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SubZero is a heavyweight (formerly middleweight) robot built by Jerry Clarkin of Team Hammertime which competed in BattleBots from World Championship II up until BattleBots: Champions I. As of World Championship V, it has been under the ownership of Team XD.

Originally a middleweight robot, SubZero competed in a multitude of events after the Comedy Central era came to an end, including the 2004 NPC Charity Open, the 2007 Sun Microsystems JavaOne event and the BattleBots 2009 Pro Championship. It was armed with a CO2-powered flipping arm and performed well in competition, winning two matches in the Pro Championship and NPC Charity Open, as well as going undefeated in the JavaOne event.

TeamXD SubZero

The middleweight SubZero and its team.

SubZero debuted in the 2004 NPC Charity Open with a rounded design and exposed wheels, only becoming box-shaped and more akin to its modern era BattleBots appearances in 2007. As a heavyweight, it sported a body featuring rounded sides and a flipper resembling that of the Inertia Labs superheavyweight Toro. SubZero was built by Jerry Clarkin, who also built Hammertime and Bounty Hunter. It was sold in 2010 as another version of Bounty Hunter, and later went by the name Spartan.

Mecha subzero

SubZero during World Championship II.

SubZero's name derives from the name given to any temperature below 0°C, and directly relates to the CO2's -104°F temperature as it escaped the tank for its flipper. However, due to CO2 not being allowed for the modern BattleBots competitions, SubZero opted for nitrogen instead.

For the 2016 season, SubZero was revised as a 250lb heavyweight bot, complete with a full titanium shell, a large flipper blade, and little self righting arms on its sides to push itself back over, similar to those of Robot Wars competitor Behemoth. SubZero also had a drone called Spitfire, though it would not debut until the following season. SubZero crashed out early on after losing to Icewave in a rematch.

SubZero-Hero-S2018

SubZero during World Championship III hero shots.

Returning for World Championship III, SubZero was redesigned with a smaller flipper positioned further forward on the robot, as well as a narrower leading edge on the front lip. It maintained its rough shape with a few extra holes for the safety functions. Despite its changes, SubZero still under-performed and scored a single win against Captain Shrederator throughout Fight Night.

For World Championship IV, SubZero was rebuilt from the ground up as a new bot. It was still four-wheel driven with a flipper, but it reverted back to its old white color, had bigger and more exposed tires, and a much bigger flipper. Spitfire was absent from this version as it was instead with Fuzzy Mauldin's most recent entry, Texas Twister. Just like the previous season, SubZero chalked up more losses than wins, with its only win coming against rookie bot P1.

SubZero WCIV

SubZero during World Championship IV hero shots.

SubZero 2019 no armor

Inside SubZero's 2019 season rebuild.

Although it was expressed on the show SubZero may be retiring after 2019 following builder Jerry Clarkin's retirement from the sport, this was not the case. Driver Logan Davis captained the team for World Championship V, with SubZero now under Team XD. This iteration had new wheels, a new flipper mechanism and front wedges, as well as stronger wheel protection. The team also upgraded its baseplate to Lexan and gave SubZero an icy blue aesthetic to reflect its name. Furthermore, Spitfire rejoined with a modified flamethrower to correspond with the new rules. This version of SubZero gained relative success, getting two wins out of its three Fight Night battles and making the Top 32. However, it lost to Leanne Cushing and Valkyrie in the first round of the tournament.

SubZero performed even better in BattleBots: Bounty Hunters, defeating Pain Train, avenging its main season loss to Valkyrie and scoring a KO over Malice. However, it convincingly lost the Bounty final against Witch Doctor.

SubZero WCVI

SubZero during World Championship VI hero shots.

SubZero returned again for World Championship VI, now sporting white wheels as opposed to blue. Notably, former weapons operator of Spitfire, Reginald Wilson, became chief mechanic for Donald Hutson's Lock-Jaw. SubZero could not live up to its Bounty Hunters success, however, as it lost all three of its fights to Shatter!, Bloodsport and HiJinx during Fight Night. As such, SubZero fell short of the Top 32.

"If we had more notice, we'd be able to find more sponsors, commit to building a new, expensive, time-consuming robot, and bring something really excellent to the event. Without that acceptance letter, and without those filming dates, it's very hard to put your entire life on hold indefinitely to put together a serious program, because you don't even know if you'll be able to bring the bot out, and you can't make the kinds of promises that sponsors need to justify funding that program."
— Team XD confirm their intention to postpone efforts to plan for the 2022 season[1]

In a February 2022 Reddit AMA, the team outlined their struggles to commit to sponsors until receiving more information from BattleBots themselves, confirming their desire to enter future seasons but not necessarily World Championship VII. Despite SubZero not competing in the competition, Logan and Brady Davis joined Mutant Robots and Lock-Jaw for the season where SubZero's drone, Spitfire, accompanied Lock-Jaw during its fights.

Logan and Brady Davis announced their intention to rebuild SubZero in a March 2023 Team Whyachi livestream, intending to build a 30lb robot for the National Havoc Robot League to prototype a new flipper design.[2]

"Man, I hope so. I hope so. Been kicking around some ideas with the team... We definitely want to show up with something that's maybe a little more competitive, that can withstand a little bit more abuse than what we've had in the past. It's just trying to figure out the right way to do that."
— Logan Davis, when asked whether SubZero would return to BattleBots

Outside BattleBots[]

Subzero IceCube RoboGames 2006

SubZero taking on IceCube at RoboGames 2006.

SubZero has also competed in events outside of BattleBots during its career. As a middleweight, it notably entered RoboGames 2006 where it beat IceCube suffered two devastating losses to The Mortician, piloted by future Giant Nut winner Ray Billings. Returning for the 2007 event, SubZero beat Botfly, Pirinah and Pipe Wrench, but lost out to Touro Classic.

The team also competed in the heavyweight and superheavyweight divisions of RoboGames with a similarly-designed flipper named Bounty Hunter.

SubZero fought in numerous SWARC (Southwest Alliance of Robot Combat) events held in the Dallas region, where Brady Davis held the role of president and event organizer.

The team also has a history fighting at National Havoc Robot League, starting with team member Alex Horne fighting with a 12lb horizontal spinner called That Robot Over There and a 30lb drum spinner called The Other Robot. More recently, team captain Logan Davis fought with a 30lb flipper called 30 Below and fought with Spitfire, SubZero's drone, as a 3lb robot.


Robot History[]

2004 NPC Charity Open[]

SubZero vs. Red Square

After receiving a bye in the first round, SubZero went up against Team Whyachi and Red Square in the Round of 16. In the match, SubZero ran to the corner of the arena and Red Square was having driving issues as it lowered its flipping arm. After SubZero was driving over Red Square multiple times, SubZero tried to get underneath the rear of Red Square for a flip, but it misses. After this, Red Square got underneath SubZero and tried to flip it, but it misses as well. After more collisions between both robots, Red Square was running out of power and SubZero was still moving very quickly around the arena. The time ran out shortly after and SubZero won on a judges' decision.

SubZero vs. Falconizer

This win put SubZero to the Winner's quarter-finals, where it faced another Team Whyachi robot in Falconizer. In this fight, Falconizer kept its rear pointing at SubZero so it could not be flipped. SubZero managed to flip the front of Falconizer once before Falconizer went back to pointing its rear at SubZero. SubZero won on a judges' decision and advanced to the Winner's semi-finals.

SubZero vs. Devil's Plunger

In the semi-finals SubZero took on Devil's Plunger, built by Matt Maxham. Devil's Plunger dominated in this fight, preventing SubZero from flipping and pushed it against the arena wall multiple times. Near the end of the fight, Devil's Plunger lost the front left tire, but that did not hamper Devil's Plunger as it continued to push SubZero around the arena. Devil's Plunger won on a judges' decision and SubZero was now in the loser's bracket., where it faced Falconizer again.

SubZero vs. Red Square

SubZero took on Red Square for a second time and again won on a judges' decision, moving into the loser's semi-finals.

SubZero vs. Falconizer

Awaiting SubZero in the loser's semi-finals was Falconizer, who SubZero had previously beaten. This marked the fourth time the team fought a Team Whyachi robot during the event. This time, however, Falconizer won by knockout and SubZero was eliminated from the tournament.

R3: Rochester Robot Rampage 2005[]

SubZero vs. Whirlee

SubZero's first match in this competition was against Whirlee. It won this match, and advanced to the next round of the winner's bracket.

SubZero vs. MoZar

Mozarairborne

SubZero almost flips MoZar.

Here, SubZero took on Luke Quintal's MoZar. Little is known about this fight, though SubZero defeated MoZar and advanced to the next round.

SubZero vs. Falcon

Subzerovsfalcon

SubZero is attacked by Falcon after being immobilized.

Next up for SubZero was Falcon in a rematch from the NPC Charity Open a year prior. When the match began, SubZero ran to the far side of the arena, near the corner. After taking a minor blow to the front from Falcon, SubZero got under from the right side of Falcon and flipped it. It flipped it back right side up before flipping it upside down again. SubZero then took a hit to the front before pushing the inverted Falcon into the corner. Falcon soon delivered a hit that kicked itself upwards and hooking itself onto SubZero's rear, so SubZero ran Falcon into the wall and turned around to push Falcon into the pulverizer. However, the pulverizer was controlled by the opposing team, so it did not activate. The two bots continued to maneuver around with SubZero trying to push Falcon at points, until it took a hit to the front, unjamming the flipper and putting it back into firing position. SubZero then took a hit to the front and side, the latter causing Falcon to flip itself back over. SubZero then tried to get under from the left side, trying to get another flip, but its tip was bent upwards, so it got kicked upwards by the drum instead, nearly flipping itself when firing. SubZero continued to take hits from the side, once getting popped upwards, until it charged head on, taking the blow and firing its flipper, but missing. Before its flipper could retract, SubZero took two more hits to the front, jamming the flipper and immobilizing the bot. SubZero continued to get thrashed around by Falcon until it tapped out. Falcon won by KO, sending SubZero into the loser's bracket.

SubZero vs. MoZar

Due to the double elimination format, SubZero was still in the competition, and the loss put it in the quarter-finals where it faced MoZar again. SubZero won the match for a second time and advanced in the bracket.

SubZero vs. Stop-Bot

Stopbotvssubzero

SubZero flips Stop-Bot over.

Next up for SubZero was Stop-Bot. When the match began, Stop-Bot came out and tried to spin up, but it was only able to make a few rotations. Stop-Bot tried to get away, but its drive repeatedly cut in and out, preventing it from escaping. SubZero eventually went in and tried to flip it, but missed. Stop-Bot made a jolt in an attempt to escape, but its drive cut out yet again, and SubZero carried it over to the middle of the arena. At that point, Stop-Bot ceased to function completely, and a flip from SubZero ruined any chance for it to get back into the match. Stop-Bot was counted out, giving SubZero the win by KO.

SubZero vs. Falcon

SubZero was now in the semi-finals and had a second rematch, this time against Falcon. SubZero was unable to avenge its earlier loss and was eliminated from the competition.

BattleBots Cisco Party 2006[]

SubZero vs. WarSaw

In the first round, SubZero faced WarSaw.

Cisco WarSaw SubZero

SubZero's flipper breaks when trying to throw WarSaw.

In the early stages of this match, SubZero pushed WarSaw around with its anti-horizontal wedge at the back and evaded the spinning disc of its opponent. When SubZero tried to flip WarSaw, however, its primary weapon snapped in the center and was disabled for the remainder of the match.

Cisco WarSaw SubZero 2

SubZero continues to dominate WarSaw.

From this moment, WarSaw appeared immobile, but SubZero pressed on, shoving WarSaw around and stacking it against the wall on its side. WarSaw was then freed and charged across the BattleBox, only to be pushed around again and later carried by its opponent.

despite the damage, SubZero won the eventual judges' decision and advanced in the bracket.

SubZero vs. Breaker Box

In the semi-finals, SubZero fought Jim Smentowski and Breaker Box.

SubZero vs Breaker Box Cisco 2006

SubZero flips Breaker Box several times.

Breaker Box was quickest out of its starting square, getting to SubZero's flank and ramming it momentarily. SubZero then turned sharply, sliding underneath the side of Breaker Box and throwing it through the air. Breaker Box eventually recovered, but fell into the path of SubZero's primary weapon again, which tossed it again. Breaker Box tried to ram SubZero as the robots met head on, but Jerry Clarkin's flipper fired under Breaker Box's plow, flipping Jim Smentowski's bot once more.

Breaker Box SubZero Cisco 2006 KO

Breaker Box is hit by the pulverizer.

Neither robot was able to mount an attack in the seconds which followed, until SubZero got to Breaker Box's side again and threw it over. Breaker Box was then pinned in the corner, before being taken to the opposite corner and suffering blow after blow from the pulverizer.

SubZero won the fight by knockout, going one better than in the Rochester competition and advancing to the final.

SubZero vs. Icewave

SubZero took on Marc DeVidts and Icewave in the Cisco Party event final. For this fight, SubZero opted to lead with its rear plow in an attempt to halt the blade of Icewave.

SubZero ICewave Cisco 2006

SubZero pins Icewave to stop its weapon.

Both robots began the fight tentatively as SubZero backed into Icewave, sparks flying as the bots made contact. SubZero edged Icewave ever closer to the arena wall until its weapon hit the arena and stopped. This allowed Jerry Clarkin's robot to slide underneath and drive Icewave to the opposite end of the BattleBox.

SubZero ICewave Cisco 2006 flip

SubZero flips Icewave over.

Icewave struggled to escape as it appeared stuck on the arena. SubZero capitalized, getting its flipper underneath and overturning its opponent. With no way to self-right, Icewave was now immobile. However, SubZero opted to flip it back over to extend the battle.

SubZero Icewave Cisco 2006 OOTA

SubZero lands the decisive flip.

Stuck near the pulverizer, SubZero approached and landed one final flip, throwing Icewave over the barrier and getting it stuck inverted and between the spiked barrier and Lexan wall. SubZero won by knockout and became the overall event champion.

BattleBots JavaOne 2007[]

SubZero vs. Mosquito

SubZero flips Mosquito

SubZero flips Mosquito.

Subzerovsmosquito

SubZero nearly flips Mosquito out the arena.

SubZero's first fight of the 2007 JavaOne competition was against Mosquito. In the match, SubZero drove straight out at Mosquito from the off and nearly flipped it out the arena. Mosquito drove away and SubZero repeated this attack. Mosquito then got under SubZero and attempted to drive it into the wall, but SubZero escaped and Mosquito drove under the pulverizer instead. SubZero then flipped Mosquito again, and at this point the tap out button malfunctioned, making it look like Mosquito had surrendered, this caused some minor confusion. However, Mosquito had not tapped out so the fight continued. Mosquito then got under SubZero, and took it to the wall before a time out was called. Once the fight resumed SubZero got under Mosquito once more, and attempted to get it out the arena. Mosquito survived this attack, and got under SubZero. However SubZero escaped, and flipped Mosquito two more times before Mosquito nearly drove SubZero into the wall in a showing of aggression. SubZero then drove away, and was almost hit by the pulverizer before flipping Mosquito over. However, SubZero then got wedged under the arena wall, and the fight was paused to free it. Once the fight resumed, SubZero got under Mosquito again and attempted another flip. It missed, allowing Mosquito to get away. However, Mosquito then got stuck under the arena wall, and this allowed SubZero to come in and flip it. This freed Mosquito and SubZero gave chase, but once it got under Mosquito it missed the flip again. SubZero then delivered the final flip of the fight before getting under Mosquito and taking it to the wall. In the resulting judges' decision, SubZero was declared the winner.

SubZero vs. Slasher

SubZero tosses Slasher into the air

SubZero tosses Slasher into the air.

SlashervsSubzero

Slasher tears into SubZero as it is inverted.

This put SubZero into the semi-finals against Slasher. This fight started with SubZero reversing into Slasher's spinning blade to try and slow it down. However, this proved unsuccessful as Slasher was able to deliver a nasty hit that tore a gash in the right rear side of SubZero. Slasher drove into SubZero again, ripping even more of its wedge away, but SubZero drove Slasher into the wall stopping its spinner. Slasher however quickly got back up to full speed, and delivered a devastating blow that ripped a large chunk of armor off of SubZero, it followed this up by using its spinning bar to grind on the damaged area. Subzero then attempted to flip Slasher, however it only managed to flip itself. This allowed Slasher to come in, and deliver a large hit with its spinner as SubZero was self-righting. This sent SubZero crashing into the wall where it righted itself. After Slasher ripped into it some more, SubZero slammed Slasher into the wall again where Slasher lost a large portion of mobility. However Slasher's blade was still spinning, and SubZero rammed into it. This ripped the top panel partly away from the robot, but SubZero was not affected and slammed its barely mobile opponent into the walls again. SubZero then positioned itself for a flip, and nearly tossed Slasher out the arena. Slasher landed upside-down and SubZero flipped it again, righting it this time. SubZero then flipped Slasher two more times before the buzzer sounded. SubZero won the judges' decision and moved on.

SubZero vs. Icewave

SubZero flips Icewave out the arena

SubZero flips Icewave out the arena.

SubZero advanced to the finals, where it faced Icewave in a rematch from the Cisco Party a year prior. This fight started with Icewave spinning up to speed before SubZero reversed its wedge into Icewave, and slammed it into the wall. This stopped Icewave's spinning bar, SubZero then turned around, and promptly flipped Icewave out the arena, winning by knockout in a total of 12 seconds and crowned the champion.

Pro Championship 2009[]

SubZero vs. Stinger: The Killer Bee

SubZero returned for the 2009 Pro Championship, now competing as a heavyweight. Its category debut occurred in the opening round of the winner's bracket, where it faced Team PlumbCrazy and their machine Stinger: The Killer Bee. Official BattleBots match records confirm that the match lasted the full three minutes, with SubZero winning by a judges' decision.[3][4]

SubZero vs. Safety Factor

SubZero's next match put it up against the drum spinner Safety Factor, entered by Andrea Suarez and Mike Gellatly. Official BattleBots records confirm that SubZero won by knockout after one minute and 14 seconds.[3][4]

SubZero vs. VD6.0

Next to face SubZero was VD6.0, a tracked vertical spinner entered by Team Think Tank. Official BattleBots records indicate that this marked its first loss in the competition, with VD6.0 winning by knockout in a 33-second match.[3][4]

SubZero vs. Root Canal

This relegated SubZero to the Loser's' bracket, where it faced Mutant Robots' 220lb version of Root Canal. Official records confirm that both robots fought for the whole three minutes, with Root Canal winning by a Judges' decision. As a result, SubZero was eliminated from the 2009 Pro Championship with an even 2-2 match record.[3][4]

World Championship II[]

SubZero vs. Icewave

SubZero's first match of the 2016 tournament was a rematch against Marc DeVidts and Icewave - this time in the heavyweight division. In preparation for the fight, Team Hammertime attached a heavy plow to the front of SubZero's flipper in order to try to deflect their opponent's blade.

SubZero Icewave sparks

SubZero is hit on the front by Icewave's bar.

As the match began, SubZero immediately charged Icewave down, causing a shower of sparks as both robots made contact. SubZero mistimed its flip, however, and Icewave survived. Marc DeVidts dealt several shots to SubZero's side before attacking its plow.

Icewave vs SubZero hit WCII

Icewave attacks an inverted SubZero.

SubZero then suffered blows to its right flank, leaving a visible gash in its side armor. After these hits, SubZero stopped moving inside the blue starting square, prompting Jerry Clarkin's team to use their primary weapon to try and reignite their robot's drive. All this did, however, was throw SubZero over and leave it vulnerable to more attacks from Icewave's horizontal bar spinner. Icewave capitalized and sent SubZero spinning towards the middle of the BattleBox before it self-righted.

Returning for another attempt at emulating the technique that saw Ghost Raptor defeat Icewave a year prior, SubZero lost parts of its front plow which was no longer flush to the arena floor. Icewave's bar ground to a halt, but by this point, SubZero's side armor was peeling away with just over a minute gone.

Icewave SubZero WCII gash

SubZero turns to reveal the extent of its damage.

Marc DeVidts' team were forced to change their approach and pushed SubZero back, pinning it against the spiked wall. Though SubZero twice attempted to flip Icewave, it lacked the leverage to overturn its opponent with its front scoop warped from previous attacks.

Icewave SubZero WCII Pulverizer JD

SubZero suffers hits from the pulverizer late on.

SubZero was then pinned against the screws before Icewave took it to the corner, but underneath the pulverizer controlled by Team Hammertime. Although its weapon was disabled, Icewave successfully used its drive power and wide front wedge to control SubZero for the remainder of the battle. As the final seconds ticked down, SubZero was taken to the opposite corner and suffered blows from the pulverizer.

The fight went the distance and all three judges voted unanimously for Icewave, giving it vengeance after nearly a decade. SubZero was not chosen as one of the eight wildcards, and thus was eliminated from the competition entirely.

World Championship III[]

SubZero vs. HUGE

SubZeroHUGEAttachments bb2018

SubZero's attachments for fighting HUGE.

HUGE Subzero 2

SubZero is attacked by the dangerous bar spinner of HUGE.

SubZero's first match of the competition was against newcomer HUGE. For this match, SubZero added some extensions at the back and on top of the flipper arm in hopes to slow down HUGE's weapon. When the match began, SubZero backed into HUGE but ended up losing one of the two extensions almost immediately. SubZero tried to find a way to out-maneuver HUGE but HUGE stayed with it. SubZero got underneath HUGE and took damage to its flipper, which became loose from the impact. From then on, SubZero did its best to try and survive but found itself up against the wall and taking more punishment from HUGE's bar. Time ran out and the judges went unanimously in favor of HUGE, advancing it to the next stage of the tournament.

SubZero vs. Captain Shrederator

CaptShrederator dearmour SubZero

SubZero's back plate is ripped clean off.

SubZero's next fight put it against Captain Shrederator. For this match, SubZero opted to back into Captain Shrederator to absorb the blows and then perhaps go in for the knockout flip. Things went well for SubZero as despite taking impacts, it wasn't suffering much damage. SubZero miss-timed a flip and only managed to flip itself over before self-righting quickly. The next collision caused its opponent to fly into the arena barrier and bounce off, landing upright but unable to move. Captain Shrederator was counted out, giving SubZero the win by KO.

SubZero vs. Red Devil

Subzero flip RedDevil

SubZero flips Red Devil.

RedDevil saw Subzero

SubZero is sawed by Red Devil.

Spitfire Remains

The remains of Spitfire.

Next up for SubZero was Red Devil, which had survived but lost against Monsoon. SubZero included its drone Spitfire as a bonus. The match was off to a good start for SubZero as they launched Red Devil completely over. They repeated this process a few more times before their flipper seemed to fail. Making matters worse, its drone Spitfire had quickly upended itself and couldn't fly. This left SubZero open to its opponent's attack as it was grabbed and dragged around the arena while sparks were emitting from its armor. Luckily, this didn't really affect SubZero so it continued to advance despite not really having a functioning weapon. Unfortunately, it wasn't really able to mount an attack and thus took another attack from its opponent, which also caused Spitfire to get sucked into the screws and torn apart. It took one final attack from its opponent as time ran out and the judges awarded a unanimous 3-0 decision to Red Devil.

SubZero vs. Minotaur

Minotaur dismantles SubZero

Minotaur attacks SubZero.

SubZero's last chance to make the Top 16 came against Minotaur. For this fight, Team Hammertime reinforced SubZero's flipper with additional titanium. As the match got underway, SubZero mistimed an early flip, allowing Minotaur to attack from the off. SubZero again tried to flip Minotaur but this time landed on its back. SubZero took punishment from Minotaur's deadly drum before self-righting and continuing the fight. SubZero's flipper was bent up at the front, rendering the flipper largely useless for the remainder of the fight. Minotaur's drum suddenly spun down but SubZero had no way to capitalize on this momentary change of fortune, and the weapon was back up to speed not long later. SubZero was thrown onto its back again, but Minotaur helped it back over, prolonging the fight. After yet another hit, SubZero ended up on its back in a position where it was unable to self-right. SubZero was counted out, giving Minotaur the win by knockout.

World Championship IV[]

SubZero vs. Cobalt

Cobalt subzero 2

Cobalt leaves SubZero for dead after a brutal display of aggression.

SubZero's first match of 2019 was against a redesigned Cobalt. For this fight, SubZero added wheel guards in hopes of protecting the wheels from Cobalt's vertical disc. As the match got underway, SubZero didn't have a good start as they were almost immediately thrown into the air by their opponent. SubZero tried to look for an opening, but ended up taking more damage, costing them a wheel guard, and eventually a tire. SubZero couldn't seem to find any opening and was carried across the arena with Cobalt underneath, causing damage to the underside. Not long after, SubZero lost another tire and was no longer moving. SubZero was counted out, giving Cobalt the win by KO.

SubZero vs. P1

P1 SubZero

SubZero flips P1 over, forcing it to self-right.

SubZero P1 2

SubZero and P1 tussle in the blue square.

SubZero next found itself up against P1. During a segment in the pits, it was revealed SubZero had a lot of work to do following their brutal loss to Cobalt, even having to switch their frame back to that of their prototype. This resulted in them being overweight, so Team XD had to ditch their electric self-righter. SubZero started off well as it flipped P1 over in the corner before flipping it back onto its wheels. SubZero then flipped P1 and its minibot at the same time, getting P1 stuck on the arena wall briefly before SubZero pushed it off. After a few more flips, P1 was seemingly having drive problems and SubZero took advantage by flipping it out of the arena. With P1 unable to escape and being counted out, SubZero promptly tossed the minibot out of the arena before the count-out completed, giving SubZero the win by KO.

SubZero vs. The Four Horsemen

Subzero tosses thefourhorsemenwar oota

SubZero tosses War out of the arena.

Subzero tosses thefourhorsemenbuttercup

SubZero tosses Buttercup into the air.

FaminestrikesSubZero

SubZero's backside gets hit by Famine.

Subzerosmoke

SubZero begins smoking.

SubZero had an untelevised fight where it fought the British multibot, The Four Horsemen. SubZero started off well, throwing War out of the arena almost immediately. SubZero then took a hit from Famine that didn't seem to cause any real damage. SubZero tried to corner another member of The Four Horsemen, but was unable to get any more flips in before it started to emit lots of smoke in the area Famine hit due to having its battery damaged. SubZero tried to fight on, but it had little mobility and was quickly immobilized as its opponent's three remaining members surrounded it. SubZero was counted out as it was pushed against the arena barrier, giving The Four Horsemen the win by KO.

SubZero vs. Petunia

Petunia SubZero

SubZero and Petunia do battle.

SubZero later had the first of two exhibition matches, which came against Petunia. SubZero started off well, chasing down Petunia, whom was running away and not really engaging in the fight. However, SubZero soon found itself in the grip of Petunia's crushing beak but was able to get free using its flipper. Unfortunately, SubZero's drive system stopped working just under the pulverizer, leaving it defenseless and pretty much motionless while Petunia took it near the center of the arena. SubZero tried desperately to show movement using only the power of its flipper but had no luck and was counted out, giving Petunia the win by KO.

SubZero vs. Gemini

SubZero Gemini

SubZero flips Fred.

SubZero's second exhibition fight came against the multibot Gemini. SubZero added a rear plow to protect its rear against the twins' spinning discs. When the match began, SubZero was quickly able to send the Hydroxyl onto the screws, where it couldn't escape. SubZero then went after Fred, tossing it repeatedly through the air, but it managed to keep going. SubZero even tossed it almost in the same area that it threw the Hydroxyl out, but Fred still stayed in the arena. Not long after that, SubZero suddenly found difficulty driving as it sat on the slots for the killsaws. SubZero tried to show movement with its flipper, but even with help from Gemini, SubZero was counted out. Gemini took the win by KO in what proved to be SubZero's final battle of the year.

World Championship V[]

SubZero vs. JackPot

Sparks fly as Jackpot is pushed by SubZero

Sparks fly as SubZero and JackPot go weapon to weapon.

SubZero's first match of 2020 was against newcomer JackPot. SubZero was off to a good start as JackPot was having problems driving due to the ground clearance, SubZero then pushed JackPot near the screws and flipped it. SubZero didn't escaped unscathed from the first meeting as some sparks were thrown and it lost a penal off the top of its flipper. Both bots met in the middle where SubZero picked up JackPot again and drove it to the corner, initially planning to flip it out of the arena, but managing to break a weld to the Vegas teams weapon. However, after moving in for a final attack and hitting the arena barrier, SubZero's weapon and power switches that had been reused from last season came loose, leaving SubZero with no weapon or drive power at all. SubZero was counted out, giving JackPot the win by KO.

SubZero vs. GRABOT

Grabot subzero

SubZero flings GRABOT into the air just seconds into the fight.

SubZero's next opponent was against another newcomer, this one being GRABOT. SubZero absolutely dominated the fight, flipping GRABOT a total of nine times all across the arena, even throwing it into the screws and hammering it with the pulverizer. Despite getting its flipper stuck in the corner at one point, SubZero completely disabled GRABOT's left side and won the fight by KO, getting its first win of the 2020 season.

SubZero vs. Sporkinok

Subzero vs Sporkinok

SubZero and Spitfire approach Sporkinok.

With one win under its belt, SubZero was next placed against yet another newcomer, Sporkinok. SubZero wasted little time in tossing its opponent onto its back. Not willing to end the fight that quickly or in that way, SubZero righted its opponent before attempting to flip again, ending up on the arena screws in the process. SubZero escaped and attacked again, this time getting hung up on the arena barrier before escaping. Sporkinok had lost just about all offensive and defensive capabilities by this point so SubZero attacked them twice more, nearly getting them out of the arena. Sporkinok was still upside down and was counted out, giving SubZero the win by KO.

SubZero vs. Valkyrie

SubZero nearly sends Valkyrie out of the Battlebox

SubZero nearly sends Valkyrie out of the arena.

After finishing the regular season 2-1, SubZero made the Top 32 and faced Leanne Cushing and Valkyrie. In response, SubZero was armed with an anti-spinner plow that was similar to that of Lock-Jaw. This proved effective to start as they were absorbing hits from Valkyrie and only threw sparks in return. However, after sending Valkyrie nearly out of the arena, SubZero began to take bigger hits, eventually losing both its front wedges and rear plow. Worse still, SubZero could only drive in circles for a bit and took a final tap from its opponent before being counted out, giving Valkyrie the win by KO and a spot in the Top 16.

BattleBots: Bounty Hunters[]

SubZero vs. Pain Train

SubZero vs Pain Train Bounty Hunters

SubZero flips Pain Train early on.

SubZero also took part in the Witch Doctor Bounty Hunters tournament, first fighting newcomer Pain Train. The team opted to use SubZero's front wedge-forks for the battle. As the match got underway, both bots began circling each other before SubZero shoved Pain Train into a corner of the BattleBox, but quickly backed off and waited for Pain Train to come out. SubZero then slammed Pain Train into screws, but Logan Davis continued to be cautious and wait for the perfect moment to fire SubZero's flipper. Taking advantage of Pain Train's drive issues, SubZero pinned Pain Train against the rails, but still refrained from using its flipper. SubZero reversed and tried shoving Pain Train across the screws, but it managed to escape. SubZero pushed Pain Train across the BattleBox, slamming Pain Train into the corner of the screws and finally deciding to fire its flipper. Spitfire almost crashed into a spinning Pain Train mid-air, but managed to loop around it as Pain Train landed inverted with its weapon no longer spinning. SubZero got underneath Pain Train and drove it into the right corner of the box, almost flipping it out of the arena. SubZero continued to slam and keep Pain Train in the corner of the BattleBox until it was driving in circles. Pain Train was counted out, giving SubZero the win by KO. This victory allowed SubZero to advance to the semis of the bracket, where it had a rematch against Valkyrie.

SubZero vs. Valkyrie

Bounty Hunters subzero valkyrie 2

A wounded SubZero watches on as Valkyrie struggles for movement.

This time, SubZero was not equipped with its anti-spinner plow used previously against Valkyrie, but used its heavier front wedge plow this time around. The match began with SubZero charging across the BattleBox, popping Valkyrie onto its wheels and having its flipper's blue eye-armor panel ripped off. SubZero then pushed Valkyrie towards the screws and flips it, causing Valkyrie's spinning disc to collide against the rails and send it tumbling back into the arena upright. With its opponent was in the corner of the BattleBox, SubZero shoved Valkyrie against the rails and halted the undercutter. After pinning Valkyrie with the pulverizer, SubZero accidentally tried flipping the rails instead, causing the energy to rebound and SubZero front-flipping itself. Fortunately, SubZero landed back down and pinned Valkyrie with the pulverizer again before flipping it upside down. SubZero repeated what it did again, but Valkyrie still landed inside the arena and was now upright again. SubZero was sent spinning across the BattleBox as Valkyrie got its weapon up to speed. Quickly responding, SubZero continued to go head-on with Valkyrie, as it chased the bot down until it appeared to be slowly moving in circles. Valkyrie was counted out, giving SubZero the win by KO. This victory put SubZero in the final for the right to fight Witch Doctor.

SubZero vs. Malice

Subzero malice bounty hunters 2020

SubZero catches a lucky break as Malice becomes stuck on its rear.

Now in the final, SubZero faced the Bunny Sauriol's Malice. At the start of the battle, SubZero initially drove to the side of the box, and attacked Malice from the side, sending it spinning. After backing away to avoid the horizontal drum, SubZero was chased down by Malice and took a shot right to the left side, having the front left wheel removed fully and the side armor mangled. SubZero then had some nicks to the back, but not causing much until Malice broke the other left tire and what was left of the armor on that side. Wounded, SubZero looked to have lost this early, but after having its eye plate removed again, Malice violently recoiled and hit Spitfire, getting stranded on its back. SubZero backed off and allowed Malice to get counted out, and winning by KO, allowing SubZero to become the Bounty Hunter.

SubZero vs. Witch Doctor

Bounty hunters witch doctor vs subzero

Witch Doctor brutally immobilizes SubZero to protect its Bounty.

From the off, SubZero went to approach, but Witch Doctor drove to the side like SubZero did in its last match. After a bit of positioning, SubZero received some minor shots from the drum, before a shot to the side turned it over. SubZero self-righted, but this would be a huge mistake as SubZero bounced a bit upon getting wheels down. This allowed Witch Doctor to drive under, slicing clean through the weaker baseplate and knocking SubZero over again. SubZero self-righted again, but the exact same attack happened when it did, leaving its right front tire a mess. By this point, SubZero couldn't drive and was shot into the corner from the former runner-up's drum. SubZero proceeded to flip itself again, but Witch Doctor came in for more damage, completely ripping a whole section of the front left of the main bot, knocking down Spitfire as Witch Doctor bullied the drone, and SubZero self-righted with some smoke trickling out and being high-centered on its crippled pieces. SubZero was counted out, giving Witch Doctor the win by KO.

World Championship VI[]

SubZero vs. Shatter!

Subzero shatter s6

SubZero and Shatter! face off in the BattleBox.

Shatter vs subzero 1

SubZero finds itself caught between a rock and a hard place.

Shatter vs subzero 2

Shatter! lands a brutal shot to SubZero's battery.

SubZero returned once more for the 2021 season, and their first fight came against Adam Wrigley and Shatter!. The battle began with SubZero circling Shatter! as it looked to flip with its primary weapon. As Shatter! landed the first shot with its hammer, SubZero got under the side of Shatter! and shoved it into the screws, right in front of judge Jason Bardis. Shatter! landed two glancing blows on SubZero's flipping arm, before it became stuck under the pulverizer and was double-teamed by the arena hazard and Shatter!'s menacing hammer. This caused a front panel of SubZero's flipper to peel away as Logan Davis' bot escaped to the opposite end of the BattleBox. SubZero returned to get under Shatter! again, but did not use their primary weapon as fears emerged that it was not working for this battle. The loose flipper panel came off in this exchange, which was the first visible damage of the fight. Shatter! continued to attack, removing another flipper panel and landing a handful more attacks to the front of SubZero. With more than half the fight gone, SubZero was still yet to use its primary weapon, but again managed to coerce Shatter! into the corner, but cause no further damage from there. SubZero drove into the killsaws as Shatter! flailed its hammer, eventually landing a critical shot to SubZero's battery pack, which saw smoke emit from it in the closing moments. With one second to go, SubZero landed a feeble flip, its first of the fight, before time ran out. The judges ruled unanimously in favor of Shatter!, and SubZero found itself 0-1 in the season.

According to Bots FC's post-fight report, SubZero's weapon issues were the result of the pressure in their tanks being set too high. Their pressure system had a leak which released pressure over the course of the fight, and this was why they were only able to power their weapon at the very end.[5]

SubZero vs. Bloodsport

Bloodsport subzero s6 2021 1

SubZero lands a flip on Bloodsport.

Bloodsport subzero s6 2021 2

Bloodsport leaves SubZero for dead.

SubZero's second fight as well as its first televised match of the 2021 season was against Bloodsport. When the match began, Bloodsport lost several wedgelets from its early attacks, but also damaged the front of their opponent. SubZero attempted to flip multiple times, though missed several times in succession. By the time they finally landed a flip, but Bloodsport landed upright and was not affected by the attack. However, SubZero appeared lethargic and was being outdriven by Bloodsport, who took the opportunity to land more hits to the front of SubZero. The deadly bar continued to slice into the sides of SubZero, bending side armor into one of its wheels and causing it to begin smoking. As SubZero's rear wheel was still spinning but could not make contact with the floor, it became clear the repeat attacks had warped the chassis enough to high-center SubZero on its own frame. Bloodsport landed one more hit on the immobile bot, which sent one of its wheels flying towards Chris Rose. SubZero was counted out and fell to a 0-2 record.

SubZero vs. HiJinx

Hijinx subzero 2021 s6

SubZero attempts to flip HiJinx early on.

Last up for SubZero in the Fight Night rounds was against Jen Herchenroeder's HiJinx in a desperate attempt to not fall to an 0-3 record. Immediately, SubZero charged at HiJinx who led with their tail to allow for the undercutter to spin up to speed. However, it instead made contact with the front of HiJinx and deflected into the arena barrier. SubZero chased it into the center of the BattleBox and managed to get a good flip on its opponent. HiJinx was able to escape the short corner but could not spin up as quickly as usual. It attempted to flip HiJinx several more times without success before the primary weapon of SubZero became jammed open. HiJinx was finally allowed time and space to spin up before tearing a wedgelet away from Logan Davis' bot. It bore the brunt of several more attacks with the undercutting bar before HiJinx tore the entire back panel away from SubZero. Its side armor had now been bent into its left-side drive and SubZero was unable to show translational movement. As such, it was counted out and Team XD's winless season was confirmed.

BattleBots: Champions I[]

SubZero vs. Perfect Phoenix

SubZero Perfect Phoenix BB Champs

SubZero and Perfect Phoenix do battle.

Subzero Perfect Phoenix BB Champs

SubZero pins Perfect Phoenix in the corner.

Subzero Perfect Phoenix BB Champs last 10 secs

Both robots struggle in the closing seconds.

Following a disappointing season, SubZero returned for the summer series BattleBots: Champions I. First up in its Sin City Slugfest bracket was Perfect Phoenix, who spun up instantly as the fight began. SubZero charged towards its opponent to try and flip it over, but opted against firing its weapon. SubZero then took advantage of Perfect Phoenix being still and launched it, but Tyler Nguyen's bot fell upright and spun again. SubZero tried another flip, but this Perfect Phoenix's bar bounced across its face and removed one of the flipper panels. It again landed on all four wheels and escaped to the center of the BattleBox. SubZero gave chase, throwing itself head-first into the weapon, but damaging its own wheel in the process. The drone Spitfire attempted to spew fire over Perfect Phoenix as SubZero fired its weapon straight into the path of the spinning horizontal, suffering further damage. The leading edge of SubZero's flipper was now skewed and one of its front wedges came away on the next exchange. As Perfect Phoenix continued its assault, it tore the tire off SubZero, followed by peeling its entire side armor panel away with the hub still attached. Despite the damage mounting up, SubZero continued to attack, knowing that a single successful flip could end the match. The two made contact again and SubZero was tipped over on impact, but managed to right itself and landed on top of its opponent's spinning blade. Perfect Phoenix then began to smoke, which gave the SubZero team second wind in the fight. However, it was Perfect Phoenix who remained on top, pushing SubZero around the arena in spite of one of its weapon motors burning up. The horizontal bar was no longer able to spin, but SubZero's deformed flipping arm meant its primary weapon was out of action too. SubZero attempted to pin its opponent in the corner, but Perfect Phoenix escaped to push Logan Davis' bot around too. SubZero then began smoking, but Tyler Nguyen's bot was also struggling to show controlled movement, prompting referee John Remar to threaten a count. However, the match entered the final ten seconds and ultimately went the distance. Perfect Phoenix took the win by unanimous judges' decision, meaning SubZero fell at the first hurdle.

Results[]

SUBZERO
BattleBots 2004 NPC Charity Open
Middleweight Championship
Fourth Place
Winner's Bracket vs. Red Square Won
Winner's Quarter-Finals vs. Falconizer Won
Winner's Semi-Finals vs. Devil's Plunger Lost
Loser's Bracket vs. Red Square Won
Loser's Bracket, Semi-Finals vs. Falconizer Lost
R3: Rochester Robot Rampage 2005
Middleweight Championship
Third Place
Winner's Bracket vs. Whirlee Won
Winner's Quarter-Finals vs. MoZar Won
Winner's Semi-Finals vs. Falcon Lost
Loser's Bracket vs. MoZar Won
Loser's Bracket vs. Stop-Bot Won
Loser's Bracket, Final vs. Falcon Lost
NOTE: SubZero is also known to have forfeited a match against Green Wave during the competition
BattleBots Cisco Party 2006
Cisco Party 2006
Champion
Quarter-Final vs. WarSaw Won (JD)
Semi-Final vs. Breaker Box Won (KO)
Final vs. Icewave Won (KO)
BattleBots JavaOne 2007
JavaOne 2007
Champion
Quarter-Final vs. Mosquito Won
Semi-Final vs. Slasher Won
Final vs. Icewave Won
BattleBots Pro Championship 2009
Pro Championship 2009
Top 8 (2-2)
Winner's bracket, Round 1 vs. Stinger: The Killer Bee Won (JD)
Winner's bracket, Round 2 vs. Safety Factor Won (KO)
Winner's bracket, Round 3 vs. VD6.0 Lost (KO)
Loser's bracket, Round 4 vs. Root Canal Lost (JD)
World Championship II
World Championship Tournament
Qualifiers
Qualifier vs. Icewave Lost (JD)
World Championship III
Fight Nights
1-3
Fight Night #1 vs. HUGE Lost (JD)
Fight Night #2 vs. Captain Shrederator Won (KO)
Fight Night #3 vs. Red Devil Lost (JD)
Fight Night #4 - Main Event vs. Minotaur Lost (KO)
World Championship IV
Fight Nights
1-2
Fight Night #1 vs. Cobalt Lost (KO)
Fight Night #2 vs. P1 Won (KO)
Fight Night #3 vs. The Four Horsemen Lost (KO)
Exhibition Matches
0-2
Exhibition Match #1 vs. Petunia Lost (KO)
Exhibition Match #2 vs. Gemini Lost (KO)
World Championship V
Fight Nights
2-1
Fight Night #1 vs. JackPot Lost (KO)
Fight Night #2 vs. GRABOT Won (KO)
Fight Night #3 vs. Sporkinok Won (KO)
World Championship Tournament
#24 Seed, Round of 32
Round of 32 vs. Valkyrie (9) Lost (KO)
BattleBots: Bounty Hunters
Bounty Hunters - Witch Doctor Bounty
Bounty Match
Quarter-Final vs. Pain Train Won (KO)
Semi-Final vs. Valkyrie Won (KO)
Final vs. Malice Won (KO)
Bounty Match vs. Witch Doctor Lost (KO)
World Championship VI
Fight Nights
0-3
Fight Night #1 vs. Shatter! Lost (JD)
Fight Night #2 vs. Bloodsport Lost (KO)
Fight Night #3 vs. HiJinx Lost (KO)
Sin City Slugfest V
Quarter-Finals
Quarter-Final vs. Perfect Phoenix Lost (JD)

Wins/Losses[]

  • Wins: 22
  • Losses: 21

NOTE: Wins by forfeit are not included in SubZero's record.

Competition Wins Losses
2004 NPC Charity Open Bye
Red Square
Red Square
Falconizer
Devil's Plunger
Falconizer
Rochester Robot Rampage 2005 Whirlee
MoZar
MoZar
Stop-Bot
Green Wave (Forfeit)
Falcon
Falcon
BattleBots Cisco Party 2006 WarSaw
Breaker Box
Icewave
None
BattleBots JavaOne 2007 Mosquito
Slasher
Icewave
None
Pro Championship 2009 Stinger: The Killer Bee
Safety Factor
VD6.0
Root Canal
World Championship II None Icewave
World Championship III Captain Shrederator (Undercard Match) HUGE (Undercard Match)
Red Devil (Undercard Match)
Minotaur (Main Event/Undercard Match)
World Championship IV P1 (Undercard Match) Cobalt (Undercard Match)
The Four Horsemen (Untelevised Undercard Match)
Petunia (Exhibition Match)
Gemini (Exhibition Match)
World Championship V GRABOT (Undercard Match)
Sporkinok (Undercard Match)
JackPot (Undercard Match)
Valkyrie
BattleBots: Bounty Hunters Pain Train
Valkyrie
Malice
Witch Doctor
World Championship VI None Shatter! (Untelevised Undercard Match)
Bloodsport (Undercard Match)
HiJinx (Undercard Match)
BattleBots: Champions I None Perfect Phoenix

Honors[]

SUBZERO
BattleBots Cisco Party 2006
Middleweight Champion
BattleBots JavaOne 2007
Middleweight Champion

Faruq Tauheed Introductions[]

"Brrr! Temperature's fallin' when this bot's brawlin'. Chillin' like a villain and here to do some killin', It's SUBZERO!"

"Hailing from deep in the heart of Pennsylvania, they should call it Punxsutawney Kill 'cause it's about to be Pound-hog Day. It's SUBZERO!"

"Ring, ring. Hello? Is your refrigerator running? Uhh, yeah? Then you'd better go catch it. Click! It's SUBZERO!"

"If this bot ran a sub shop, it would only give out cold cuts with a side of flips. It's the stone cold gyro, SUBZERO!"

"This bot is like Tupperware because he's about to turn you into leftovers. "Who left the fridge open?" It's SUBZERO!"

"This bot can be found in the freezer section, which is perfect. Since once you lose, all you'll want to do is eat ice cream in your pajamas and watch The Notebook. What? I know what it feels like to have heartbreak. Faruq is sensitive. It's SUBZERO!"

"It came, it thawed, it launcher-ed. Back from the deep freeze, its frostbite is strong like Hercules. It's not nice and it will flip you on your ice. Oh, hail no! It's SUBZERO!"

"Hey BattleBots! Yeah? What's cooler than being cool? Ice cold. Then that makes this bot the coolest of them all. It's no outcast, but I like the waaaay it moves. It's SUBZERO!"

"It's colder than Elsa in Antarctica eating a snow cone. Before this fight is done, you'll be singing let me go-oo-oo, let me go-oo-oo-oo. You'll be frozen in fear-o when you face SUBZERO!"

"This bot is so cold. How cold is it? It's so cold, they asked me to come in here early because... Faruq, Faruq, Faruq is on fire, and so is SUBZERO!"

"From Irving, Texas, it's the serial chiller, SUBZERO!"

"From Irving, Texas, the fridge of sacrilege, SUBZERO!"

"From Dallas, Texas, think beating him will be freezy? Think again. There's snow way you're gonna make it out in one piece. It's SUBZERO!"

"From Dallas, Texas, the long launching great from the Lone Star State. It's SUBZERO!"

"From Irving, Texas, is it getting cold in here? Like it's not just me, right? Give it up for SUBZERO!"

"From Irving, Texas, right before he beat you in combat, you'll hear a voice saying... Finish him! It's SUBZERO!"

"From Irving, Texas, the launching great from the Lone Star State, It's SUBZERO!"

"From the Lone Star State, where everything is bigger. This bot comes out quick, looking to pull the trigger. Lasso you, bring you down just like a cattle. Break your bot, make it shake and rattle. Looking to go back to Irving, Texas a hero, it's the big bad bot they call SUBZERO!"

Trivia[]

  • In World Championship V, with the exceptions of Valkyrie and Witch Doctor, every robot SubZero faced had made their debut in that season.

References[]

Navigation[]

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