an instant."
— Chris and Kenny as Black Dragon looks to fight back
Black Dragon is thrown against the rails.
Ribbot had now lost a fork also as the fight moved back to the corner of the BattleBox. The pair exchanged glancing shots, which cost Black Dragon its remaining wedgelet. Looking to get the right angle, Ribbot struck the front of Black Dragon again, violently throwing it back against the rails. The No.28 seed followed this up with another hit which righted Black Dragon as it lay on Ribbot's right-front wheel.
Ribbot watches on as Black Dragon's season comes to a close.
Eventually resting against the entry gate, Black Dragon's weapon was still spinning but its wheels were now no longer moving. Ribbot backed away to assess the situation, with David Jin's team anticipating a count-out. Referee David Sanfilippo agreed that Black Dragon was immobile, and began a count against Julio Cortez's team.
Ribbot took the win, ending Black Dragon's run at the Round of 16 stage as they suffered only a second ever knockout.
BattleBots: Champions II[]
Black Dragon vs. Blip
Black Dragon ahead of the fight.
Black Dragon competed in BattleBots: Champions II, where it fought Blip in the first round of the second Sin City Slugfest bracket. It was equipped with two hinged forks leading into its eggbeater weapon for this battle.
Team Uai!rrior stated their intention to keep the fight in the center of the BattleBox, and away from areas Blip could best take advantage of. They also believed Black Dragon to have the better ground game – a claim also made by Blip captain Aren Hill about his robot. Ahead of the fight, Kenny Florian backed Black Dragon's spinning weapon to be the difference-maker.
Blip catches fire.
Both robots began tentatively with Black Dragon spinning up as Blip approached. Aren Hill met the Brazilian bot head on before looking to navigate to its side. Blip then breached the front forks of Black Dragon and got underneath, throwing it with a small flip. Black Dragon bounced around before landing against the wall, and Blip pinned it in place for a few seconds.
Blip stacks Black Dragon against the wall.
Blip struggled to edge Black Dragon in range of its flipper, and the Brazilian robot wiggled free. Gabriel Bertozzi took the fight to the middle of the BattleBox and Black Dragon landed a quick uppercut to the front of Blip, followed by a series of lesser shots to its chassis. Its eggbeater spinner briefly halted, Black Dragon was pinned by Blip again before the left-side speed controller for Blip's drive caught fire.
Chris Rose: "OH NO!"
Kenny Florian: "Blip is on fire!"
Chris Rose: "I don't think we've ever seen that in the few seasons that Blip's been around!"
— Chris and Kenny react to Blip's fire
In this moment, Black Dragon's spinner managed to remove Blip's right fork and then suffered a hit to its back end. Gabriel Bertozzi then drove Black Dragon up the front of its opponent, who hesitated before throwing it upside-down. In doing so, however, Blip suffered damage to its flipper as the panel was now peeled up at the front. The Seems Reasonable Robotics entry was also struggling with its left-side drive as Black Dragon returned to the middle of the arena and threw itself back over.
Black Dragon assesses an immobile Blip.
Black Dragon drove up the front of Blip again, who fired its weapon and upended the former semi-finalist once again. Team Uai!rrior's bot retreated again to self-right and then got to the back of Blip. Before they could land a hit, Blip suddenly stopped moving and Aren Hill began applauding his opponents, conceding defeat. Referee John Remar counted Blip out and Black Dragon advanced to Round 2.
Black Dragon vs. MadCatter
Next up for the Brazilian team was Founder's Award winner Martin Mason and MadCatter, in a rematch from World Championship VI. Black Dragon carried the same configuration over from its first round win, and the team reiterated their plan to keep the fight in the middle of the arena.
MadCatter throws Black Dragon around in the opening seconds.
The fight began with MadCatter charging down Black Dragon, drifting around to meet it head-on before popping it into the air with its vertical spinner. Proving itself as the lower robot early on, Calvin Iba drove Black Dragon back toward the Upper Deck, and the Brazilian robot lost its right-side attachment.
MadCatter takes Black Dragon to the short corner.
Black Dragon's eggbeater drum was halted by MadCatter, who shoved the Brazilian robot into the short corner and under the pulverizer. MadCatter drove away, allowing Gabriel Bertozzi to escape and for Team Uai!rrior to spin their weapon back up. Black Dragon struck Gassy Cat as it sought to pursue its opponent, attacking the front of MadCatter before their weapon slowed to a standstill. Even without its weapon, MadCatter was able to slide its wedges underneath and force Black Dragon into the spiked rails.
Both bots go weapon-to-weapon.
Martin Mason's robot became caught in the killsaw slots momentarily, which allowed Black Dragon to get to its side and grind against its armor. Calvin Iba expertly weaved around its attacks, however, escaping further punishment and bouncing Black Dragon into the screws.
Kenny Florian: "MadCatter's been impressive so far..."
Chris Rose: "Yeah, but its weapon... non-functional right now, Kenny. I don't know if it's been shut down by choice or not."
— Kenny Florian and Chris Rose assess the first half of the fight
Both bots lock horns.
As Black Dragon attacked Gassy Cat again, MadCatter gave chase and oversteered, allowing the Brazilian bot to deliver a hit to its rear, upending MadCatter. Though its weapon appeared disabled rather than powered down on purpose, Calvin Iba continued to use the robot's drive power to control Black Dragon where possible, pinning it against the Upper Deck.
Black Dragon flips MadCatter.
Black Dragon escaped and attacked MadCatter again, popping it up into the air and destroying Gassy Cat as the larger robot accidentally swept up its teammate. The 2020 season semi-finalist got underneath MadCatter again, overturning its opponent and then landing a series of hits to its frame with under a minute to go.
Damage to MadCatter, courtesy of Black Dragon.
MadCatter's side armor was now peeled up, exposing its right-front wheel, and its front was chewed up from an accumulation of attacks. This did not deter driver Calvin Iba, who was able to shove Black Dragon back into the rails in the closing stages. To the surprise of Chris Rose and Kenny Florian, MadCatter's primary weapon began to spin up again in the final seconds as the fight went to the judges.
Chris Rose: "MadCatter dazed, confused and now... oh my goodness, did its weapon come back to life?!"
Kenny Florian: "Wow..."
Chris Rose: "Well, well, well, what do we have here in the final few ticks?"
Kenny Florian: "Very interesting."
— Chris and Kenny react to MadCatter's message to the judges
Despite its late display of weapon functionality, the judges voted unanimously in favor of Black Dragon, who advanced to the Sin City Slugfest final.
Black Dragon vs. Whiplash
Advancing to the final, Black Dragon looked to seek revenge on Whiplash after losing to it twice in World Championship V and BattleBots: Champions I. Team Uai!rrior introduced a new configuration consisting of four small wedgelets on the front of their robot, while Whiplash sported its spinning disc for the first time in this tournament.
Both robots meet head-on.
Whiplash was the faster of the two robots to escape its starting square, charging Black Dragon down and asserting itself as the lower robot early on. Meeting head-on, Black Dragon and Whiplash engaged in several brief pushing battles, which resulted in the Brazilian bot getting in underneath and buffeting the underside of its opponent.
Whiplash pushed Black Dragon into the corner, but the Brazilians push back.
Black Dragon initiated another shoving match again, but Whiplash got around to its side and drove it back to the center of the BattleBox. The eggbeater drum spinner of Black Dragon pushed back, with sparks flying as the hinged forks of Whiplash bounced against the Brazilian bot's primary weapon. Whiplash, however, then bent back the right-side wedgelets of Black Dragon and was able to slide its lifter underneath, but Gabriel Bertozzi drove it away from danger.
Black Dragon is overturned.
Both weapons spun as the pair went head-to-head again, but Black Dragon came off worse as Whiplash used its disc to overturn Black Dragon. Matt Vasquez maintained the pressure, flinging it over and pinning the former Desperado Tournament champions momentarily. Black Dragon fled in an attempt to find space to right itself and a tap from the disc of Whiplash did the trick.
"Nice little clip there! Three, four good hits by Whiplash in a row..."
— Chris Rose as Black Dragon is righted
Black Dragon pops Whiplash into the air as it escapes the corner.
As the fight approached the halfway point, both bots duelled in the short corner. This led to Whiplash pinning Black Dragon against the Upper Deck before landing a lift which tipped it back, but failed to overturn Black Dragon again. The primary weapon of Gabriel Bertozzi's robot was back up to speed, but Whiplash landed another lift after getting around to its back end, followed by a strike to the rear-left wheel of Whiplash from Black Dragon.
Black Dragon rams Whiplash into the rails.
Black Dragon continued on, beating against the frame of Whiplash again as the Brazilians sought to dictate the final minute of the Slugfest final. It breached the hinged forks of Whiplash again, driving it towards the rails near the Vasquez family's pulverizer. While the eggbeater on Black Dragon appeared non-functional, the right-side drive of Whiplash was similarly affected.
"They have a major issue with their drive. What sort of impression will that leave on the judges in the final 30 seconds? And for Black Dragon, it looks like they've lost function to their weapon. That's also gonna have a huge impact on the scorecards. Both bots limping to the finish line!"
— Chris Rose summarizes the state of both robots as seconds tick down
Both finalists limp to a judges' decision.
With both robots hurt, Black Dragon suffered a hit from the killsaws as the Slugfest final entered its final seconds. Black Dragon pushed Whiplash from the side as the Vasquez family kept their disc spinning. The finalists retreated post-fight as the referees asked both teams to demonstrate drive and weapon functionality. Whiplash was declared the winner by unanimous judges' decision following a close-fought bout, and Black Dragon's run in BattleBots: Champions II came to an end.
Though Team Uai!rrior appealed this decision, but were unsuccessful and the decision ultimately stood.
NOTE: Whiplash was declared the winner of this battle on a unanimous judges' decision. Team Uai!rrior appealed this decision, but were unsuccessful and the decision stood.
** Whiplash was declared the winner of this battle on a unanimous judges' decision. Team Uai!rrior appealed this decision, but were unsuccessful and the decision stood.
"Stronger than the iron throne with a flamethrower. Hotter than Jon Snow. What? He's a good looking guy. When you play the game of BattleBots, you win or you die. It's BLACK DRAGON!"
"You're gonna want to call your momma after this blunt force trauma. Let's face facts, you're about to get destroyed by this Brazilian's wax. BLACK DRAGON!"
"This bot is like a creature from Harry Potter. It'll Slytherin to your personal space, and send you flying into the Gryffin-door. Expecto bot-tronum! It's BLACK DRAGON!"
"From Brazil, its Spanish cousins are called negro dragones. In English, that stands for watch your cajones. It shredded the Captain, now it's your neck it's snapping. It's the fire breathing BLACK DRAGON!"
"From Itajubá, Brazil, in the semi-final, it plucked War Hawk's wings. Now it's a fight for the crown between two country kings. It's the fight of a lifetime, for all the braggin'. So get fired up for BLACK DRAGON!"
"From Brazil, it's the 2019 Desperado winner ranked #8. In Portuguese, it's pronounced "oito". He may've started this season incognito, but a fight with him now means certain defeat-o, isn't that neat-o? He ain't humble, he's braggin'. It's BLACK DRAGON!"
"This bot is famous like these flying beasts. It's not toothless, it's ruthless. You're gonna want to Hungarian hail tail it out of here, cause you're dra-going home, I'm Vaserious. Raise your flagon for BLACK DRAGON!"
"It's the Brazilian brawler, who's last name's not Gracie. Here to choke bots out 'til their vision gets hazy. They're back this season to deliver more fiery knockouts, and make their competition wish they had arms so they can tap out. The South American assassin, BLACK DRAGON!"
"This bot is a Brazilian sporting legend like Pelé. He's always down for the rumble, always up for the melee. He gets a kick out of torturing you and taking your soul, and winning the Giant Nut is his only team's GOOOOAAALL! It's BLACK DRAGON!"
"This robot comes to us from Brazil. He has only two motives: to crush and to kill. So before you step in the box, you better update your will. Introducing the tire-screeching, high-speeding, wire-eating, fire-breathing, entire reason why you're bleeding, BLACK DRAGON!"
"He has an egg-beater spinner so his options are ample. His opponents will get hard-boiled, poached, or scrambled. It's all up to you. He can make it slow or speedy. Either way, this battle will be over easy. It's BLACK DRAGON!"
"From Medas Durias, Brazil, making bodies hollow from Rio to São Paolo, it's BLACK DRAGON!"
"This fighter is Brazilian, his team is reptilian. How many bots has he killed? Try a billion. Bring the pain is his credo, make you bleed like a mosquito. Then he'll be rollin' in a beach in Rio, rockin' a speedo. It's BLACK DRAGON!"
"From Minas Gerais, Brazil, the exterminator from south of the equator, it's BLACK DRAGON!"
"This dude's torched his way through every other dragon. Flew up with a.... *fire breathing sound* and did some body-bagging. He made Puff pass away and left Toothless breathless, made Drogon be gone with his powerful death fist, made Ghidorah hit the floor when he let the flames rip, he even killed Piff and over his show on the strip, it's BLACK DRAGON!"
"This bot comes from the land just south of the equator. It's almost as hot as when he leaves you in a smoldering crater. There's no beating the heat breathed by this mean Brazilian. You couldn't stop the burn with a whole bottle of SPF 1 billion. It's BLACK DRAGON!"
"From Itajubá, Brazil, he'll keep breathing fire until you expire. Give it up for BLACK DRAGON!"
"If you try to train this dragon, you're gonna end up dead. Its egg beater drum will slice you inside out and you'll be turning red. The incredible bot is here to snatch your soul and win some riches, and you can say hi to Nemo and Dory when you're sleeping with the fishes. Give it up for BLACK DRAGON!"
"This fighter's owners might be all Brazilian, but he assassinates like a mobster Sicilian. He'll make you an offer you can't refuse. Get out of the box now or get ready to lose. Kiss the ring of the Botfather. It's BLACK DRAGON!"
"From Itajubá, Brazil, their flamethrower reminds me of Nelly 'cause it's about to get hot in here. You're gonna need a Band-Aid on your face thanks to BLACK DRAGON!"
"From Itajubá, Brazil. This Brazilian spits so much fire, he doesn't speak Portuguese, he speaks Scorch-uguese. It's BLACK DRAGON!"
"From Itajubá, Brazil, don't be fooled by their cute stuffed duck. They came here to quack you upside in. It's BLACK DRAGON!"
"This ain't no game, the dragon wants the throne. Better keep that thing shiny. He'll cut you down so small, even Tyrion will think you're tiny. He's no Targaryen but he'll be burying you. To go against him is treason. He'll screw you up worse than HBO screwed up the last season. It's BLACK DRAGON!'
Mano, the team's mascot.
Black Dragon's logo.
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Trivia[]
The team's duck mascot is called Mano, and was a prize won at a claw machine during their time competing in the US. It has since become a good luck charm for the team.[6]
Black Dragon has had a different team captain every season it has competed in.
Though Team Uai!rrior have built well over a dozen robots over the years, Black Dragon was their first heavyweight build.
Black Dragon went 24 fights without being knocked out between its 2019 debut and Episode 14 of World Championship VII, filmed in 2022, where it lost by knockout to Riptide and later, Ribbot also.
This is only one fight short of three-time Giant Nut winner, Bite Force.
As of World Championship VII, Black Dragon has made it into the Championship Tournament in every season it has competed in.
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