Final Verdict was a heavyweight robot built by Rick Russ which competed in the BattleBots NPC Charity Open event held in 2004.
It was a two-wheel drive robot with a skeletal frame and no armor. Final Verdict featured a belt-driven, undercutting spinning bar powered by a large internal combustion engine. It featured no self-righting mechanism or way to run inverted, but dedicated most of its weight to its weaponry. It performed well in competition, winning four matches overall but twice losing to Team Killerbotics and Verbal Abuse.
In 2022, Rick Russ built a modernized version of Final Verdict to perform demonstrations at the BattleBots: Destruct-A-Thon live show called Jet Lag. As its name suggests, its weapon was powered by a large jet engine.
Robot History[]
2004 NPC Charity Open[] |
|---|
Final Verdict vs. Botknocker-19 Final Verdict first fought Botknocker-19 in Round 1 of the bracket. Final Verdict drove at Botknocker-19 and took a hit from its opponent. Final Verdict then activated its bar and attacked again, striking a blow on Botknocker-19. Final Verdict continued to barrage Botknocker-19 and on one hit, a part was removed. Final Verdict hit Botknocker-19 again and that appeared to have disabled Botknocker-19's weapon, which slowed down. Final Verdict chose to just shove Botknocker-19 around rather than continue striking with its bar. Final Verdict attempted to push Botknocker-19 into the pulverizer but failed as the timer sounded, and Final Verdict was declared the winner by judges' decision. |
Final Verdict vs. Verbal Abuse Final Verdict next took on Team Killerbotics and Verbal Abuse. It lost this fight and fell into the loser's bracket. |
Final Verdict vs. Unit 3000-21 Here, Final Verdict took on Unit 3000-21. It won by knockout and continued on in the tournament. |
Final Verdict vs. Jack in the Bot Next up for Final Verdict was Jack in the Bot. Rick Russ' robot won by knockout again and advanced in the bracket. |
Final Verdict vs. Corporal Punishment Final Verdict now faced Corporal Punishment, another entry by Team Killerbotics. It won this fight and entered the loser's bracket semi-finals. |
Final Verdict vs. Verbal Abuse This saw Final Verdict earn a rematch against Verbal Abuse, which had just fallen out of the winner's bracket. Final Verdict lost for a second time and was eliminated at this stage. |
Wins/Losses[]
- Wins: 4
- Losses: 2
| Competition | Wins | Losses |
|---|---|---|
| 2004 NPC Charity Open | Botknocker-19 Unit 3000-21 Jack in the Bot Corporal Punishment |
Verbal Abuse Verbal Abuse |