HUGE is a white, box-shaped robot with 40" diameter wheels made from UMHW plastic and composite Tegris material, each weighing approximately 30lbs according to team captain Jonathan Schultz. For weaponry, HUGE is armed with a very powerful spinning bar which sits high on the robot to attack from above. The AR400 steel body houses all of the components and electronics for both the drive and weapon. As of World Championship V, this included the twelve lithium polymer batteries split between the drive motors and its primary weapon.
Team captain Jonathan Schultz cited Robot Wars competitor Gabriel as his main inspiration for HUGE.[2] The team also have beetleweight and featherweight robots called Tiny Huge and Huge, which this BattleBots entry was a scaled-up version of.
HUGE during World Championship III.
The team originally showed up to filming with their robot weighing 257lbs, and had to shed weight ahead of its first battle.[3] However, it was able to remove enough weight to allow for it to be paired by a minibot called Surrenderbot! - a 1lb bot with a white flag it could wave, originally built by Tommy Wong back in 2016. Team HUGE included Surrenderbot! as a way of tricking the autonomous primary weapon of Chomp during its debut season.[4] HUGE's unorthodox design and destructive power led it to quickly become a crowd favorite, as both its wins and losses could prove to be just as entertaining.
HUGE during World Championship IV hero shots.
HUGE returned for World Championship IV with a total redesign. Although it was still recognizably HUGE, its 2019 season build was an inch wider than before, with new wheel options for different opponents, having shaved roughly 40lbs off its original design.[5] HUGE also sported pieces of tread attached to the outer circumference of its UMHW plastic wheels to improve its traction on the steel BattleBox floor.
"The goal was visibly familiar, but technologically different. Every single part here is new besides re-machining the far end of last year's drive axles, and re-using last year's support legs."
This season, HUGE also debuted its iconic blue eyes. HUGE was able to repeat its previous success, chalking up convincing wins over rookie Jasper, Gigabyte and Bronco. After winning its play-in against returning HyperShock, HUGE made the Top 16 for the second year running before falling to Whiplash.
For World Championship V, HUGE's struts were altered to further protect the robot so it could take more hits. It also had the option to change its traditional white UMHW wheels out for black wheels, made from a composite material called Tegris. After going 1-2 in the Fight Night rounds, HUGE still made it into the Championship Tournament due to the nature of its losses, only to lose a rematch to eventual runner-up Whiplash in the Round of 32.
HUGE returned for World Championship VI with brand new UMHW wheels, which were now machined unlike in previous seasons where they were hand-cut. HUGE retained its optional Tegris wheels, seen in a teaser photo where it is also equipped with additional armor bolted to the front. The body had been lengthened in some places to allow for space for multiple motors to power the weapon, but also shortened elsewhere to accommodate this upgrade. Two additional 4045 Maytech brushless motors meant HUGE could now get its 35lb bar up to its 180mph top speed more quickly, which had proven to be an issue in previous seasons. The flexible stabilizing legs which saw HUGE through since their debut season had also been swapped out for reinforced, machine-cut legs with pocketing to save weight while retaining structural integrity. The body now sported logos and website links for HUGE's main sponsors, Mouser Electronics and TTInc., and the HUGE logo itself had a new typeface.[7] It also featured aesthetic LEDs in the rear of the robot. After a surprise loss to rookie Riptide early in the season, HUGE earned a valuable knockout win over Retrograde, another rookie. This was backed up with another knockout on Switchback as HUGE entered the Top 32 again as the No.28 seed. However, HUGE was eliminated at this stage following a double knockout against Uppercut.
Team HUGE showing off their solid UMHW wheels ahead of fighting Son of Whyachi.
HUGE sporting Tegris wheels during BattleBots: Bounty Hunters.
HUGE's experimental wheels for facing Gigabyte.
The sleeker look for HUGE in World Championship VI.
HUGE and the team's Best Design Award.
HUGE with its smaller iterations.
1/6
HUGE returned for the post-season spin-off, BattleBots: Champions I. Its pursuit of the Golden Bolt was immediately cut short by Deep Six.
HUGE during World Championship VII hero shots.
In October 2022, HUGE was officially confirmed by BattleBots to be competing in World Championship VII, ranked #27 in their Pre-Season Power Rankings.[8] According to Jonathan Schultz, HUGE had minor upgrades, with adjustments concerning the arrangement of internal components to protect parts of the robot in an attempt to improve reliability. Aside from this, HUGE boasted a wider selection of lighter wheels for different opponents where weight can be allocated elsewhere. The team also managed to get pre-tournament driving practice in for the first time since their debut season,[3] and captain Jonathan Schultz elaborated on his pre-fight rituals in the Road to the Giant Nut after-show to help him prepare ahead of fights. HUGE had its best Fight Night run to date, becoming only the second competitor to achieve a perfect 4-0 record and entering the Top 32 with its highest career seeding. HUGE then took out fan favorites Skorpios and MadCatter to break into the quarter-finals for the first time. After surpassing Witch Doctor and Copperhead, HUGE achieved the best result of his career, becoming the runner-up of the season after only losing to SawBlaze in the final fight for the Giant Nut. HUGE also managed to take home one of the Giant Bolt trophies, becoming the Most Destructive Robot on this season.
HUGE was officially inducted into the Combat Robot Hall of Fame in August 2023, having been made an honorable mention in 2019.[9]
Outside of BattleBots, team captain Jonathan Schultz fought with a sportsman version of HUGE at the 2019 edition of Robot Ruckus in Orlando, Florida called HUGH. The main difference was that the spinning weapon was swapped out for a 70lb thwacking arm.
HUGH fought a robot called More Roadkill, winning by judges' decision. They then lost to Mammoth, a fight which played out as one of the most memorable bouts of the 2020 BattleBots season. HUGH's final fight came against the similarly-designed Button Lee, built by SMEEEEEEEEEEEEE captain Joe Fabiani, which again went the distance.
Team members Don Doerfler, Joe Doerfler, and Brendan Steele have all fought at National Havoc Robot League events with their 12lb robots Ugee, RAM PLAN, and Disko, and a 30lb robot called Other Disko.
In April 2024, HUGE was a static display at that month's FIRST Robotics competition in Houston, Texas.
Robot History[]
World Championship III[]
HUGE vs. SubZero
HUGE's BattleBots debut came against SubZero, who was equipped with additional triangular pieces on arms to try and keep it at bay.
SubZero attempts to contain HUGE early on.
In this match, HUGE attacked SubZero, who was backing into HUGE in an attempt to break its opponent's weapon while preserving its own. However, HUGE was able to inflict significant punishment on its opponent, eventually losing one of the two attachments added to combat HUGE's unique design.
SubZero is assaulted by the spinning bar of HUGE.
As the match went on, HUGE managed to get SubZero's weaponry pretty much disabled and was attacking it up against the arena wall before time ran out.
In the end, HUGE won on a 3-0 judges' decision to confirm its debut victory.
In this match, HUGE was easily able to attack with his spinning blade while Free Shipping was trying to use its forklift, which had added spikes in hopes of snaring its opponent. HUGE started its attacks and bent up one of the forks on Free Shipping.
HUGE continues to attack Free Shipping.
HUGE stayed facing Free Shipping and began to tear into the supports on top of Free Shipping. After another attack, HUGE had bent the flame thrower on Free Shipping, causing Free Shipping to start burning itself. As the match wore on, HUGE was still in control, but was starting to have some minor drive issues as it was nearly toppled near the pulverizer.
Time ran out and the judges awarded HUGE a split decision victory, advancing Jonathan Schultz's team to a 2-0 record.
HUGE vs. Chomp
Next up for HUGE was Chomp. For this final Fight Night battle, HUGE was joined by a minibot with a waving flag called Surrenderbot! with the intention of tricking Chomp's detection system which automatically fired its hammer.
Chomp tries to attack the center of HUGE with its hammer.
The match was off to a great start for HUGE as it bent Chomp's hammer arm so it couldn't be used as a weapon. Chomp continued to attack HUGE with its arm like a shield, and belching fire much like Free Shipping did.
Chomp is tossed on its side as its hammer arms lay mangled.
After a while, HUGE split Chomp's hammer arm in two, rendering it fully useless. Even so, Chomp managed to shove HUGE into the arena barrier, but HUGE escaped. Chomp found itself knocked over, but still managed to get back over. However, Chomp was defenseless without its weapon and was knocked over again as time ran out.
The judges awarded a unanimous decision in favor of HUGE, sealing a 3-0 record for the rookie robot.
HUGE vs. Icewave
HUGE was then drawn up against Icewave in the final bid to make the Top 16. HUGE opted to use a slightly shorter bar to allow for higher reach on Icewave's internal combustion engine which powered its weapon.
The knockout shot.
As the match began, HUGE took a shot to one of its wheels which broke a piece off, leaving it almost unable to drive on that side. HUGE pressed on, but took more damage in the process as its unbeaten run was at risk of ending at the hands of Marc DeVidts. HUGE was only able to drive in circles, and the next attack violently tore HUGE apart, splitting it down the center.
The remains of HUGE after its brutal loss.
HUGE was now completely immobilized and counted out, giving Icewave the win by a quick knockout.
HUGE vs. Bite Force
In spite of this damage, HUGE entered the Round of 16 as the No.14 seed, where it took on the No.3 seed and former champion, Bite Force. HUGE opted to go with their longer bar for more reach in this must win fight.
HUGE takes out Bite Force's weapon chain.
The match started poorly for Bite Force as it was unable to get to HUGE's wheels and kept taking shots from the bar spinner. One of these strikes caught Bite Force's weapon chain, disabling the primary weapon of Paul Ventimiglia's robot.
The moment HUGE splits in half.
Though Bite Force continued to drive underneath HUGE and push from the insides of its wheels, this proved a dangerous tactic as the vertical bar spinner of HUGE was still active. HUGE's frame began to bow downward as Bite Force began pushing HUGE around the arena, slamming it into the corner near the pulverizer. As Jonathan Schultz's robot drove away and swung its stabilizing arms over, however, HUGE suddenly split in two.
"OH NO! Oh no, HUGE has fallen in! It has split - this is unbelievable! HUGE's wheels spinnin' but they ain't goin' very far!"
— Chris Rose as HUGE collapses
Team HUGE are presented with their Best Design Award.
The team's repairs from HUGE's destructive loss to Icewave gave way and HUGE was counted out, giving Bite Force the win by knockout and eliminating Jonathan Schultz's team from the tournament.
At the end of the season, HUGE received the Best Design Award, based on a vote from fellow BattleBots builders.
World Championship IV[]
HUGE vs. Son of Whyachi
HUGE's first match in 2019 put it against Season 3.0 heavyweight champion from the Comedy Central era of BattleBots, Son of Whyachi. For this fight, HUGE went with solid UHMW wheels dubbed "anti-spinner wheels", with the intent on being able to take big hits from Son of Whyachi's rotatory hammers.
HUGE charges at Son of Whyachi with its solid wheels.
This proved effective at the start as HUGE was certainly able to take the hits from its opponent without any major damage done. HUGE was also not causing any real damage to Son of Whyachi either but both robots continued.
Son of Whyachi lands a hit on HUGE.
However, HUGE's durability started to fail as they took a big hit from Son of Whyachi which tore off a noticeable chunk of its left-side wheel. HUGE's drive was understandably compromised as Jonathan Schultz's robot struggled to translate across the BattleBox.
Damage to the solid UMHW wheels of HUGE.
After taking a final hit from the Ewert family's robot, HUGE was counted out, giving Son of Whyachi the win by KO.
HUGE vs. Jasper
HUGE was next placed against newcomer Jasper. For this fight, HUGE went with its more traditional wheels.
Jasper is lifted off the floor in a tussle with HUGE.
As the match began, HUGE struggled a bit to cause much damage to Jasper, even getting somewhat tangled up with Jasper's weapon. HUGE got going and tore off both of Jasper's armor plates.
Sparks fly as HUGE wails on Jasper.
Jasper self-righted so HUGE threw it onto its back again. After another impact, Jasper was no longer moving and tried desperately to either show movement or possibly get off an uneven part of the floor but to no avail.
Jasper was counted out, giving HUGE the win by knockout and a 1-1 record.
HUGE vs. Gigabyte
Next up for HUGE was a match against Gigabyte. This time, HUGE went with its anti-horizontal spinner wheels and a 34" weapon bar to attack Gigabyte from above.
Gigabyte's scuffed shell takes pieces of tread off HUGE's wheel.
As the match got underway, HUGE chased after Gigabyte as it bounced off the wall twice and moved to the center of the BattleBox. HUGE was able to strike Gigabyte twice, the latter of which left Gigabyte smoking and weaponless, even ripping the polycarbonate on top of Gigabyte in multiple exchanges.
Gigabyte bends one of HUGE's wheels on impact.
HUGE continued to attack, but was losing the rubber pieces that helped it with traction on the arena floor. HUGE was then flipped by Gigabyte, but was still attacking. HUGE was then pushed into the screws and got one of its wheels caught behind the arena hazard, but due to the size of them, they were able to escape.
Damage to Gigabyte's shell after its loss to HUGE.
As the match came to a close, Gigabyte was still smoking and was no longer moving, but there was no time to count them out. The judges awarded HUGE a unanimous 3-0 decision.
HUGE vs. Bronco
HUGE turns away from Bronco, fitted with its unicorn attachment.
Bronco lands a flip on HUGE.
HUGE delivers a big shot to the side of Bronco.
HUGE now went up against Team Inertia Labs and Bronco but went in with their normal configuration. The match was off to a good start for HUGE as they immediately tore into Bronco's top armor, leaving it open on one side. HUGE was then stuck on top of Bronco and pushed around a bit before escaping. HUGE then attacked Bronco again, tearing off the piece they broke into earlier. HUGE was then tossed into the air but landed without suffering any real damage. HUGE then attacked Bronco once more, throwing them into the air but Bronco landed upright. As the final seconds ticked down, HUGE took advantage of Bronco's lack of movement by delivering a few more hits. The judges awarded HUGE a unanimous 3-0 decision.
HUGE vs. HyperShock
HUGE rips off one of HyperShock's wheels.
Damage caused to HyperShock courtesy of HUGE.
With three back-to-back wins, HUGE was now in reach of the Top 16, but had to face off against Will Bales and HyperShock. HUGE stuck with its normal configuration and started off rather poorly, getting pushed around. However, HyperShock's weapon was soon disabled thanks to its own rake getting jammed with it, so HUGE was able to start racking up damage points by ripping off armor. However, HUGE was again being pushed around from the side and wasn't able to face HyperShock with a working weapon at all. Luckily, HUGE managed to get to HyperShock's right side and rip off a wheel. Eventually, HyperShock began smoking and was counted out, giving HUGE the win by KO and a spot in the Top 16.
HUGE vs. Whiplash
HUGE removes a tire from Whiplash early on.
Whiplash gets to grips with HUGE.
HUGE is pressed against the arena barrier by Whiplash.
Now in the Top 16, HUGE faced Whiplash and the Vasquez family. HUGE started off pretty evenly with Whiplash as they were on the attack, costing Whiplash a tire but otherwise not doing much damage. HUGE started to lose some control of the fight as they were being pushed around the arena by Whiplash thanks to its lifting arm. HUGE wasn't really taking any damage from these attacks and managed to survive relatively unscathed to a judges' decision. The judges awarded Whiplash a 2-1 split decision to advance to the quarter-finals, eliminating HUGE from the tournament again.
World Championship V[]
HUGE vs. Mammoth
Mammoth tackles down HUGE.
Mammoth performs a front-flip over HUGE.
HUGE's first match of 2020 was against the other tall bot and meta breaker, Mammoth. This match also served as a grudge match from the 2019 Robot Ruckus tournament. The fight started off with both bots colliding and HUGE getting the better of the exchange by flipping Mammoth, which quickly righted itself. The two bots then charged at each other again with each bot's weapon spinning. However, HUGE was tangled with Mammoth's weapon and was thrown hard as a result. This didn't free HUGE from Mammoth, however, so HUGE went to the corner to stay away as Mammoth tried to fling it. With a few attempts to fling and somersaults from Mammoth, HUGE went to the other corner in the box to stay away. However, this turned out to be a poor decision for HUGE, Mammoth was able to toss it to the screws where it got pinned by the pulverizer. After escaping the pulverizer, Mammoth tossed one of HUGE's wheels out of the arena in a way where despite HUGE trying to work itself free, it couldn't get out. HUGE was counted out, giving Mammoth the win by knockout.
HUGE vs. Hydra
HUGE was next facing off against Hydra, who had already dispatched of last season's runner-up Witch Doctor. However, Hydra was armed with a wide, 27lb steel cow-catcher attachment. Hydra's intention was to press against their wheels and prevent the spinning bar from making contact with Hydra's frame.
HUGE tries to escape the attachment.
As a result, all HUGE could do was try to out-drive Hydra, as it was physically unable to get its weapon into play. HUGE was pushed by Hydra into the corner of the arena where it was hit by the pulverizer. Soon after, Hydra kept HUGE in the corner, where it corralled its opponent and intermittently pinned it in place, prompting reaction from referee John Remar.
John Remar: "You need to release - back up."
Jake Ewert: "I'm not touching him, he can back up if he wants. I don't need to move anymore. He can move if he wants. I'm not holding him."
John Remar: "Back up. Jake, back up. I'm telling you to back up. That's a warning."
— Jake Ewert argues his case with the referee
HUGE causing sparks hitting Hydra's attachment.
Eventually, Hydra ran out the clock and took the win by a unanimous judges' decision as although neither robot was able to cause damage in the fight, Hydra dominated the Control and Aggression categories, so by BattleBots judging rules, won the battle.
"I'm here to fight robots, not bike racks. And whenever he's ready to have a real fight with his actual robot, we'll be here, batteries charged, ready for it."
— HUGE captain Jonathan Schultz post-fight
This fight proved to be incredibly controversial, leading to ill-feeling among fans and builders alike. Ultimately, though the attachment was within the BattleBots rules for World Championship V, changes to rules concerning corralling and additions to a bot to encourage this were made for World Championship VI and beyond.
HUGE vs. Kraken
HUGE tears off Kraken's eye, revealing its internals.
Now facing the possibility of going 0-3 and not making it into the Championship Tournament, HUGE needed to defeat its final Fight Night opponent, Kraken, to have any chance of making it into the Round of 32. HUGE faced a different attachment from its opponent, shaped like a harpoon. HUGE started off by being grappled by its opponent and hit by Kraken's flamethrower. HUGE was released and, spinning downwards, managed to tear off some of the cosmetic coverings from Kraken and disabling Kraken's jaw. HUGE opted to spin its weapon the other way and toppled Kraken completely, taking off half of its opponent's top plate as well. As the match wore on, HUGE continued to take off the coverings and got Kraken toppled once more before time ran out, ripping out Kraken's batteries. The judges awarded HUGE a unanimous 3-0 decision.
HUGE vs. Whiplash
Sparks fly as Whiplash grapples with HUGE.
In spite of its record, HUGE was now in the Top 32 in a rematch against Matt Vasquez and Whiplash. HUGE opted to spin its weapon downward to land hits on top of its opponent. This in turn did help HUGE land some shots but HUGE was unable to land all that many as they were shoved into the Screws twice and prevented from spinning up their weapon properly by their opponent. HUGE managed to get its weapon going briefly but found itself once again being controlled, only managing to tear off its opponent's wedge attachment on the lifter before time ran out. The judges awarded Whiplash a spot in the Top 16 and a unanimous 3-0 decision.
BattleBots: Bounty Hunters[]
HUGE vs. Slap Box
HUGE debuting its Tegris wheels.
Following a frustrating season, HUGE entered the Witch DoctorBounty Hunters bracket, facing newcomers Slap Box in the first round. Sporting its new Tegris wheels, it started on the offensive, immediately knocking off one of Slap Box's tires. Undeterred, HUGE was pressured by Slap Box as it tore off its own treads in places. Though HUGE had its weapon spun up, Slap Box was low enough for most impacts to be glancing shots at best. HUGE managed to get back into the fight as it progressed, causing sparks to fly as it rode over the top of its opponent. Slap Box remained aggressive, hooking HUGE's wheel at one stage, but at the same time making itself vulnerable. HUGE managed to attack from overhead once more and this time tore off one of Slap Box's side wedges. Slap Box was dead with 10 seconds to go, but there was no time for a count out. HUGE finished strong, tearing off another of its opponent's wheels as the clock hit zero. HUGE won by unanimous decision, and moved on in the bracket.
HUGE vs. Malice
HUGE struggles to escape Malice.
Next up for HUGE was Malice, who had opted for Purple Pain in this fight to allow for additional top armor. HUGE itself chose its asymmetrical spinning bar for this fight. HUGE started on the offensive, attacking from overhead where possible. Malice retaliated by attacking the wheels, tearing off parts of the tread and one of the stabilizing arms in the process. HUGE continued to be attacked, and after losing one arm and having the other bent inwards, now struggled to drive forwards. Malice's weapon had now also stopped working, its belt strewn across the floor of the box. Despite this however, it maintained its attacks on HUGE. As the fight entered its closing moments, HUGE was shoved into the screws and this left the lasting impression on the judges. Despite losing its weapon, Malice won by unanimous decision, ending HUGE's run in the tournament.
World Championship VI[]
HUGE vs. Riptide
Riptide box-rushes HUGE.
HUGE returned for the 2021 season, and its first opponent was against newcomer Riptide. For this fight, HUGE opted for its traditional white wheels. As the fight began, Riptide charged at HUGE, content with going went weapon-to-weapon, knocking HUGE backwards into the red square. A second hit in quick succession launched HUGE backwards and trapped one of its UMHW wheels behind the screws. Despite its best efforts, HUGE appeared stuck even despite the screws attempting to spit it bot back out. Riptide then received a warning about corralling as a count began on HUGE. Riptide won by KO in one of the biggest upsets of the season to date.
Riptide's jumps the green light.
Cut from the final broadcast, Riptide unintentionally committed a false start, leaving its box to rush HUGE on the orange light and popping it into the air. Both teams reset their positions and the fight commenced for a second time.
HUGE vs. Retrograde
HUGE stares down Retrograde.
HUGE chases down Retrograde.
Retrograde is left to be counted out.
HUGE celebrates its first win of the season on the Upper Deck.
Next up for HUGE was the dual weaponry of newcomer Retrograde. HUGE opted for its black Tegris wheels for this battle, as well as it’s shorter bar. In response, Retrograde dropped their undercutter in favor of additional top armor. Retrograde immediately tried to face HUGE head-on and attack, but quickly found itself being chased by Jonathan Schultz's bot. Retrograde was able to circle its opponent and largely avoid the spinning bar until it tried to push one of HUGE's wheels. It caught an uppercut from the blade of HUGE which overturned Retrograde and snapped off a lifting fork. Retrograde self-righted, but left itself vulnerable to another assault, and HUGE tore away the extra top armor. Retrograde was now struggling for mobility and a fire began inside the bot. HUGE landed one more hit before Retrograde was counted out, and HUGE celebrated by climbing on top of the Upper Deck and spinning in place. HUGE went to 1-1 ahead of their third and final Fight Night battle.
HUGE vs. Switchback
HUGE deflects upwards off its own attack on Switchback.
Switchback is counted out.
HUGE rounded off its Fight Night with a matchup against Greg Needel and Switchback. For this battle, HUGE kept its Tegris wheels and adopted a Tegris "chin" to absorb blows to its underside. Switchback opted against leading with its primary weapon as it turned to spin up. HUGE was able to smother its opponent, however, and landed a hit which led Switchback to momentarily stop. A second hit from HUGE flipped Switchback over completely but it righted itself with its arm. The rookie team escaped the short corner, though not without taking another glancing hit from HUGE's vertical bar spinner. Switchback repositioned its arm in an attempt to hit higher up as both bots returned to the center of the BattleBox. However, it appeared HUGE was no longer mobile on one wheel. It was still able to spin and maneuver towards its opponent, and delivered several blows to the top of Switchback again. After another hit, Switchback had lost a weapon belt and the discs on the arm were misaligned. Switchback slowed down before stopping altogether as a count began on Greg Needel's bot. HUGE took the win by knockout and advanced to the Round of 32 as the No.28 seed.
HUGE vs. Uppercut
HUGE and Uppercut go weapon to weapon.
Both bots lay immobile in the short corner.
HUGE's first opponent in the Top 32 was the No.5 seed Uppercut. For this battle, the team again added Tegris to the front and underside of HUGE, thicker than the "chin" used against Switchback. In the opening seconds, Uppercut darted towards HUGE but Jonathan Schultz was able to evade the box rush. The two spinning weapons collided which sent HUGE bouncing over the Upper Deck and Uppercut flying backwards into the arena wall, landing in the corner of the BattleBox. Both robots' weapons survived the impact as HUGE attempted to smother Uppercut in the center of the arena, cutting away one of their side poles and leading them into the short corner. HUGE stopped moving as Uppercut attacked from the rear, driving underneath and bending one of their stabilizing arms inward. However, Uppercut went in to attack a second time and flipped onto its side. A count had not yet started on HUGE and Uppercut was now also immobile. With neither bot moving, both referees began counting as a simultaneous knockout was announced. The fight therefore went to the judges, who ruled in favor of Uppercut. This meant HUGE was eliminated from the competition.
HUGE vs. Captain Shrederator (Exhibition)
Captain Shrederator performs a Mauler dance.
However, HUGE returned for one final fight in the 2021 season - an exhibition match against Captain Shrederator, who it had never fought before. Captain Shrederator got its new shell up to speed as HUGE gingerly approached, spinning its own weapon downwards. Early on, it could only land glancing blows on HUGE's wheels before sending it spinning away. HUGE balanced on one wheel momentarily, which flexed as Jonathan Schultz's bot struggled to correct itself. HUGE eventually landed and quickly switched the direction of its spinning blade. Captain Shrederator attacked again and HUGE deflected into the wall, but was largely unharmed. HUGE then landed an uppercut to Captain Shrederator which sent it to the Upper Deck. On impact with the hazard, one of Captain Shrederator's UMHW top panels buckled upwards, and the subsequent attack on HUGE's right wheel saw one of its square teeth tear away. This left Captain Shrederator unbalanced as it shed more parts, though it was still able to peel some of HUGE's tread away from the wheel. Captain Shrederator suddenly unbalanced as it approached HUGE, emulating the move commonly attributed to Mauler from Comedy CentralBattleBots. Upon slowing down its weapon, Captain Shrederator landed upright and evaded its opponent, throwing HUGE towards the corner of the BattleBox as it narrowly avoided the pulverizer. HUGE continued to reign blows upon Brian Nave's bot, which had to be careful not to unbalance itself again. HUGE delivered a big shot which sent both robots to different ends of the arena, though it was Captain Shrederator who appeared to have come off worse as it was no longer driving. The referee began a count on Captain Shrederator, who was still spinning in place but showing no signs of translational movement. Captain Shrederator unbalanced again with four seconds left, almost flipping itself over in the process. Referee David Sanfilippo paused his count, continuing once it was evident that the robot had not regained drive power. HUGE took the win by knockout.
BattleBots: Champions I[]
Deep Six vs. HUGE
HUGE approaches Deep Six.
HUGE and Deep Six become stuck.
Deep Six pins HUGE near the pulverizer.
HUGE also entered BattleBots: Champions I and met Deep Six in the first round of the Lock-Jaw bracket. For this battle, HUGE was again fitted with its Tegris wheels and chin protection. This time, the team opted to double up on wheels to protect against attacks from its opponent's weaponry. Both robots got up to speed early on, but Deep Six landed an uppercut to the left side of HUGE and throwing it over. This appeared to immediately kill one side of drive on HUGE, who gyro-danced into the path of Deep Six's asymmetric bar. As a belt lay on the BattleBox floor, Deep Six waited patiently before its weapon tore through the Tegris wheel, causing both robots to become stuck momentarily. They spun around to free themselves and the fight continued. As HUGE found its feet, this gave Deep Six the time and space to spin back up to speed as it dished out a brutal blow to HUGE, launching it high into the air. HUGE was able to escape the Upper Deck, but its mobility had been seriously affected. Neither robot's bar spinner was now active as Deep Six pushed against the flat side of HUGE, forcing it into the corner. HUGE escaped and both robots returned to the center of the arena for the closing moments. HUGE's weapon belt hung loose and Deep Six spun back up in the final seconds to prove functionality as it went to the judges. Deep Six won by unanimous decision and HUGE was eliminated at the first hurdle.
World Championship VII[]
HUGE vs. Shatter!
HUGE with its sideburn attachments.
In its first Fight Night battle of World Championship VII, HUGE took on the omni-wheeled Shatter!, equipped with a brand new Mary Special blade. For this fight, HUGE's opponent also sported UMHW plastic protection around its weapon which was decorated to pay homage to Jonathan Schultz's robot. HUGE itself sported additional pieces either side of its eyes to protect its drive chains, referenced as "sideburns" by the team.
HUGE and Shatter! face off.
As the fight began, Shatter! drifted towards HUGE, who turned to evade its initial attack. HUGE instead delivered a hit to the side of Shatter! which broke off several parts of its ablative armor. Shatter! recovered, but could not land a blow with its own weapon before it was thrown over by HUGE's upward-spinning bar. Adam Wrigley's bot self-righted and opted to fire its hammer against HUGE's vertical spinner but with little success, seemingly unable to use its weapon without getting deflected back by HUGE's awkward design.
HUGE leaves Shatter! to be counted out.
However, one of Shatter!'s mistimed swings snapped off HUGE's right stabilizing pole, which it uses to prevent itself getting stuck on its side. Unfazed, it was able to lift Shatter! up into the air as it dealt a blow in combination with Shatter! itself firing its weapon. As it escaped the corner of the BattleBox, HUGE purposefully turned its side to Shatter! as it began to swing its hammer more often, utilizing its large Tegris wheels as shields. This negated Shatter!'s attacks and HUGE was back on the offensive, peeling up its top armor panel and tearing away some of its UMHW protection. As both bots returned to the middle of the BattleBox, Shatter! landed a blow to HUGE's wheel, but Jonathan Schultz's bot turned and tore away the other top panel of Shatter!, leaving it vulnerable.
As more pieces came away from Shatter!, it deflected away from HUGE's blade and was left stranded on the spiked bumper. With no way to escape, Shatter! was counted out and HUGE won its opening Fight Night battle for the first time since 2018.
HUGE vs. Blip
Fresh off its first win of the season, HUGE took on the previous tournament's Best Design Award winner, Aren Hill and Blip. HUGE was equipped with a larger, club-shaped asymmetric blade for this match.
HUGE rides up the front of Blip early on.
The match began with Blip trying to drive around HUGE to get to its wheels. However, HUGE turned sharply and smothered its opponent, dealing a hit to Blip's frame. Aren Hill then drove underneath one of HUGE's wheels, but could only deliver a small flip in response.
"Aren Hill knows he's gonna have to eat a few shots if he wants to get in close enough to flip HUGE..."
— Kenny Florian as Blip dances around HUGE
Blip flips HUGE.
As Jonathan Schultz's bot turned to face Blip, the flipper slid underneath and was able to throw HUGE through the air. The vertical spinner of HUGE made contact, but Blip countered with a series of flips. Now inverted, HUGE was spinning its blade downward and sliced into Blip's flipper panel, embedding its weapon into Aren Hill's machine.
"Ohh, that's a nice maneuver! Is that blade stuck in Blip's face?!"
— Chris Rose as HUGE takes Blip to the Upper Deck
HUGE and Blip become stuck.
With both robots stuck together, HUGE took the opportunity to drive Blip into the Upper Deck, later retreating. Despite their best efforts, HUGE could not separate itself from Blip and both referees signalled for an unstick.
"Listen up, teams, listen up. We got two robots that are stuck together here; we're gonna try to separate them. If not, it goes to the judges and it's a judges' decision..."
— John Remar explains the unstick process to both teams
Blip gets under HUGE in the last ten seconds.
Though not shown in the episode, both robots were successfully separated and the fight was able to resume with just over ninety seconds remaining. HUGE got its blade up to speed and Blip continued to target the wheels. Its flipper was no longer working, however, and Blip was reduced to a wedgebot for the remainder of the fight. Although Blip attempted to drive into HUGE's wheels to flex and unbalance it, Both bots remained aggressive, as HUGE tore away one of Blip's flipper extensions, but Aren Hill retaliated by tipping HUGE over in the closing seconds.
The fight went the distance and the judges awarded HUGE the win by unanimous decision, giving HUGE an impressive 2-0 record.
HUGE vs. Fusion
HUGE in the blue square ahead of facing Fusion.
In its penultimate Fight Night battle, HUGE faced Team Whyachi and Fusion. Wary of Reese Ewert's dual spinners, HUGE featured its double-layered Tegris wheels for this fight, which were last seen in its encounter with Deep Six.
HUGE takes on Fusion.
Both robots crept out of their starting squares and met near the center of the BattleBox. HUGE, while seemingly the faster machine, skidded directly into Fusion's horizontal spinner, taking a hit to its right wheel as a result. However, it immediately responded by hitting Fusion's right-hand side, partially immobilizing it near the Upper Deck.
HUGE leaves Fusion to be counted out.
HUGE trundled across the arena floor to line up another attack. It charged, bounced up from, and slammed Fusion into the opposite Upper Deck screw mount. Another successive hit from HUGE's bar spinner allowed it to incapacitate Fusion completely, while also removing its top panel.
Damage to one of HUGE's Tegris wheels post-fight.
"Jonathan Schultz givin' out free haircuts! Takes the top right off of Fusion and... I'm no doctor, but I'm not sure the patient's gonna survive this one..."
— Chris Rose reacts as HUGE removes Fusion's top panel
HUGE stood still in front of Ewert's defeated machine, before maneuvering back towards the center of the BattleBox as the crowd began shouting its name. As the countout for Fusion started, it spun and gyro-danced in celebration, having secured a 44-second knockout win and a preliminary 3-0 record.
HUGE vs. Starchild
HUGE stares down Starchild.
The only bot now standing between HUGE and a 4-0 Fight Night record was a rookie bot from familiar competitors, Starchild.
HUGE begins the stronger of the two robots.
HUGE immediately veered left as its opponent drove towards it, looking to land an early attack with its thwacking arm. However, Starchild drove into the path of HUGE's bar spinner, which tore off the stabilizer keeping its own spinner from hitting the floor. HUGE pinned Starchild in the corner, tearing off its ablative shell as Brandon Zalinsky's robot was held by the pulverizer.
"Starchild already in trouble here, Chris. Great driving by Jonathan Schultz, pinning it in the corner to start."
— Kenny Florian as HUGE gains an early advantage
Starchild is double-teamed by the Upper Deck and its opponent.
Chipping away at the frame of Starchild, HUGE continued its assault as it landed a shot on its wheel, flinging the winless bot through the air. Starchild then became snagged in the screws of the Upper Deck in a desperate attempt to escape trouble. This split Starchild's left-side wheel across several of its spokes as it now buckled under the robot's weight. The rookie robot stopped momentarily, showcasing the extent of the damage caused to both of its Tegris wheels.
HUGE watches Starchild before attacking its wheel again.
HUGE attacked again as Starchild turned, gaining purchase on the right wheel and ripping off the spindle preventing it from becoming stuck on its side. Struggling for balance, the Omega Team robot spun in place for a moment before collapsing on its broken wheel. The undamaged HUGE clambered its opponent before striking the wheel, tearing a significant chunk of Tegris material away.
Kenny Florian: "OHHH, there goes the wheel, Chris!"
Chris Rose: "Half of that thing has been chewed off. It's like I took a big ol' bite out of that thing."
Kenny Florian: "Ohh, this is almost sad to see; Starchild is struggling. It's like a wounded animal out in the wild."
— Chris and Kenny react as Starchild suffers more damage
Shards of glass rain down on HUGE.
Starchild was still mobile, however, inviting HUGE to try and become the first opponent to immobilize it. Jonathan Schultz honed in on the tail of Starchild, whose weapon chain had snapped and the disc itself lay loose within its housing. Attacking what remained of its primary weapon, HUGE sent a piece of shrapnel into the ceiling and shattered one of the lights.
"It just won't die!"
— Jonathan Schultz in the final twenty seconds of the fight
HUGE lands one final attack on Starchild.
Keen to score a knockout, HUGE attacked the healthier of Starchild's two wheels and tossed it through the air. Landing on its side, Starchild could no longer move, but there was not enough time remaining in the fight to initiate a count-out.
"HUGE says "You might look like me, you might dress like me, but I AM HIM!"."
— Chris Rose as both robots survive to a judges' decision
Unsurprisingly, HUGE won the unanimous judges' decision and secured its first ever 4-0 Fight Night record.
HUGE vs. Skorpios
HUGE ahead of its Round of 32 fight.
Looking to continue its unbeaten streak, HUGE took the No.6 seed and faced off against No.27 seed, Skorpios. Ahead of the fight, HUGE was equipped with additional armor behind its eyes to defend against attacks from its opponent's hammer saw. In order to make weight, the team equipped HUGE with lighter wheels.
"A lot of pressure on Jonathan Schultz tonight, Kenny. HUGE is 0-4 all time in the tournament..."
— Chris Rose brings up HUGE's poor tournament history ahead of this all-important fight
HUGE was immediately charged at by Skorpios, who attempted to disable its bar spinner early on. However, HUGE flipped itself over, which allowed time for Jonathan Schultz to get its spinner up to speed.
Skorpios cuts off one of HUGE's stabilizers.
As HUGE landed several small blows to the frame and weapon of Skorpios, Zach Lytle drove to its right-side wheel, surgically removing one of HUGE's balancing poles.
"Here comes Skorpios, OH! Rips one of those balance bars right off of HUGE. What a start for Skorpios."
— Chris Rose reacts as Skorpios causes the first visible damage of the fight
HUGE loses its other pole.
HUGE trundled away from danger, having lost one of its eyes in the exchanges, but Skorpios kept being aggressive. The No.27 seed tore away the other pole from HUGE, but then drove into the inside of its right-side wheel, allowing Jonathan Schultz's robot to turn and trap Skorpios.
Skorpios sits immobile in the corner.
Skorpios found itself with very little room to maneuver within as HUGE's bar landed several blows to Skorpios, shredding its right-side wheel in the process. With one final strike to its front wedge, Skorpios twisted in place and then halted before a fire began inside Zach and Diana's bot.
HUGE returned to the center of the arena to celebrate its first tournament win as Skorpios was counted out, securing a career best Top 16 place at minimum.
HUGE vs. MadCatter
HUGE now fought the No.22 seed MadCatter in the Round of 16, which was equipped with a special "HUGE-poon" attachment to combat HUGE's reach.
"For a robot like MadCatter, we're gonna run our flexible wheels so they can't bite it, and we're going to run the longest reaching, hardest hitting, really sharp blade and try and just kinda keep them away from us. They've never fought something like HUGE before, and that works so much to our benefit."
— Jonathan Schultz ahead of the fight
HUGE hits MadCatter's dislodged gas tank.
HUGE quickly swarmed MadCatter, whose attachment began started spewing fire, and tore away part of its top armor. MadCatter's Calvin Iba fought back, delivering an instant counterattack with its vertical spinner but losing the tank for its flamethrower in the process. HUGE turned in place and struck the tank, causing an explosion of compressed gas as a weapon belt was also strewn on the BattleBox floor.
MadCatter takes a chunk out of HUGE's wheel.
Calvin Iba continued to circle HUGE, hitting and tearing a visible chunk out of its left-side wheel. HUGE hit MadCatter head-on and flipped it over in retaliation, but as the No.22 seed self-righted, HUGE drove into the front of MadCatter again and sent shrapnel into the ceiling, shattering lights on the other side of the arena. While some of HUGE's tread was now coming loose on its right wheel, MadCatter's UMHW attachment had been bent out of place.
Jonathan Schultz reverses to bait MadCatter into HUGE's spinning bar.
MadCatter continued circling HUGE, but Jonathan Schultz opted against turning to face its opponent and instead reversed, feeding MadCatter into its blade as it spun downward and spitting it out.
"MadCatter takes another big shot there, Chris, and you can see how frustrating it is to fight HUGE. Calvin Iba's trying to attack different angles, but HUGE is so big and it doesn't really matter! It's like watching a fighter jet try to take down King Kong."
— Kenny Florian
HUGE plays matador with its opponent.
HUGE continued to strike MadCatter, tearing parts away and eventually ripping the HUGE-poon attachment off too. This impact also appeared to have killed MadCatter's primary weapon as its championship-winning driver attempted to control HUGE from its sides. With its only hope now to remain aggressive and break HUGE's own weapon, MadCatter shepherded its opponent towards the corner. In this moment, HUGE's weapon did momentarily seize up due to issues concerning its bushings causing the bar to lock whenever it shifted sideways from impacts.[10] It momentarily fired back up, but slowed again.
Chris Rose: "Under a minute to go! HUGE's weapon is back up spinning... well, now it's not."
Kenny Florian: "Might just be showing the judges it still works..."
— Chris and Kenny react as HUGE's weapon begins working intermittently
HUGE demonstrates its weapon at the end of the fight.
MadCatter got to the inside of HUGE's wheel and dragged it towards the blue starting square, but HUGE slipped away from danger, attempting to use its stabilizing arms as makeshift thwackers as the clock ticked to zero.
"Oh, and there it is! HUGE spinning the weapon back up, showing the judges it is A-OK."
— Kenny Florian as HUGE undergoes post-fight functionality checks
HUGE was able to prove that it still had life in its spinning bar, and won by unanimous judges' decision, extending its unbeaten streak to six battles.
HUGE vs. Witch Doctor
HUGE's impressively dominant run continued into the quarter-finals, where it took on the No.3 seed, Witch Doctor.
"The match-up with Witch Doctor is one that favors us. We're gonna run right out, be really on the offence and try and get them on the back foot... What generally happens from there is people get scared. They run straight on, head-on into the weapon because they don't know what else to do."
— Jonathan Schultz projects confidence ahead of HUGE's quarter-final match
Witch Doctor approaches HUGE in the opening seconds.
Witch Doctor was able to get its weapon up to speed as HUGE gave chase, spinning to face the 2021 runner-up as it drove head-on into HUGE's S-shaped bar spinner. Mike Gellatly looked to show aggression early on as Witch Doctor drove underneath and slammed itself in the the Upper Deck's screws. The No.3 seed lost a weapon belt from these exchanges as a small plume of smoke came from inside, and HUGE then got its spinning bar caught in the ribcage armor of Witch Doctor.
HUGE tosses Witch Doctor into the air.
This momentary sticking allowed Witch Doctor to drive HUGE across the BattleBox, ultimately delivering it to the screws. Jonathan Schultz was able to escape and landed another uppercut to the top of its opponent, whose primary weapon was no longer spinning.
Kenny Florian: "Chris, Witch Doctor's weapon looks to be disabled!"
Chris Rose: "And that is enormous in the eyes of the judges. Is your weapon working the full time? The answer is no."
— Chris and Kenny observe damage to Witch Doctor's weapon
HUGE tears part of Witch Doctor's armor away.
HUGE began to attack without fear, driving over the top of Witch Doctor before throwing it through the air, peeling up its ribcage armor on the right side in the process. As it looked to recover quickly, Witch Doctor drove at its opponent again but Jonathan Schultz turned, forcing its opponent into the path of its dangerous spinning blade once again. This impact completely tore away the damaged ribcage armor, leaving their frame exposed on the right side as the self-righter also lay limp behind the robot.
"OHH! There goes the ribs off of Witch Doctor, see ya later! They are now vulnerable on that right side!"
— Kenny Florian as HUGE racks up the damage points
Witch Doctor suffers further damage to its frame.
Now reduced to a pushbot and with little option other than to try and disable HUGE's primary weapon, Witch Doctor suffered more damage to its frame as the blade of Jonathan Schultz's bot cut into its frame. However, just as Mike Gellatly was able to find the angles to push its unorthodox opponent, the blade of HUGE appeared to stop suddenly, leading Kenny Florian to question its functionality in the second half of this Round of 8 fight. Shortly after, HUGE found space and spun back up, now hitting downward as the unbeaten No.6 seed was inverted. After several more strikes with its blade, Witch Doctor's remaining ribcage armor had peeled up from the back and looked vulnerable.
Witch Doctor drives underneath HUGE, but struggles to control it.
HUGE continued to slam into the front of Witch Doctor, losing its right eye in the process. However, this proved to be the only damage to Jonathan Schultz's robot as the fight entered its final thirty seconds. By contrast, Witch Doctor's weapon had been disabled for much of the fight and it had suffered considerable damage to its frame and armor pieces. In the closing seconds, HUGE smothered Witch Doctor, not allowing Mike Gellatly to land any lasting impression on the judges.
HUGE was unanimously declared the victor and it marched into the semi-finals. Post-fight, Jonathan Schultz explained how HUGE's unique shape limits opposition drivers in how they can attack it, with many traditional tactics not being viable for a robot of HUGE's geometry.
Chris Rose: "So, in this one tonight, were you shocked that Witch Doctor came right at your blade, right from the onset?"
Jonathan Schultz: "I had a feeling... I've said it a couple of times, there's only so much to hit on the robot and they usually get bored of hitting the wheels, so they head for the blade eventually!"
— Jonathan Schultz expresses little surprise at Witch Doctor's tactic due to HUGE's unorthodox design
HUGE vs. Copperhead
Continuing into the final four, HUGE faced the No.10 seed, Copperhead. While highlighting potential weaknesses of the Caustic Creations entry, and pining on its inexperience against similar axlebot designs, Jonathan Schultz felt that simply being in championship contention was a personal victory for him and his team.
"We're gonna be changing our strategy to target the parts of Copperhead that are not going to result... in us breaking ourselves, ideally. The wheels are soft, and exposed. They have all these exposed chains that power the drives. Nobody can hit them, but we hit differently than other people. Your ability to beat End Game is generally pretty irrelevant to your ability to beat HUGE. So... I hope, they have no experience fighting something like me and they'll be... fighting him on the fly. It still hasn't sunken in yet... to be even in that conversation. To be threatening for the Giant Nut is, is... I've already won."
— Jonathan Schultz weighs up his thoughts on HUGE's semi-final opponent
HUGE approaches its opponent, ultimately striking its drive chain.
During the opening seconds of the match, HUGE trundled forwards to meet Copperhead in the red square, with the latter slipping in between its wheels. HUGE was initially flicked upwards while attacking Copperhead from the side, before Copperhead pushed and deflected it backwards during a series of weapon-on-weapon blows. The fourth of these hits proved decisive, however, as it allowed HUGE to snipe Copperhead's right drive chain, immobilizing it on that side.
HUGE snipes Copperhead's right drive chain.
HUGE returns to the center of the arena.
While its opponent weaved and gyro-hopped between the bottom-left killsaw slots, HUGE tentatively drove across the center, slamming into Copperhead's eggbeater and tearing out one of its drive chains. HUGE bounced around and onto the top of Copperhead through the recoil, before retreating to the killsaw slots on the other side. From there, it reversed back into a limping Copperhead, inflicting more damaging blows to it with its bar spinner. Jonathan Schultz and his team settled on this methodical approach for some time, with HUGE even gyro-dancing onto Copperhead to initiate a few more quick blows.
Chris Rose: "So [Copperhead] just kind of a sitting duck at this point. HUGE is just gonna keep rolling over him methodically!"
Kenny Florian: "Yep, they have to be a bit more precise. Looks like they're tryin' to attack the wheels of Copperhead! That's one of the things they said they would try..."
— Chris Rose and Kenny Florian comment on HUGE's more 'precise' attacks on Copperhead
HUGE gyro-dances over the top of Copperhead.
As HUGE circled across the inner perimeter, Copperhead gyro-danced onto its side in an attempt to display continuous movement. However, this opened up an opportunity for HUGE to keep attacking Copperhead even more, while steering and punting it into the bottom-right corner. Seconds after Copperhead escaped the pulverizer and self-righted, another weapon-on-weapon exchange followed between both machines. Once more, HUGE was the initiator; the blow caused Copperhead's eggbeater to smoke and stop rotating completely. HUGE wasted little time in delivering another heavy hit to its opponent, before steadily moving back towards the BattleBox center.
HUGE celebrates as Copperhead is counted out.
With Copperhead still limping by the halfway point, HUGE slammed into the back of it in front of the control booth. Team HUGE cheered on as it quickly became apparent that Copperhead was now fully incapacitated. HUGE began a celebratory gyro-dance in the center of the BattleBox, balancing precisely on its left wheel for several seconds. As John Remar began the count-out for Copperhead, it proceeded to weave across the floor, before destroying the snake-themed minibot that had accompanied the soon-to-be-eliminated tenth seed.
Kenny Florian: "Jonathan Schultz is already cheering, Chris, with his team!"
Chris Rose: "Yes, Copperhead... the drum is dead! The wheels are dead! Their chances at a berth in the finals... dead!"
Kenny Florian: "Wow!"
Chris Rose: "Now HUGE, a bot which didn't even know if it would be returning for Season 7, is now one victory away... from hoisting the Giant Nut!"
— As HUGE guarantees its place in the overall final
HUGE was declared the winner by knockout. With this, it had emphatically secured a place in the overall World Championship VII final, rewarding Jonathan Schultz and his teammates for its five seasons' worth of development.
Jonathan Schultz: "Just a HUGE in the big city, just doin' its best!"
Chris Rose: "Jonathan... how did you get here?"
Jonathan Schultz: "[Laughs] We built a robot that actually worked when we got here. We built a robot that we practiced with. We built a robot where we knew what we were going to do when we went into the fights. And all of that sounds normal, but it took five years for us to learn that and do all of it because we're basically the only people doing this right now. We have to blaze every trail ourselves and figure out how to beat everybody. This year it all came together."
— Jonathan Schultz summarizes HUGE's development path following its semi-final victory
HUGE vs. SawBlaze
HUGE in the red square, moments before the final kicks off.
Now all that stood between HUGE and the Giant Nut were Jamison Go and the No.8 seed, SawBlaze. This final marked the first in four World Championships in which the Giant Nut would not be won by a four-wheel-drive robot with a vertical spinner. To provide HUGE with its strongest defense against SawBlaze's hammer saw, it was fitted with the Tegris wheels in place of its usual UHMW type, as well as its lighter, I-shaped blade. HUGE's design also compelled Team SawBlaze to devise an unorthodox "cradle" and "eyebrow" configuration for their machine's front plow, to catch it and shield against its bar spinner.
SawBlaze lands on top of HUGE's wheel.
Initially, HUGE moved out of the red square towards the lower BattleBox perimeter, but was box-rushed by SawBlaze almost immediately. Tapped into a quarter spin, HUGE responded by hitting and flipping SawBlaze a full 360 degrees. The momentum of its bar spinner, however, momentarily died down as it attempted to land further hits to the "eyebrows" of Jamison Go's machine. HUGE landed another flip a few seconds later, as it was being nudged around by SawBlaze. This was followed up by a side-on attack and a third flip, which sent SawBlaze cartwheeling onto the bottom-left killsaw slots.
Chris Rose: "What a start for Schultz!"
Kenny Florian: "HUGE continues to uppercut SawBlaze – OH-ho-ho!"
Chris Rose: "AND another... OH, he landed almost on top of HUGE!"
Kenny Florian: "HUGE is out to a BIG lead!"
— As HUGE asserts early dominance over SawBlaze
HUGE continues to throw SawBlaze around.
HUGE proceeded to maneuver into the center, where it again threw SawBlaze into the air during another head-to-head exchange. This time, SawBlaze flew high enough to land on its right wheel, after which HUGE darted back towards the bottom-left killsaw slots. There, the two robots clashed once more; HUGE pounded and flipped SawBlaze from the front, while pressuring it further towards the control booth.
SawBlaze drives HUGE into the wall.
At that point, however, SawBlaze rammed HUGE into a blue square screw mount, holding it in place using the "eyebrow" attachments. HUGE struggled to escape as it was forced up against the bumper, taking a direct hit to its weapon shaft from SawBlaze's hammer saw.
HUGE turns to face SawBlaze as its belts lay snapped on the floor.
Thrashing its main body back and forth, HUGE broke free as SawBlaze lifted it with its own weapon arm. Pieces of belt were left strewn on the BattleBox floor as it was steered further into the bottom-right corner. HUGE was bumped around and away from the pocket, before heading back across the center in an attempt to get away from the pursuing SawBlaze. Turning around, HUGE landed more 'quick jabs' to SawBlaze's front, but was again chased, bumped and pushed around by Jamison Go's machine. One such push left HUGE close to the Upper Deck screws, though it again flipped SawBlaze over and clattered into it as it self-righted. HUGE, again, was chased towards, then pinned against the control booth wall by SawBlaze, as another shred of belt fell onto the floor.
Chris Rose: "SawBlaze, utilizing that hammer saw nicely."
Kenny Florian: "Oh!"
Chris Rose: "And again!"
Kenny Florian: "We had our doubts, but this is turning out to be an effective game plan for Jamison Go!"
— As HUGE is pinned and hammered against the control booth wall
HUGE is pinned near the drivers' booths.
Jonathan Schultz's machine took more damaging swings from SawBlaze as the match entered the halfway point. During this stage, it became clear that two belts - both sitting on the right-hand side of HUGE's spinner assembly - had been completely removed. Pushed along the perimeter and near a pulverizer, HUGE hopped as it was again rammed by SawBlaze. HUGE tried to escape across the center, but was rammed and briefly destabilized as both machines darted across the red square and back towards the control booth. Despite attempting to damage SawBlaze a few more times, it was forced at high speed against the bottom-left paddle, then the bottom-right Lexan shield.
Kenny Florian: "This is an amazing drivers' match, here! Jonathan Schultz tryin' to get some space, tryin' to get that blade up to full speed!"
Chris Rose: "Jamison Go right on top of HUGE! Approaching a minute to go in our title fight, and it is NECK AND NECK!"
— As HUGE is controlled by SawBlaze during the second half of the match
HUGE is controlled by SawBlaze.
With less than one minute remaining, HUGE tried to get its bar spinner back up to speed, only to be rammed sideways into the control booth wall by SawBlaze. Another clash between HUGE's bar and SawBlaze's plow caused the spinner to stop, as the whole machine was pushed back and pressed against the bottom-right paddle. HUGE took two more blows from SawBlaze's hammer saw in the process, before turning around and getting outpushed once more when the two heavyweights separated. SawBlaze pressured HUGE back into the control booth wall, pinning and lifting it there for a few seconds. HUGE broke free, again building momentum into its bar spinner while being chased and pushed in a circular arc across the BattleBox.
"This is the first time we've seen HUGE slow down all year... will it be enough?"
— Kenny Florian, as HUGE continues to be pushed by SawBlaze
HUGE is pinned and attacked again by SawBlaze.
SawBlaze kept pushing HUGE around, pressing it against the bottom-left wall sections once again. HUGE took more heavy blows to its front armor and right wheel, after which it was left with significantly impaired mobility. With its bar spinner reduced to one belt, and its right wheel incapacitated altogether, it could only move around in circles within the corner as the match entered its final ten seconds. HUGE was pushed up and over a blue square screw mount by SawBlaze, which landed one last hit to its weapon shaft before the end buzzer sounded. Despite the damage sustained, the bar spinner itself was still fully operable during post-match mobility checks.
All three judges enter the BattleBox.
The final match thus went to a judges' decision, which involved all three judges inspecting both competitors for damage, as well as reviewing the entire footage. The panel unanimously ruled SawBlaze as the winner, with HUGE emerging as the overall runner-up of World Championship VII.
Jonathan Schultz embraces his opposition captain.
Responding to questions surrounding a possible appeal, Jonathan Schultz immediately ruled that option out, affirming his belief that SawBlaze was the rightful winner.
Chris Rose: "Congratulations, I know you [Team SawBlaze] want to get your hands on the Giant Nut... but because this fight was so close, we do have to ask Jonathan Schultz whether or not there will be an Appeal. Jonathan, Team HUGE, will you be appealing this decision?"
Jonathan Schultz: "The only appeal would be if we had won; I think it was the right call. We will not be appealing the decision. I would not make you go through that."
— Jonathan Schultz rejects the idea of an appeal, confirming HUGE's second place finish
Jonathan Schultz then spoke to Kenny Florian near the entrance tunnel, where he again acknowledged the shift in momentum as SawBlaze tore two of HUGE's weapon belts, cutting its spinner power in half.
Kenny Florian: "It was very close, you guys almost had it. Congratulations on a brilliant run."
Jonathan Schultz: "Thank you very much. It's just been such a journey, so thank you."
— A smiling Jonathan Schultz shakes hands with Kenny Florian
Post-tournament, Team HUGE were presented with the Most Destructive Robot Award for the season. In the absence of Jonathan Schultz, the Giant Bolt was awarded to Garrett Santoline, who was ironically absent when the team were presented with the Best Design Award back in 2018.
"Wheels of destruction, turn, turn, turn. It'll teach you a lesson and make robots burn. It's not big, it's HUGE!"
"It'll make you shiver, it'll make you quiver. Capable of rollin' on a river, big wheels keep on turnin'. Is this plastic capable of burnin'? We're about to find out. HUGE!"
"He rolls in defiant like Andre the Giant, reaches extra long like King Kong. It's HUGE!"
"Powerful, plastic, wheels in spastic. Wheels up. It's HUGE!"
"This bot's no jolly green giant but it must've eaten plenty of mean beans. Here comes the rough-age and the tough-age, HUGE!"
"If this bot were a rock song, it would be called 'Bohe-moth Rhapsody.' This killer Queen is king sized. We will, we will clock you! HUGE!"
"This bot has the best looking wheels on television and will Vanna Wipe you out. After they win this battle, you're going home with a brand new scar! Here to disembowel you, it's HUGE!"
"If this bot asks you, 'Do these wheels make me look fat?' You say, 'Yes. You're all that. I like 'em round and big. You can't lose.' It's HUGE!"
"This bot looks angrier than your mom when she tells you not to miss curfew. But... why're you still living with your mom anyway? Find your own place! Then you have more room for house guests like HUGE!"
"You should stop believing, cause this will be the end of the Journey. Who's crying now? YOU 'cause it's HUUUUUGE!"
"It's the twelfth seed, straight out of Connecticut. Its plan is to connect and cut, then rip your bot to shreds from above. It's HUGE!"
"From South Windsor, Connecticut, it's hell on wheels. It's HUGE!"
"From South Windsor, Connecticut, the bot so big it gives Shaquille O'Neal nightmares. It’s HUGE!"
"From South Windsor, Connecticut, the wheels on this bot go round and round all over your face. It's HUGE!"
"From South Windsor, Connecticut, a bot so big part of it stretches so big into Vermont. It's HUGE!"
"From South Windsor, Connecticut, prepare for a wheely, wheely bad time against HUGE!"
"From South Windsor, Connecticut, this bot makes Andre the Giant look like Andre the Regular Guy. It's HUGE!"
"From South Windsor, Connecticut, he's bigger than the Beatles in the 60s. It's HUGE!"
"From South Windsor, Connecticut, its got a bar to leave you scarred. It's HUGE!"
"From South Windsor, Connecticut, spanning nearly 70% of its home state and a little bit of Rhode Island. It's HUGE!"
"From South Windsor, Connecticut. I'm about to say something I've heard many times before. It's HUGE!"
"From South Windsor, Connecticut. Do these wheels make my bot look fat? Yeah, baby, it looks HUGE!"
"From South Windsor, Connecticut, this bot's so thick, he sets off the Richter scale, so get ready for the girth-quake! It's HUGE!"
"They're kind of a big deal like Ron Burgundy said, 'This anchorman in a glass box of emotion that'll make you dead.' You'll lose 60% of the time every time, a trail of bodies wherever they go. They'll run you over with a friendly, 'Go fix yourself, San Diego.' It's HUGE!"
"If you're calling something big, there's vast amounts of synonyms. You'll find tons in the tall tale of how extensive this bot's winning is. Enormous odds against him when he faced Skorpios' wrath, but in the stars it has written, that he'd be splitting him in half. A gigantic underdog to MaDCatTer, but still he delivered. He neutered the kitty and threw the body in the river. To beat Witch Doctor would be a colossal upset, that's what they heard them say, but he rolled up saying, 'Move, Witch, get out the way.' They said the towering power of Copperhead would be too much to take, but he'll be headed to the finals, 'cause he beheaded the snake. Now, he'll leave SawBlaze massively battered, scattered, shattered, 'cause there's infinite words for big but only one word that matters. It's HUGE!"
Trivia[]
HUGE was the first heavyweight in the reboot era to compete from the state of Connecticut.
The overall design was similar to that of Gyrax from the Comedy Central era of BattleBots, though the two are unrelated.
At BattleBots World Championship V filming, Team HUGE reused one of their robot's wheels as a dinner table.
For HUGE's first three seasons in BattleBots, each wheel was cut by hand from UMHW plastic. From World Championship VI onward, these have been machined.
HUGE's fight versus Kraken amassed over 63,000,000 views on TikTok.
Jonathan Schultz competed with a virtual version of HUGE in the video game Garry's Mod for the fourth season of web-series Bashbots.
It was one of two replica BattleBots competitors to take part in the series, alongside Rampage.
The first iteration of HUGE, built for World Championship III, was sold to the National Havoc Robot League for their robot museum.[11]
Huge was the third robot to outright win two non-competition awards, behind Chomp in 2020, and HyperShock in 2021.
Huge would be among the first robots to send another robot into the ceiling in a grudge-match with William Osman's Moist Pony.
With its 8-0 run to the final in World Championship VII, Huge has recorded the most victories in a single season without winning the Giant Nut.
HUGE is the only reboot era BattleBots finalist who did not fight versus Tombstone.
References[]
↑Correspondence with Jonathan Schultz in December 2021.
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