It is a flat, four-wheel drive robot armed with a grappling claw, which was designed to look like a snake's head, and lifter mechanism similar to that of King of Bots competitor Greedy Snake. As the forks lift, the robot made use of gears to snap the top jaw down at the same time, though this was swapped out to a more reliable pivoting mechanism for its second season. The robot proved capable of performing a 'suplex' on opponents, similar to SlamMow! in World Championship V. Notably, team captain Kevin Milczewski posted a video showing the robot performing this move on former teammate Emmanuel Carrillo's Big Dill.[2] Claw Viper boasted some of the best acceleration in the field, in part due to the four RV-120E brushless motors used for drive, each of which are each paired up to its respective wheel via belts. These motors are more commonly seen powering heavy spinning weaponry, but Team Bad Ideas opted to use these for speed and power in the BattleBox instead.
Claw Viper during World Championship V hero shots.
Team captain Kevin Milczewski previously drove minibotWAR Stop for the WAR Hawk team in World Championship IV, and Rob Farrow of Western Allied Robotics assisted in welding Claw Viper's defensive wedge, which was used against HiJinx in Claw Viper's BattleBots debut. But despite this prior experience, Claw Viper struggled to perform during the 2020 season, winning just the once and losing two fights via by KO, preventing it from progressing to the Round of 32.
Claw Viper during World Championship VI hero shots.
Team Bad Ideas returned for World Championship VI with a handful of functional and aesthetic changes, including but not limited to sloped armor around the front and sides which doubles up as wheel protection, and a new pivoting mechanism to allow the lifting forks and snake head to clamp more reliably. The snake head and forks were now cut from white UMHW plastic, with red metal wedges bolted to the leading edges. The lifting forks, which were considerably thicker than before, were also connected at a lower position to prevent them deforming under the stress of lifting opponents. After an impressive display against Pardon My French, Claw Viper was pegged back to 1-1 after again losing to Team Uai!rrior and Black Dragon, before suffering a second loss to Bloodsport which cost Kevin Milczewski a Top 32 spot.
Claw Viper during World Championship VII hero shots.
In September 2022, the team revealed build progress ahead of World Championship VII.[3] Although Claw Viper did not break into the Pre-Season Power Rankings, its acceptance was confirmed as Claw Viper was revealed to be at filming for the competition. Notable changes concerned the grappling arm now having a "idiot strap" made from one-inch thick Nylon webbing[4], which limited its movement as Claw Viper picked up an opponent. This allowed it to carry 250lb robots easier than before without the risk of dropping them. Its magnets also provided four times more downforce. Weight saved from swapping the main gear for its lifter from steel to aluminum allowed for its grabbing arms to weigh around 20lb more than in previous seasons, improving its durability. These upgrades gave Claw Viper its best season to date as it won three consecutive fights in the Fight Night rounds, including an upset over Ribbot and dominant displays over both Ominous and Overhaul. However, it was unable to finish the regular season undefeated as it lost its final Fight Night battle to HyperShock, entering the Top 32 with a 3-1 record. Despite going the distance with MadCatter, Claw Viper's impressive season came to an end by split judges' decision and an unsuccessful Appeal.
Team Bad Ideas confirmed their inclusion into BattleBots: Champions II in a Reddit AMA. They fought in the final Sin City Slugfest bracket. After defeating Shatter! in Round 1, Claw Viper fell to HyperShock in a rematch from the regular season's Fight Nights.
Claw Viper made its return in April 2024 as it twice took on Minotaur in BattleBots Proving Ground. According to Kevin Milczewski, the team sought to improve Claw Viper's reliability after its losses to HyperShock. The robot also sported brand new, heavy duty steel forks to better cope with its opponent's drum spinner as well as a shorter top claw and new speed controllers for its drive motors.
The robot has previously competed in Robot Ruckus events at Orlando Maker Faire under the name Siege Breaker. It returned in November 2021 under its BattleBots name. Notably, Claw Viper was so powerful that it was able to damage the Robot Ruckus arena, peeling up panels of the arena floor and dislodging the arena barriers during its fight against Slammo!.[5] Claw Viper was also known to have fought Banana Runt, a repainted Big Dill, in a bonus battle.
Claw Viper signed up for the July 2022 Robotica event in Houston, Texas bearing the name Danger Noodle. The team entered it along with hobbyweight Siege Breaker, which has now also adopted the "Claw Viper" name.[6] However, due to shipping issues, the team had to withdraw.[7]
Robot History[]
World Championship V[]
Claw Viper vs. HiJinx
Claw Viper gets a hold of HiJinx.
Claw Viper's first battle was against fellow newcomer, HiJinx. In response, Claw Viper had a front wedge installed to deflect the undercutter's heavy bar. Claw Viper started off rather poorly as its clamping arm was quickly disabled, but Claw Viper was otherwise unscathed and began outpacing its opponent. After driving over HiJinx, Claw Viper started to work in slowing down HiJinx's weapon and was successful. Claw Viper got in two more attacks with the later finally disabling HiJinx completely and HiJinx was counted out, giving Claw Viper the win by KO.
Claw Viper vs. Black Dragon
Black Dragon gets to the side of Claw Viper.
Claw Viper's next match was against the previous season's Desperado Tournament winner Black Dragon. Claw Viper entered with its traditional grappling configuration and tried to box rush Black Dragon from the start. Due to their raw speed and power, Claw Viper missed and slammed itself into the screws. Claw Viper was then tossed into the air and took a hit to the lower part of its clamping arm. Luckily, neither this nor any of the following hits did any real damage. However, Claw Viper was then taken into the screws and stopped moving a smoke began to pour out. Claw Viper tried to get going again and was able to avoid a full count-out, but took another impact and stopped moving completely as the smoke quickly turned to fire. Claw Viper was counted out, giving Black Dragon the win by KO.
Claw Viper vs. Gigabyte
Gigabyte strikes the side of Claw Viper.
Claw Viper's last Fight Night matchup came against Robotic Death Company and Gigabyte. Claw Viper was armed with its upper clamping arm and its front wedge used to deflect spinners upward. This proved to be a good choice as the first collision sent Gigabyte flying into the air. Unfortunately, Gigabyte landed upright, so Claw Viper was forced to keep fighting. After a second hit, Claw Viper was struggling to move outside of a back-and-forth movement in the corner. Claw Viper took a final blow that ripped out its left rear wheel and left it unable to move. Claw Viper was counted out, giving Gigabyte the win by KO.
BattleBots: Bounty Hunters[]
Claw Viper vs. Kraken
Kraken and Claw Viper come to blows.
Claw Viper also took part in the Tombstone Bounty Hunters bracket for a shot at facing Ray Billings' machine and win a share of $25,000. To do just that, Claw Viper first had to fight Kraken. Claw Viper quickly raced out, attemping to box rush its opponent but missed and instead was grappled and carried around the arena, losing a piece of its lifting clamping arm. Kraken also took minor damage but Claw Viper wasn't able to do much as Kraken's very design made it difficult to grab ahold of but was able to tap the top of Kraken while it was in their opponent's grip. Claw Viper released and was able to get some minor lifts in, but they were grappled again and taken to the screws. Time ran out with both robots still mobile but Kraken won a unanimous 3-0 decision.
World Championship VI[]
Claw Viper vs. Pardon My French
Claw Viper lands an early suplex on Pardon My French.
Claw Viper toys with its immobile opponent.
Claw Viper turns its attention to ZUT! as Pardon My French is chewed up by the screws.
Claw Viper slams ZUT! into the arena barrier.
Claw Viper's first fight of the 2021 season was against Canadian newcomer Pardon My French. The fight began with Claw Viper attempting to box rush the rookie team, but missing and sliding into the screws momentarily. It recovered and barged into the front of Pardon My French, whose large drum spinner had not yet reached maximum speed. They turned to try and spin up, but drove into a killsaw slot and Claw Viper capitalized, slowing their drum and getting a hold of Pardon My French before successfully performing a suplex. Pardon My French was now upside-down, but its drum was no longer able to spin. Claw Viper shunted it across the box in an impressive show of speed, then picked up Pardon My French again before dropping it. ZUT! was seemingly immobile near the pulverizer, and Claw Viper flipped it over when trying to bring its opponent out of the corner. Evidently also immobile, the main bot was rammed again by Claw Viper, this time into the side screws and causing a drive chain to loosen on the right side. The screws continued to chew at the underside of Pardon My French before a count began, with Claw Viper picking up and slamming ZUT! into the arena barrier in the meantime. Claw Viper won by an impressive KO to go 1-0 for the season.
Claw Viper vs. Black Dragon
Claw Viper grapples and lifts Black Dragon.
Black Dragon lands a hit on Claw Viper.
Claw Viper's second fight was a rematch from last season against Black Dragon. Claw Viper box-rushed the Brazilian bot in the opening seconds, picking it up in an impressive display of control. It then dropped its opponent behind itself, which proved to be a mistake as Black Dragon landed a glancing blow to its rear. In doing so, Claw Viper appeared to have taken damage to its drive as it only seemed able to move in 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 unable to show translational movement, so was counted out, pushing them to 1-1 for the season.
Claw Viper vs. Bloodsport
Claw Viper fights back despite losing its weapon.
Sitting at 1-1, Claw Viper was given a third Fight Night battle to determine their tournament fate. Their final opponent was the only robot to defeat the previous season's champion, Bloodsport. For this fight, Claw Viper was accompanied by their minibot Hatchling. Bloodsport was allowed to spin up to speed and dealt a glancing hit to Claw Viper's back end in the opening moments. It then turned and drove straight into Claw Viper's weapon, ripping off its top clamping arm and buckling the UMHW forks. Claw Viper gave chase but in trying to lift its opponent, sent its weapon into the spinning bar of Bloodsport. This further damaged Claw Viper's weaponry and a chunk of UMHW was sent flying towards the drivers. The two bots went head to head again, this time sandwiching Hatchling and causing damage to its battery as smoke rose from the minibot. However, Claw Viper was able to use its superior drive power to bully Bloodsport into the short corner and under the pulverizer. It escaped to spin up again and dealt another hit, but Bloodsport was sent flying and almost bounced out of the arena. Claw Viper continued to tank hits from the horizontal spinner as it again got underneath Bloodsport and drove it the length of the BattleBox, slamming it into the housing for the screws, and then into the hazard itself. Bloodsport had again spun up but was lacking a wedgelet and attempted to land attacks in the closing seconds but was unsuccessful. The remains of Claw Viper's weaponry dangled from the bot as the fight went to the judges. As damage carried more weight, Bloodsport took the win by a unanimous decision, ending Claw Viper's season.
BattleBots: Champions I[]
Claw Viper vs. Defender
Claw Viper upends Defender.
Returning for BattleBots: Champions I, Claw Viper met a fellow controlbot in Defender in the first round of the bracket. For the tournament, Claw Viper had been fitted with a brand new four-bar mechanism for its top grabbing arm. This allowed for Claw Viper to not only clamp, but reach forward to grab opponents and pull them into its path. Both bots charged at one another from the off and Defender won the immediate fight for low ground. It managed to lift Claw Viper from the side and topple it over, pressing it against the Upper Deck and then trying to put it on the screws. Claw Viper used its agility to escape, though Defender slid its forks under the side of it again, this time to no true benefit. Both robots circled one another in an attempt to gain an advantage, but Claw Viper found itself snagged on Defender's fork. After ramming it into the housing for the screws, Claw Viper was free and now Defender was stuck and needed freeing. Claw Viper was able to use its new four-bar grappling mechanism to hoist Defender momentarily, dropping it against one of the paddles of the BattleBox. Claw Viper got to the rear of Defender again, but struggled to get a meaningful grab with its new weapon setup. Defender gave chase, though as Claw Viper maneuvered it into the wall, Defender's right wheel fell off, severely hampering their mobility. Claw Viper was then able to assert itself for the remainder of the fight. It grabbed Defender and delivered it to the screws, right in front of the judges. Claw Viper took Defender to the short corner and then to the screws again, all before attempting to finish with a lift on Jason Vasquez's bot. The fight went the distance and Claw Viper won by a unanimous judges' decision, advancing in the bracket.
Claw Viper vs. MadCatter
MadCatter stares down an immobile Claw Viper.
In the next round, Claw Viper faced MadCatter, fresh off a comfortable win over Triple Crown. For this fight, Kevin Milczewski opted to swap out the UMHW viper head for a steel one, with the intention of snagging and cutting MadCatter's weapon belts. This did not come at the expense of its new weapon mechanism, though, as it could still reach forwards as before. Claw Viper immediately charged at MadCatter, who began the fight facing sideways to evade a potential box rush. MadCatter escaped and got underneath Claw Viper, pushing it into the screws of the Upper Deck momentarily. It backed away to spin up before launching Claw Viper across the Upper Deck, where it landed in the short corner. This impact also broke the linkage for Claw Viper's top arm, which hung limp for much of the remaining fight. Martin Mason's bot targeted the vulnerable underbelly of Claw Viper, who kept its weaponry in a defensive position before being caught on its opponent. Claw Viper got away, but suffered more attacks from its opponent who drove it across the length of the arena and rammed it into the barrier. MadCatter backed away as Claw Viper appeared high-centered on a loose part, before dealing another hit to its back panel. The next attack appeared to kill Claw Viper's drive completely, as it was no longer able to move convincingly. MadCatter used its lifting arm to pull Claw Viper back onto its weapon, and it became evident that the reason for its hampered mobility was a snapped drive belt. Claw Viper was counted out and was eliminated from the Sin City Slugfest bracket.
World Championship VII[]
Claw Viper vs. Ominous
Claw Viper's first Fight Night opponent of World Championship VII was a new entry from an experienced team, Ominous.
Ominous attacks the front of Claw Viper.
Claw Viper rams head on into Ominous, flipping it over.
Within a couple of seconds, Claw Viper dashed across the BattleBox and tagged Ominous before the Dutch bot drove away. Claw Viper gave chase and attempted a lift on its opponent, but made contact with the spinning weapon of Ominous as it escaped to the short corner. Claw Viper responded by driving around Ominous before charging into and flipping it over, then holding Ominous against the screws of the Upper Deck as it positioned itself for a lift.
Claw Viper picks up Ominous and holds it above.
Claw Viper slams Ominous into the screws.
Ominous used its front-hinged self-righter to flip back over, but fell right into the lower jaw of Claw Viper, who clamped down and picked it up before spinning and dropping its opponent. Ominous tried to escape but Claw Viper kept up the aggression, shoving Tim Bouwens' robot into the Upper Deck before driving it into the screws, dropping it against the serrated edges.
Claw Viper charges head on into Ominous, flipping it over.
Claw Viper lifts up an inverted Ominous against the wall.
Ominous struggled to escape and required the screws to reverse for the fight to continue. Kevin Milczewski was waiting in position, and used Claw Viper's weaponry to lift and further control Ominous. While its weapon was still spinning, Ominous struggled to catch the speedier, more nimble Claw Viper as it found itself inverted once more.
Claw Viper rams Ominous against the screws, throwing it onto the Upper Deck.
Claw Viper manhandles Ominous against the wall.
Claw Viper drove over and hoisted it into the air, tearing down signage in front of the drivers' booths in the process. Ominous was slow in its attempt to self-right and Claw Viper took full advantage, forcing it into and on top of the Upper Deck. Although Ominous was quick to escape, its opponent was again waiting in the short corner and continued to overwhelm it with attack after attack. The controlbot unbalanced Ominous again and attempted to grab its opponent, but settled on nudging it against one of the paddles.
Claw Viper places Ominous on the paddle, getting it stuck.
The front wedges of Ominous prevented its wheels from reaching the floor, and the drisk weaponry appeared unable to help Ominous clamber away from danger. With under a minute to go, Ominous was deemed immobile and counted out, signalling Claw Viper's fourth career win and a first in World Championship VII.
Claw Viper vs. Ribbot
"We just watched the fight with Ominous, and that was one of the craziest fights we've ever seen. It'll definitely be a challenge as a driver trying to keep up with something that quick."
— David Jin of Team Ribbot, anticipating a tough match against the fast and agile Claw Viper
Claw Viper's second Fight Night match was against World Championship V quarter-finalist Ribbot. Immediately, it sped out of the red square, slamming into Ribbot's right-hand side and the bottom-right corner within the first two seconds.
"...there's that speed and there's that box-rush. Claw Viper looking for a bite. Ribbot's weapon has fully spun up. Kevin Milczewski has to be careful with the placement here."
— Kenny Florian as Claw Viper applies early pressure to Ribbot
Claw Viper carries Ribbot backwards.
The Team Bad Ideas machine pushed, before simultaneously clamping, ramming and lifting Ribbot twice against the spiked bumpers. After a few seconds suspending its opponent off the BattleBox floor, Claw Viper hoisted Ribbot nearly 90 degrees into the air, while reversing at high speed into the wall opposite the competitors' control area. Shards of Lexan flew as Ribbot's spinner smashed the inner wall closest to the booth. The impact caused superficial damage to Ribbot itself as it was thrown free, the battered green machine now missing one of its eyes. However, while reversing, Claw Viper was flipped over and maneuvered towards the bottom-left corner by its recovering opponent.
Ribbot strikes the left-rear corner of Claw Viper.
Claw Viper self-righted quickly, but took more hits as it again pinned and tried to clamp Ribbot. At this point, Ribbot was immobilized on its left side, allowing Claw Viper to ram it backwards and partially over the bumper. Claw Viper weathered another collision with Ribbot's spinner during another push, leaving Ribbot stranded on the bumper itself. Kevin Milczewski's machine darted back towards the center as he anticipated a quick victory. These hopes would be short-lived, however, as Ribbot freed itself from the bumper's spiked portion. Ribbot, still partially incapacitated, shed a large piece of its decorative top cover as a lurking Claw Viper rushed in to ram and destabilize it.
The two competitors size each other up; note the missing eye on Ribbot.
Sparks fly as Claw Viper weathers a spinner attack from Ribbot.
For the next few moments, neither robot engaged, with Claw Viper struggling to find a suitable opening to attack Ribbot again. This prompted criticism from Team Ribbot concerning Claw Viper 'not doing anything' during this period, after which Claw Viper turned and exposed its left side to a charging attack from Ribbot. Claw Viper sped away and circled into the front of Ribbot once again, sparks flying as its lifting forks struggled to gain new purchase. It would proceed to tank more hits to the forks and front-right corner while pushing Ribbot against the bottom wall. As the halfway mark passed, Claw Viper proceeded to scoop up and slam Ribbot spinner-first into the bottom-left corner.
Chris Rose: "More than halfway through this one..."
Kenny Florian: "[Claw Viper slams Ribbot into the bottom-left bumper] Aw!"
Chris Rose: "...it's been a back-and-forth brawl with both teams dishing out serious damage! Claw Viper a huge underdog in this one, has put itself in position to pull off a serious upset!"
— As Claw Viper rams Ribbot after the 1:30 mark
Claw Viper performs another 'reverse suplex'.
More aggressive ramming maneuvers followed from Claw Viper, before it grabbed Ribbot by the right-hand side, lifted and reversed it into the already-damaged Lexan in a 'reverse suplex' attack. Ribbot landed upside-down as a result, sparks and smoke emitting as its vertical spinner grazed the BattleBox floor. Claw Viper darted behind and rammed Ribbot into one of the Upper Deck screws, relentlessly forcing the green machine across the inner perimeter as it lost more of its top cover. Claw Viper retreated as Ribbot kicked itself onto its weapon mount castors, following the latter back towards the control area. Here, the blue and purple control bot threw Ribbot upwards with a ram, which was enough to permanently spin down Ribbot's malfunctioning weapon.
Kenny Florian: "Ribbot inverted now, but still has that active weapon, Chris. Kevin doesn't seem to care. Claw Viper, going right at the frog!"
Chris Rose: "Here's another shot, and has that weapon started to slow? Has Kevin broken it?"
Kenny Florian: "Claw Viper having its way with last season's number two tournament seed!"
— As Claw Viper relentlessly pursues and rams Ribbot, disabling its spinner in the process
Claw Viper grasps Ribbot during another high-speed attack.
Claw Viper pins Ribbot against the screws.
Another head-to-head ram allowed Claw Viper to launch Ribbot upwards again, which was enough to cause Ribbot to snag on its grabbing arm. Claw Viper swiftly carried its opponent backwards towards the right-most screws, slamming into the center screw mount and allowing Ribbot to break loose. Unrelenting, Claw Viper darted round to push, clamp and lift Ribbot, slamming it into the bottom-left Lexan shield. Despite overbalancing, it would next 'feed' Ribbot into another screw on the left-most side, before chasing it out of the top-left corner. Claw Viper continued to pressure Ribbot, before grasping and slamming it backwards into the Lexan one last time.
Chris Rose: "...put Ribbot in a BabyBjörn here, turned the frog into a tadpole! That new lifter working to perfection for Claw Viper! But listen, let's give Ribbot some credit in terms of durability. You know, there's a lot of bots that would’ve died out there. This one did not!"
Kenny Florian: "No, Ribbot is tough, we knew that! Landed a few nice shots, but Kevin Milczewski was racking up points in every category. Claw Viper came out of nowhere. What a surprise!"
— During post-match replays
In what was considered to be a major upset, the battle ended in a unanimous judges' decision, ruling in favor of the dominant Claw Viper. This would secure Claw Viper's second consecutive victory of the Fight Night stage.
Claw Viper vs. Overhaul
Claw Viper's third Fight Night battle came against fellow grappler, Overhaul.
Claw Viper immediately topples Overhaul.
As its opponent awaited a box-rush, Claw Viper uncharacteristically drove towards Overhaul before speeding up and driving itself into the screws. It then reached to Overhaul's side and lifted, dropping and flipping Charles Guan's machine. Overhaul quickly recovered, but Claw Viper was quick to get in underneath again, twisting and turning around the BattleBox until it found an opening. Unable to gain much leverage, however, Kevin Milczewski improvised and hit reverse to ensure Claw Viper could continue to drive Overhaul towards the BattleBox hazards.
"It's unbelievable how fast that robot is. Attacking the sides of Overhaul... Overhaul doesn't even know what's hitting him right now!"
— Kenny Florian as Claw Viper proves the early aggressor
Overhaul approaches the stuck Claw Viper.
Overhaul broke free and enjoyed some breathing space as Claw Viper found itself stuck in one of the killsaw slots. However, as Charles Guan drove towards its opponent to try and attack, the 2-0 robot had become free. As both bots returned to the center of the arena, Claw Viper drove up the forks of Overhaul and the former Top 8 finisher scored a lift on Claw Viper before Kevin Milczewski's reversal saw his robot grip the forks and slam Overhaul into the screws.
"What a display of control and aggression. This is what Claw Viper has been doing to every opponent it's had."
— Kenny Florian
Overhaul is sent to the screws, courtesy of Claw Viper.
Claw Viper continued on, getting underneath Overhaul several more times and then inverting it. Charles Guan reversed into the Upper Deck as it tried to self-right, eventually doing just that. Overhaul was undeterred and locked horns with its opponent, coercing it into the short corner and taking advantage as Claw Viper showed its side to the 1-0 bot. Overhaul slid its forks underneath, lifting and then hooking Claw Viper's wrap-around armor before slamming it into the rails. Now it was Claw Viper's turn to be flipped over, though it self-righted with ease. In the closing seconds, Overhaul found itself picked up and carried, but the weight of its opponent caused the strap which limited the weapon's range of mobility to snap. Claw Viper spent the final seconds taking shots from the killsaws as the fight went the distance.
Claw Viper won unanimously and advanced to 3-0 for the season.
Claw Viper vs. HyperShock
The only robot which stood between Claw Viper and a 4-0 Fight Night record was the 2022 re:MARS all:STARS champion, HyperShock. Prior to the match, Team Bad Ideas swapped their machine's rear wheels for Colson equivalents, as they were running short on spare tires. While not immediately obvious to their opposing team, this modification adversely affected Claw Viper's traction along the BattleBox floor throughout.[8]
Chris Rose: "Box-rush, of course, by Claw Viper! Nice defensive driving by Will Bales, gets underneath Claw Viper."
Kenny Florian: "How about that shot from HyperShock? Great avoidance of that box-rush there, Chris. HyperShock ALL OVER Claw Viper!"
— The frantic opening moments
HyperShock evades Claw Viper's box-rush.
True to its form, Claw Viper immediately darted to face HyperShock near the top-right killsaws. However, it struggled to keep its front end pointing accurately, the Colson wheels sending it into bouts of oversteer whenever it turned. Claw Viper weaved around the perimeter near the blue square, in an attempt to throw HyperShock off its tracks. HyperShock lunged at Claw Viper, but rammed into the middle blue square screw mount. Claw Viper attempted to take advantage by grabbing HyperShock's left wheel, but could not gain a purchase before it was launched into an Upper Deck screw. Landing upside-down, Kevin Milczewski's machine re-righted itself as HyperShock closed in. However, another oversteer episode exposed Claw Viper to another flip from HyperShock, which proceeded to slam it into the blue square screw.
"Ah, this is advantage Will Bales right now, taking full control of this fight!"
— Kenny Florian as HyperShock relentlessly buffets Claw Viper around into the screws
Claw Viper is taken to the screws.
Claw Viper sustained two more hits to the back; the first forced it up on the screw, the second flipping it over a third time. Though self-righting once again, it was again attacked by the unrelenting HyperShock, which proceeded to shepherd it into the bottom-right corner. After this, Claw Viper was flipped a full 360 degrees and slammed upwards under a nearby pulverizer. Again, it spun round, trying to initiate a head-to-head attack on HyperShock.
HyperShock continues to control its opponent.
This allowed HyperShock to begin its next series of attacks, throwing Claw Viper on top of itself before sending it recoiling with a blow to the front-right corner. When the two competitors next engaged in a head-to-head collision, Claw Viper was sent violently somersaulting onto its back by HyperShock's drum. Trying to self-right, it sustained more hits which left it in the top-right corner. On top of a mangled lifter and grappling arm, the robot was now left with severe drive issues.
Chris Rose: "Claw Viper's... it's arm is bent! I'm not so sure it's movin'!"
Kenny Florian: "I think it might be OVER, Chris!"
— As Claw Viper lays immobile and damaged in the corner
Claw Viper's unbeaten Fight Night comes to an end.
Claw Viper twitched back and forth on its right-hand wheels, while referee John Remar assessed whether it was fully incapacitated. A 10-second countdown was soon initiated, signalling the end of Claw Viper's winning streak. Claw Viper - having also sustained major damage to its armor and internals - lost by knockout after one minute and 19 seconds of combat.
This forced it to end its Fight Night run with an otherwise strong 3-1 record. Will Bales, who had been impressed with its breakout run, later expressed hopes for a rematch with Claw Viper running in its most optimal condition.[8]
Claw Viper vs. MadCatter
Breaking into the Top 32 for the first time in its career, Claw Viper was seeded No.11 and took on the No.22 seed, MadCatter. This served as a rematch from BattleBots: Champions I, where MadCatter previously took the win.
Both robots look for an early opening.
Claw Viper predictably charged straight at its opponent, bulldozing its way through Gassy Cat to meet MadCatter in the center of the BattleBox. As MadCatter's disk got up to speed, Claw Viper tried to grab and missed, but got its lower jaw underneath its opponent instead, almost tipping the No.22 seed over. In an attempt to outdrive Calvin Iba, Kevin Milczewski accidentally drove into the wall before facing MadCatter again, getting a hold of its front-right corner and ramming Martin Mason's machine into the wall.
As MadCatter is pinned, Claw Viper chews on the BattleBots sign.
Gassy Cat then found itself caught and flung into the vertical spinner of MadCatter itself, disabling the minibot. Though MadCatter was able to keep its weapon pointed at the No.11 seed and remained dangerous, Claw Viper pinned it against the rails in front of both drivers and damaged the signage. Referee David Sanfilippo instructed Kevin Milczewski to release so he obliged, but dragged MadCatter back as well as the robots appeared interlocked.
Claw Viper upends MadCatter and rams it into the corner.
MadCatter then took advantage by grinding away as Claw Viper's side armor and pushing it into the corner, ultimately getting underneath and then freeing itself. Having tanked each of its opponent's attacks up to this point, Claw Viper managed to tip the No.22 seed back and drive it into the wall. MadCatter was not granted time to self-right before Claw Viper was underneath it again, carrying Martin Mason's robot across the arena and swinging MadCatter into the housing for the screws on the opposite side of the BattleBox.
Claw Viper loses its grabbing arm.
With half the fight gone, MadCatter needed to get a foothold in this Round of 32 clash as it self-righted on top of Claw Viper. However, in an error by Kevin Milczewski, Claw Viper's grabbing arm dropped into the path of MadCatter's vertical spinner, tearing a significant part of its primary weapon away.
Chris Rose: "Ohh, Claw Viper digging into it, chomping it up!"
Kenny Florian: "...but lost its lifting arm in the process. Kevin Milczewski dropping it right into the disk of MadCatter. He may regret that choice."
— Chris and Kenny react as Claw Viper's attack comes at a cost
Claw Viper struggles to self-right late on.
MadCatter was driven back by Claw Viper, but the controlbot could no longer grapple and the tide soon turned as Calvin Iba drove his team's bot into the side of Claw Viper, flipping it over. Claw Viper landed inverted in the short corner, with just its rear two wheels making contact with the floor.
"C'mon Calvin, get me up! Let's have some fun, buddy."
— Kevin Milczewski encourages MadCatter driver Calvin Iba to help him self-right
Claw Viper maneuvers out of the corner as the clock hits zero.
The vertical spinner of MadCatter had now been powered down as Claw Viper appeared unable to right itself without assistance. Its armor had been bucked towards the front-left of the robot and as the seconds ticked down, the fight went to the judges.
Both captains show respect as Claw Viper's elimination is confirmed.
In a back-and-forth affair, a split judges' decision was announced in which MadCatter was declared the winner. Kevin Milczewski opted to launch an Appeal, but was unsuccessful and the original decision stuck, confirming an end to a statement season for Claw Viper.
Post-fight, he alluded to a lack of confidence in the decision being overturned, but felt he had "no choice" but to appeal regardless, a decision Martin Mason understood and respected.
"We thought we had the aggression and control throughout the fight, but in the fog of, you know, driving that ridiculous thing, I forgot that I was on my head for the second half of the fight, so... I think they got it right. MadCatter kicked our butt!"
— Kevin Milczewski on the decision to launch an Appeal
BattleBots: Champions II[]
Claw Viper vs. Shatter!
Claw Viper's configuration for fighting Shatter!.
Claw Viper also competed in BattleBots: Champions II, where it took on Shatter! in the opening round of the final Sin City Slugfest. Kevin Milczewski's team forwent their side armor in favor of additional protection from overhead attacks, and stated their intention to capitalize on Shatter!'s habit of oversteering due to its omnidirectional wheels.
"We have an armor configuration designed pretty much specifically for them. But in order to run it, we have to take the side armor off of our robot. So Claw Viper's gonna look a little bit different in this fight. It's gonna be a lot narrower, but there's a lot more heavy armor on top so we can take a couple of hits from his hammer, then control the fight."
— Kevin Milczewski explains his design sacrifices ahead of fighting Shatter!.
Shatter! strikes Claw Viper.
Claw Viper crept out of its starting square, approaching the strafing Shatter! before steering sharply and charging into its opponent, getting in underneath briefly. Though unable to lift or grab the Bots FC machine with its first attack, Shatter! shed several of its ablative triangles. Kevin Milczewski was then able to grab hold of its opponent's front, but could only lift itself forward as the shaft of Shatter's hammer hacked against Claw Viper's top arm.
"Impressive timing by Shatter! here early, landing some shots with the hammer... But man, that speed of Claw Viper, Chris. How do you deal with that?"
— Kenny Florian
Claw Viper tussles with Shatter! by the Upper Deck.
Shatter! was then able to strike the top of Claw Viper before the fight moved to the center of the arena, and the controlbot grabbed Shatter! again, but hauled itself forward for a second time. Weapon operator Eric Wrigley landed two additional hits to Claw Viper's top, but the relentless Top 32 finisher powered on and continued to slide underneath Shatter! with ease. What proved more difficult, however, was clamping down and lifting Shatter! as Claw Viper had proved successful in doing to past opponents. It instead used its speed and drive power to slam Shatter! into the Upper Deck.
Claw Viper tries to lift Shatter!.
Shatter!'s forks became stuck in the killsaw slots, which offered its side up to Claw Viper again as it continued to swarm Adam Wrigley's machine, whose primary weapon appeared non-functional at the halfway point. Though it failed to capitalize, Claw Viper got to Shatter!'s side again and clamped down, but could not gain enough leverage to lift and hoist its opponent. It instead drove Shatter! back towards the red square screws.
Claw Viper clamps Shatter! in the corner.
The pair then tussled in the corner as Claw Viper grabbed hold of Shatter!'s left side fork, and with ten seconds remaining, Claw Viper forced Shatter! onto the screws to leave a lasting impression on the judges.
Claw Viper unanimously won the judges' decision, and moved into the semi-finals.
Claw Viper vs. HyperShock
In the semi-finals, Claw Viper met HyperShock in a rematch from the regular season. Captain Kevin Milczewski felt that, in a battle likely to be decided by control and weapon accuracy, his machine's agility would be its key advantage. During pre-match build-ups, Kenny Florian expressed that both robots had the potential to win the entire Slugfest outright, though he admitted that Claw Viper's non-spinning weapon would put it in a 'tougher spot' relative to the judging criteria.
"The difference maker for Claw Viper vs HyperShock is how fast we can turn. We both go about the same top speed, but we can maneuver much better. So it's up to us to control where the fight happens inside the BattleBox. It's going to be a driving match. It's about who can position the robot in the right spot to apply their primary weapon and take control of the fight from there. It's going to be a "bang, bang" fight. We want to get around the side, and actually control the fight. Everybody says they can. Claw Viper's fast enough to actually do it."
— Kevin Milczewski
Claw Viper loses the tip of its claw.
Both robots immediately slammed into each other's sides, with Claw Viper briefly lifting HyperShock off its wheels. This was followed by a rapid series of head-to-head engagements; while Claw Viper was initially thrown towards the control booth by HyperShock, it scooped Alex Bales' machine up and pushed it across the right-hand perimeter. In the process, however, contact between the grappler arm and HyperShock's twin-disc spinner resulted in the arm losing its spiked tip early on.
Kenny Florian: "These are two of the fastest robots in the game... uh-oh, I think Claw Viper lost the tip of its grappler arm, there!"
Chris Rose: "We'll see if that affects its ability to suplex. It sure as hell isn't affecting that speed advantage!"
— As Claw Viper starts off strong, but takes weapon damage early on
Claw Viper drives HyperShock into the barrier.
Evasive driving from HyperShock resulted in Claw Viper taking a second blow from the former's spinner, before Kevin Milczewski's machine continued to ram and jostle HyperShock around. One such ram allowed Claw Viper to pin HyperShock down with its lifting forks, as it proceeded to push the latter into the bottom-right corner.
Claw Viper carries HyperShock to the Upper Deck screws.
There, the two robots remained in place, until Claw Viper released its hold under the watch of referee David Sanfilippo. Seconds later, Claw Viper bumped into a blue square screw mount, and was immediately launched into the air by a broadside attack from HyperShock. Another violent head-to-head collision followed; Claw Viper, capitalizing on HyperShock's gyroscopic imbalance, seized the yellow and pink machine by its front-left forks. While dodging a nearby pulverizer, it pushed, lifted and carried HyperShock towards the Upper Deck, crashing into another screw bumper in the process.
Chris Rose: "Oh, nice catch by Claw Viper! Here we go!"
Kenny Florian: "Looks like the grappler arm is fine!"
— As Claw Viper carries HyperShock to the Upper Deck screws
HyperShock rocks itself off the Upper Deck.
With its opponent now struggling to traverse over the screws, Claw Viper rammed HyperShock directly onto the Upper Deck platform, which the latter also struggled to escape from for several seconds. Kevin Milczewski's machine hung back as it caught one of the killsaw slots, and again collided with a screw mount opposite the center of the Deck. Claw Viper darted across the BattleBox to meet HyperShock again as it recovered. Another head-to-head ram was followed by Claw Viper trying to grab HyperShock next to the bottom-right paddle. While unable to use its grappler, it still proceeded to scoop underneath, control and jostle HyperShock around over the arena center. A similar pattern of controlling attacks allowed Claw Viper to again take advantage of HyperShock's ground clearance and gyroscopic forces, as the match entered its halfway point.
Kenny Florian: "Chris, Claw Viper is so fast as they spin around to the sides of HyperShock. They're forcing HyperShock to drift and lift UP just like THAT!"
Chris Rose: "That is brutal! Now, we've seen Claw Viper get one good bite-and-carry. Can they get a second? They'll go nose-to-nose there!"
— As Claw Viper maintains a controlling strategy towards the 90-second mark
HyperShock throws Claw Viper through the air.
By that stage, however, further head-to-head exchanges had begun to leave Claw Viper's main weapon with noticeable damage. The front-left fork tip was ripped upwards by HyperShock, which proceeded to fling Claw Viper onto the bottom-right paddle. A second similar attack tossed Kevin Milczewski's machine against the control booth bumper, before Claw Viper again tried to grasp HyperShock by the front-right corner. While managing to hold onto HyperShock's weapon mount, Claw Viper sustained yet more damage as the tip for the front-right fork was removed entirely. An even shoving match was disrupted when Claw Viper was pushed back over the killsaw slots, and again catapulted across the BattleBox.
HyperShock pings Claw Viper again.
On this occasion, Claw Viper bounced onto its back near the bottom-left pulverizer. Before it had a chance to self-right, HyperShock charged in, flinging Claw Viper into a forward somersault. Claw Viper, ironically, benefited from this, as it self-righted using its back wheels while being dragged out of the corner by HyperShock. With just over a minute remaining, Claw Viper again tried to drive around HyperShock's side, smashing into the bumper as Kevin Milczewski encouraged the latter's team - particularly driver Alex Bales - to keep attacking.
"I'm not dead yet! I'm not dead yet, guys! Let's take some!"
— Kevin Milczewski
HyperShock lands a combination of hits.
Following tentative maneuvers and another head-to-head collision, both competitors found themselves driving into the blue square screws and bumpers. However, while dodging a high-speed charge from HyperShock, Claw Viper could not get around its opponent's side as before. It took several more blows from HyperShock's vertical spinner, the first two launching it into the air. Claw Viper again tried to clamp HyperShock by the forks, but only succeeded in lifting and pulling it towards its own weapon frame. More damage was sustained as it took further blows form HyperShock's weapon, thrown forwards and pushed against the bottom-right wall while inverted.
Claw Viper smashes into the signage in the closing seconds.
Claw Viper tried to lever itself against the bumper, only to be flipped back upright with assistance from HyperShock. During the final ten seconds, it was again flung onto its back and punted into the control booth wall, taking down part of the BattleBots banner with it. Claw Viper self-righted immediately, weathering a final series of glancing hits from HyperShock until the end buzzer sounded. The last hit, however, proved terminal. An internal fire began developing from within Claw Viper's center, resulting in the fume extractor being deployed while Will Bales praised Kevin Milczewski for his robot's 'amazing control'.
While discussing the subsequent judges' decision, Kenny Florian felt that Claw Viper had 'dominated' the early stages, and that the ruling for both the control and aggression categories was 'up for debate'. However, the decision ruled unanimously in favor of HyperShock, eliminating Kevin Milczewski and his team's machine after a fast-paced and otherwise closely-fought rematch.
BattleBots Proving Ground[]
Claw Viper vs. Minotaur (4/11/2024)
Claw Viper made its return in April 2024, taking on former World Championship runner-up Minotaur.
Claw Viper gains an early advantage.
Immediately darting towards Minotaur, Claw Viper oversteered slightly and quickly corrected, making contact in the middle of the arena. Though Minotaur's drum was already up to speed, Claw Viper got underneath from the right flank and charged it into the screws.
A fire starts inside Claw Viper.
However, fire soon erupted from Kevin Milczewski's robot and it was left moving in arcs inside the blue starting square. The smoke quickly dissipated and Claw Viper still looked to get under the Brazilian bot despite being down a speed controller.
Sparks fly as both robots collide.
The Team RioBotz heavyweight met Claw Viper head-on and sparks flew on impact. This attack also disrupted the lights of the BattleBox, causing them to flicker for the rest of the battle. Minotaur buffeted against the lifter of Claw Viper, which caused the controlbot to twitch in place before becoming immobilized.
Claw Viper was then counted out, sealing the win by knockout for Minotaur inside a minute.
Claw Viper vs. Minotaur (4/12/2024)
Claw Viper took on Minotaur for a second time during the Friday show.
Claw Viper charges down Minotaur.
Claw Viper instantly accelerated towards Minotaur, box-rushing the Brazilian bot before it had a chance to get its drum spinner up to damaging speed. This proved successful as Claw Viper slid underneath and popped its opponent into the air before driving into the arena wall.
Unfazed, Kevin Milczewski's robot drove Minotaur into the short corner before driving it back and almost tipping it over. Claw Viper clamped down on the drum of Minotaur, but Daniel Freitas managed to wriggle free from the controlbot's grasp. Minotaur turned to face Claw Viper, causing sparks to fly as its drum made contact with its opponent's steel forks. However, it instantly found itself on the back foot again as Claw Viper got around to its flank, driving Minotaur around the arena before settling on grappling it inside the red square.
Claw Viper looks to stand Minotaur on its end.
Claw Viper tipped Minotaur up and looked to rest it against the housing of the screws, but the Team RioBotz robot fell back onto Claw Viper and struck its weapon system. This did not appear to affect Claw Viper, whose top arm raised again as it continued to harass Minotaur in the opposite corner.
Claw Viper stacks Minotaur against the wall.
The controlbot lifted the World Championship IV finalist against the Lexan, threatening to hoist its opponent out of the arena entirely, but Minotaur recovered again and got its drum spinner back up to full power once more, striking the sides and front of Claw Viper as it was driven back towards the screws again. Minotaur landed upside-down and righted itself, but was inverted shortly after once Claw Viper rammed it against the opposite arena wall.
Minotaur drives into Claw Viper.
Now past the 1:30 mark, Daniel Freitas tried desperately to use the robot's gyroscopic forces to self-right, but failed to do so at the first attempt. Claw Viper corralled it into the short corner where Freitas successfully flipped Minotaur back over, but not before suffering a pulverizer blow to its top. Minotaur found itself rammed into the Upper Deck before escaping, but Claw Viper was quick on its tail and drove it back towards the pulverizer. The Brazilian representative flipped itself over, leaving itself vulnerable as Claw Viper drove it into the screws of the Upper Deck. Minotaur drove across the top of Claw Viper in an attempt to flip back over, but was quickly inverted again on impact with its opponent's forks.
Claw Viper overturns Minotaur again.
Claw Viper held Minotaur in its grasp again, but failed to lift on this occasion. Daniel Freitas expertly flipped Minotaur back over and faced Claw Viper, whose upper arm was sitting at a lower position than before. Minotaur struck the front of Claw Viper several times in quick succession before Kevin Milczewski's robot flipped Minotaur once again and halted its drum.
Minotaur's primary weapon got back up to speed in the final fifteen seconds as the pair engaged in a shoving match until the clock hit zero. After the fight, Claw Viper caught fire but still managed to win by crowd vote.
Claw Viper vs. Banshee (4/13/2024)
Claw Viper fought Banshee during the Saturday show.
As both robots charged towards one another, Claw Viper rode over the front of Banshee and slid into the housing for the screws. The pair exchanged opportunities to get underneath one another, but neither could use their primary weapons to capitalize. Banshee then pushed Claw Viper back against the wall, using its forks to hold Kevin Milczewski's bot until it steered away from danger.
Banshee pins Claw Viper.
A minute into what had become a driving battle, neither robot had yet landed a lift or flip, but Banshee forced Claw Viper under the corner pulverizer to its advantage soon after. As this was the blue team's hazard to control, however, it did not fire. Claw Viper retaliated by surging towards Banshee and driving it into the Upper Deck.
Claw Viper tips itself over, but quickly self-rights.
It then got around to banshee's side, clamping down but opted against lifting as it rammed David Small's heavyweight into the spiked rails. The nimble Claw Viper got around to Banshee's vulnerable side and then to its back, grappling with its opponent before finally trying to lift, but only throwing itself over. Claw Viper promptly recovered and both robots subsequently tussled in the center of the BattleBox again with a minute remaining.
Claw Viper clamps down on Banshee late on.
The World Championship VII rookie was driven into the rails again by Claw Viper, whose attempts to gain sufficient leverage to upend Banshee proved futile. With the killsaws active, Banshee and Claw Viper were both attacks from beneath and the controlbot remained the aggressor in the closing moments, leaving a good impression on the voting crowd.
Claw Viper won by crowd vote and ended the week 2-1.
NOTE: MadCatter was declared the winner of this battle on a split judges' decision. Team Bad Ideas appealed this decision, but were unsuccessful and the decision stood.
* MadCatter was declared the winner of this battle on a split judges' decision. Team Bad Ideas appealed this decision, but were unsuccessful and the decision stood.
Faruq Tauheed Introductions[]
"From Seattle, Washington, here to rain, it's CLAW VIPER!"
"The only thing I hate worse than denim on denim is a snake full of fangs and poisonous venom. Little known fact, I'm afraid of snakes. They make me quiver and give me the shakes. So do me a favor and stay the hell over there, or else Faruq is gonna need a change of underwear. *Shrugs* It's CLAW VIPER!"
"From Seattle, Washington, prepare for some claw and order... dun-dun. It's CLAW VIPER!"
"From Seattle, Washington, the town Starbucks calls home, comes a bot who'll spell your name wrong on your tombstone. Lifter stronger than a double shot, the best you've ever seen, yo. Burning other bots with a hot grapple-cino. Here comes CLAW VIPER!"
"Let's get to the next fight. I know you all wanna. This bot's from Seattle, the home of Nirvana. Come as you are and he'll kick your behind. When it's your turn to face him, you'll say, 'Nevermind.' When the lights go on, he's more dangerous. It's CLAW VIPER!"
"From Seattle, Washington, this thing's a battle snake and he's hissssed off. It's CLAW VIPER!"
"From Seattle, Washington, here to rain down brutality, give it up for CLAW VIPER!"
"From Seattle, Washington, here to Pearl Jam you into a wall, it's CLAW VIPER!"
"From Seattle, Washington. He came from the Pacific Northwest to deliver your death. It's CLAW VIPER!"
"From Seattle, Washington. He's about to slither in this BattleBox and raven claw your eyes out. But it's not magic. It's science. It's CLAW VIPER!"
"From Seattle, Washington, the bot that won't pass on the goal line but will go full beast mode, it's CLAW VIPER!"
"If you blink, you'll miss him. You'll think he disappeared, because this thing is fast, like the voice of an auctioneer. So if you're facing him, you might want to reconsider or he'll sell your bot corpse to the highest bidder. Hey, now, I got a dead corpse. Can I get $25? $50? $50? $75? $75? Who got $100? $100? Can I get $100? $100? $150? $150? $150? $150? $200? $200? $200? Can I get $200? All right, I got $200 going once, going twice. Sold, to the woman in the back, for $200. It's CLAW VIPER!"
"From Seattle, Washington, so fast, you'd swear he took a Space Needle of adrenaline to the heart, it's CLAW VIPER!"
Trivia[]
Claw Viper uses the same motors for its drive as Riptide uses for its weapon.
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