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Four-wheel drive and box-like in shape, Free Shipping was built by Gary Gin, who has earned a reputation as one of the sport's most skilled heavyweight drivers due to his success in various US live events. He also competed in Comedy CentralBattleBots and early RoboGames events with The Big B, and as part of Lucky for World Championship II. Free Shipping was a remodeled version of his most successful robot, Original Sin, but featured a lifting weapon made from AR400 steel to get past the active weapon requirement for the show. Free Shipping kept many of the same features as Gary Gin's previous robots including a long wheelbase, four-wheel drive and a powerful, reliable drive system.
Free Shipping during World Championship III hero shots.
For BattleBots, Gary Gin paired up with Jim and Forrest Yeh, who competed in RoboGames with the similarly-designed Ragin Scotsman as well as in King of Bots with Spin Doctor. They were responsible for the secondary flamethrower weapon, which was a prominent feature on their previous heavyweight. Everything relating to the flamethrower was housed in an orange box sitting on top of the robot's main chassis. As its name suggests, Free Shipping was originally designed to resemble a forklift vehicle, a theme which has remained with the team since its debut. Free Shipping struggled in World Championship III, finishing the main season with a 1-3 record. This was due to its forklift weaponry lacking the leverage and power needed to successfully lift its opponents, as well as the chain being exposed. Despite its poor showing, Free Shipping quickly became a fan favorite, due in part to its highly entertaining debut in a rumble with Christian Carlberg's Mecha Rampage and Hal Rucker's DUCK!.
Free Shipping during World Championship IV hero shots.
Returning for World Championship IV, Free Shipping was redesigned to be sleeker and more competitive, ditching the literal forklift for a chain-driven lifting arm with forks at the end. The flamethrower was now mounted on the lifter and though it did not resemble a forklift quite as obviously as before, it did bear a stronger resemblance to Gary Gin's RoboGames heavyweight Original Sin. Gary Gin recruited veteran competitor Stephen Felk for this season, who fought in BattleBots with heavyweight entry Voltronic and built one of the three multibots which made up The Swarm. Free Shipping finished 3-2 in the main competition, but would ultimately not be selected for the Top 16, one of few robots with a positive record to be snubbed for a slot.
Free Shipping was originally set to compete in World Championship V prior to its postponement due to COVID-19, but withdrew for unknown reasons ahead of the rescheduled filming dates.
Free Shipping during World Championship VI hero shots.
Gary Gin and Free Shipping finally returned to BattleBots in 2021 after a season away. The robot looked similar to its 2019 appearance, but ditched the slightly longer central wedge in favor of three equally-sized hinged wedges with weight-saving cuts in the sides. The housing containing the chain drive for the primary weapon was also now printed to save weight. The flamethrower was also moved from the lifting arm to the front of the robot due to safety concerns from the staff. Unfortunately for Gary Gin and Free Shipping, World Championship VI proved disastrous as the team failed to secure a single win in its three battles against Blacksmith, Uppercut, and Tombstone.
Returning for BattleBots: Champions I, Free Shipping earned a win against Icewave, but fell in the very next round in an explosive rematch against Uppercut.
Free Shipping during World Championship VII hero shots.
Free Shipping's participation in World Championship VII was confirmed in a Skorpios team video. The team later teased a new Free Shipping build, with a small belt-driven vertical spinner at the front. The robot kept its long, four-wheel drive chassis and front wedgelets, but ditched its lifting mechanism for more destructive weaponry. Free Shipping's first fight of the season was against Gigabyte, which saw Gary Gin chalk up his first Fight Night win since 2019. However, Free Shipping lost three consecutive Fight Night battles to Minotaur, Hydra and Big Dill to finish the regular season with a 1-3 record.
Competing in the third Sin City Slugfest bracket of BattleBots: Champions II, Free Shipping overcame Mammoth, Beta and Gigabyte to punch its ticket into the Golden Bolt tournament. However, its impressive run fell short to eventual two-time Golden Bolt champions End Game.
Outside of BattleBots, Gary Gin made a name for himself as the builder and driver of Original Sin, becoming the most decorated competitor in RoboGames history over the robot's eleven-year legacy.
Despite lacking an active weapon, Original Sin won no fewer than five gold medals and two silver medals at RoboGames and three gold medals, three silver medals and a bronze medal at various ComBots Cup competitions, racking up 79 career wins. In this time, Original Sin won five of the six annual RoboGames heavyweight competitions between 2012 and 2018.
Free Shipping was among the BattleBots competitors displayed at Open Sauce in San Francisco in July 2023.
In June 2024, Free Shipping was again on display at that year's Open Sauce event.
Gary Gin and Original Sin.
Robot History[]
World Championship III[]
Free Shipping vs. Mecha Rampage vs. DUCK!
Free Shipping roasts Mecha Rampage.
Free Shipping is toppled by DUCK!.
Free Shipping's first ever battle was against Mecha Rampage and DUCK! as part of a three-way rumble. Free Shipping started well until Mecha Rampage tore off one of its wheels. Free Shipping was then flipped over by DUCK! and had trouble maneuvering and self-righting. Eventually, Free Shipping got back onto its remaining wheels and continued, only to take more punishment from Mecha Rampage and losing one of its front forks. Despite using its flamethrower weapon, it was tossed through the air multiple times by DUCK! before time ran out. DUCK! was declared the winner by a 3-0 judges' decision.
Free Shipping vs. HUGE
Free Shipping struggles to handle HUGE.
HUGE delivers a big blow to Free Shipping.
Free Shipping had its first 1v1 battle against HUGE. For this match, Free Shipping added extra spikes to its lifting forks in the hope of snagging HUGE's wheels. The match began rather poorly for Free Shipping as the first hit bent up one of the two forks, leaving it useless to use against HUGE. Free Shipping continued to attack and had its top support cage broken. After more impacts, Free Shipping's flamethrower had become bent such that the flames were actually cooking Free Shipping itself. Still, Free Shipping continued to attack, nearly getting flipped over and losing the side plate. As time began to run out, Free Shipping managed to get HUGE nearly on its side near the pulverizer, but HUGE toppled back down and resumed the fight. Time ran out with Free Shipping flipped over and in the end, the judges awarded a 2-1 split decision in favor of HUGE.
Free Shipping vs. HyperShock
HyperShock flips off Free Shipping's wedge.
Free Shipping shoots flames at HyperShock.
Free Shipping roasts HyperShock.
Next up for Free Shipping was HyperShock, which had come off an easy win over Battle Royale With Cheese. For this fight, Free Shipping added a front wedge plate to protect the lifting forks from HyperShock's weapon. The match started off pretty evenly with neither robot getting the advantage. However, Free Shipping managed to flip HyperShock near the screws and kept on it with the flamethrower. Free Shipping then took a hit from its opponent, but didn't suffer much visible damage. After some maneuvering, Free Shipping started attacking its opponent again, which had gotten flipped over again and wasn't able to self-right. Free Shipping backed off and HyperShock was counted out, giving Free Shipping the win by KO.
Free Shipping vs. WAR Hawk
Free Shipping gets tossed into the air by WAR Hawk.
Free Shipping's left side gets hit by WAR Hawk.
Free Shipping next participated in a last-ditch effort to hopefully make the Top 16 against WAR Hawk. For this fight, Free Shipping added a front wedge plate to the top of the forks to hopefully keep WAR Hawk at bay and control the fight. The match got underway and Free Shipping was successfully keeping WAR Hawk at bay. However, this didn't last long as Free Shipping started to take damage, notably to the front lifting forks, which were now bent upward in the middle. Nevertheless, Free Shipping continued to attack and was thrown on its back with its lifting forks dangling nearby, but quickly used the arena barrier to self-right. Free Shipping continued to take punishment from WAR Hawk and was thrown onto its side. Free Shipping struggled around until the killsaws helped it back over. Free Shipping was still unwilling to quit and was thrown onto its back, taking the BattleBots sign on the side of the arena with it. Free Shipping was pretty much now at the mercy of WAR Hawk and took another hit, shredding the sign in the process. Luckily for Free Shipping, WAR Hawk's weapon stopped working, but there was little Free Shipping could do as the flames were now cooking itself once again. Time ran out and the judges awarded a unanimous 3-0 decision to WAR Hawk.
World Championship IV[]
Free Shipping vs. Foxtrot
Free Shipping in the red square.
In order to test camerawork and lighting ahead of recording the 2019 season properly, Free Shipping took part in an unaired dress rehearsal fight against Foxtrot. According to Craig Danby, Foxtrot was deemed the "winner".
Free Shipping vs. Hydra
Hydra launches Free Shipping as it is disguised by a ball of flame.
First up for Free Shipping was Team Whyachi's new robot Hydra. Free Shipping was off to a good start as they had the lower wedges and were able to shove Hydra around a few times, while Hydra kept mistiming its flips. However, Free Shipping was soon thrown into the air by Hydra but landed upright. Free Shipping got in another attack before getting flipped again and thrown onto their back. Before Free Shipping could attempt to self-right, they were shoved into the corner, where it couldn't self-right because their lifting arm was disabled. Free Shipping stayed upside down and was counted out, giving Hydra the win by KO.
Free Shipping vs. Yeti
Yeti causes further damage to Free Shipping.
Free Shipping's next opponent was former semi-finalist, Greg Gibson and Yeti. In response, Free Shipping stuck with its traditional set-up featuring the wedgelets and the lifting arm. When the match began, Free Shipping was on the attack, throwing flames at Yeti while also not sustaining much damage. Free Shipping managed to get under Yeti and shove it around, but then took damage to its lifting arm and the casing for its flamethrower. Free Shipping battled on and lost the rest of its flamethrower's casing and was now left with a bent lifting arm. Free Shipping took damage to its wheels, losing one as well, and survived to a judges' decision, which ruled unanimously for Yeti.
Free Shipping vs. Bronco
Free Shipping avoids a flip from Bronco.
Free Shipping grills Bronco.
Free Shipping next faced Inertia Labs and Bronco. The match started fairly evenly as both robots looked for an opening. Gary Gin's machine began to take control as they pushed Bronco around. Bronco missed with their flipper twice, the second flip causing it to buckle inwards. Free Shipping collided with Bronco again, fixing the flipper issue, but making it quite fragile. Free Shipping took Bronco to the screws and Bronco's flipper snapped off near the top of the bend. With Bronco now weaponless, Free Shipping fearlessly charged into Bronco, throwing flames toward it in the process. Bronco struggled to retaliate and as time ran out, the judges gave Free Shipping a unanimous 3-0 decision.
Free Shipping vs. Railgun MAX
Free Shipping gets hit by Railgun MAX.
Free Shipping grills Railgun MAX.
Free Shipping traps Railgun MAX and pulverizing as the time runs down.
Fresh off its victory over Bronco, Free Shipping was now against Railgun MAX. Free Shipping started off the match by getting thrown into the air but landing upright. Free Shipping continued to use its front wedgelets to absorb the impacts and keep the lifting arm away from Railgun MAX's weapon. Free Shipping was taking the better of the collisions and eventually had Railgun MAX on top of them, losing one of its protective covers. Free Shipping managed to shove Railgun MAX into the arena barrier before losing a tire from its opponent's attack. Luckily, Free Shipping could still drive relatively well on three wheels and Railgun MAX had lost the use of its weapon. Time ran out with both robots still mobile and Free Shipping won a 2-1 split decision, due to Railgun MAX lacking aggression when Free Shipping was upside down throughout the match and the loss of their eggbeater.
Free Shipping vs. Texas Twister
Free Shipping pushes Texas Twister against the screws.
Free Shipping also had a match against Fuzzy Mauldin and Texas Twister. In response, Free Shipping was equipped with a new orange plow to absorb hits from Texas Twister's weapon. However as the match got underway, both robots were very tentative, refusing to get too close to one another. Eventually, Free Shipping moved in and took two hits from Texas Twister's disk, causing only minor damage. Sensing that they have the advantage, Free Shipping began to corral Texas Twister, pushing it into the arena barrier and on top of the screws. Texas Twister escaped but Free Shipping stayed on them, eventually causing Texas Twister's weapon to stop working. Time ran out just after Free Shipping got Texas Twister back on the screws. The judges awarded Free Shipping a unanimous 3-0 decision.
re:MARS all:STARS BattleBots Challenge (2019)[]
Free Shipping vs. Bronco
Free Shipping was one of ten robots which fought at re:MARS all:STARS in June 2019, a unique livestreamed event hosted in Las Vegas, Nevada, three months on from filming of the World Championship season. In its first and only battle, it took on former semi-finalist Bronco in a rematch from their main season encounter.
Free Shipping gets underneath Bronco.
Driving towards its opponent, Free Shipping's wedges were caught on the BattleBox floor. This allowed Bronco to immediately get to its left flank and throw Free Shipping, but the flame-spewing machine landed on its wheels. Bronco then misfired, with the power of its flip great enough to throw itself over. It quickly self-righted, but landed on top of Free Shipping, which drove it around while trying to ignite its flamethrower. Bronco used its weapon to escape, landing inverted for a second time before righting itself next to the screws.
Free Shipping fires its flamethrower.
With its flamethrower now in play, Gary Gin's machine jostled for position, charging down the front of Bronco before leaving itself open to another flip. Free Shipping landed upside-down on this occasion and used its lifting arm to recover. An oncoming Bronco drove over the wedge of Free Shipping, which shot a burst of flame across the arena in response.
Free Shipping is thrown around.
Bronco retaliated with more aggression, however, delivering two powerful flips in quick succession before lining its opponent up and launching it into the corner. The landing proved enough to damage the housing for Free Shipping's flamethrower weapon, which was still functional despite the barrage of attacks from Bronco. The pair met head-on, locking horns as both robots were overturned. Bronco was quickest to self-right, while Free Shipping used its exposed wheels to drive away and tip back upright with help from its opponent.
Bronco hurls Free Shipping into the corner.
Free Shipping is caught in the screws courtesy of Bronco.
Its lifter raised, Free Shipping led with its hinged wedges to attack in a style more akin to Gary Gin's RoboGames competitor, Original Sin. However, the edge of Bronco's flipper arm slid underneath and launched Free Shipping into the screws. Referee John Remar liaised with Team Special Delivery as Free Shipping struggled to escape, and was subsequently counted out. As it lost this battle, Free Shipping was ineligible to be voted into the event's final by the crowd.
World Championship VI[]
Free Shipping vs. Blacksmith
Blacksmith lands a big shot to Free Shipping early on.
Gary Gin and Free Shipping first faced fellow veteran Al Kindle and Blacksmith, both of whom returned after a year away from BattleBots. The fight began with Blacksmith welcoming the box-rush from Free Shipping as it fired the hammer saw for the first time. However, Free Shipping won the ground game and was able to spin Blacksmith around and ram it into the Upper Deck in a cloud of fire.
Free Shipping overturns Blacksmith by the arena barriers.
As Free Shipping came back, Blacksmith again fired its primary weapon, causing sparks to fly, but then drove into the pulverizer which temporarily saw it stuck in the corner. Al Kindle's bot escaped and tried to fire its weapon directly onto Free Shipping's lifting arm, but could not make contact. Gary Gin was able to maneuver Blacksmith onto its forks and flipped it over, though its opponent could self-right.
Blacksmith and Free Shipping do battle near the newest BattleBox hazard.
Blacksmith attempted to swipe with its weapon, but missed several times before landing a couple of hits again. Free Shipping then took Blacksmith to the Upper Deck once more, but Free Shipping's weapon chain was visibly broken, thus disabling its lifting weapon. However, with Blacksmith now smoking and on fire; its spinning weapon also appeared inactive but could still swing like a traditional hammer. Free Shipping took a shot from the pulverizer in the closing seconds, but the fight went the distance with both bots still active. The judges awarded a unanimous 3-0 decision in favor of Blacksmith.
Free Shipping vs. Uppercut
Free Shipping controls Uppercut in the opening seconds.
Free Shipping's fuel tank for the flamethrower explodes.
Another angle of the explosion.
Free Shipping's second fight was against Uppercut, captained by Alex Hattori. In the pre-match interviews, Gary Gin stated he wanted to go at Uppercut and try to control his opponent from the off. This started well for Free Shipping as they led with their lifting arm raised and sent Uppercut tumbling over their front wedge and bouncing across the BattleBox. Free Shipping managed to get under Uppercut on the second impact between the two bots, but had to retreat as the spinning arm was getting up to full speed. Uppercut then landed a big hit to Free Shipping which upturned Gary Gin's bot. This was followed up by an attack to their fuel tank which caused a fiery explosion reminiscent of their 2020 season fight against SawBlaze. Free Shipping tried to escape while still aflame but its wedges were bent upwards and it ran into the arena barrier. Uppercut maintained its aggression and struck the front of its opponent once more, tearing both wedges away and the right-front tire in the same impact. Free Shipping was now upside-down again and drove to the corner to right itself, but Gary Gin inadvertently propped himself up against the wall. Uppercut's drive had given way on one side, though Free Shipping was deemed immobile so was counted out, putting Gary Gin's team to 0-2 for the season.
Free Shipping vs. Tombstone
Free Shipping enters the BattleBox.
Free Shipping loses a wheel early on.
Last up for Free Shipping in the Fight Night rounds was former BattleBots champion Tombstone in a desperate attempt to not fall to an 0-3 record. This is also the first time Gary Gin and Ray Billings have fought each other outside of RoboGames and their respective entries Original Sin and Last Rites. For this fight, Free Shipping was fitted with new orange wedges. Gary Gin led with Free Shipping's flamethrower early on, reluctant to throw its lifter face-first into Tombstone's bar. However, this gave Tombstone a chance to spin up as it quickly tore away the right-front tire of Free Shipping. It attempted to escape the corner, but saw two more of its tires sliced in the process. Now running on only one tire, Gary Gin was still able to spin the bot around to face Tombstone as it tanked another hit, this time to its front. However, Tombstone's blade mysteriously stopped spinning, forcing a pushing match which has favored Gary Gin so often in the past. Tombstone chased Free Shipping around before becoming stuck on its wedges momentarily but it escaped. Free Shipping was able to keep its front pointed at Tombstone even despite losing three tires, but Ray Billings got around to its side and shoved Free Shipping into the screws late on. With both bots mobile after the three minutes, the judges awarded Tombstone the unanimous decision. This pushed Free Shipping to 0-3, all but confirming their exclusion from the Top 32.
BattleBots: Champions I[]
Free Shipping vs. Icewave
Free Shipping takes on Icewave.
Free Shipping returned for BattleBots: Champions I and in the first round, faced former Bounty holder, Icewave. For this fight, Free Shipping was fitted with an armored plow designed to withstand against Icewave's spinning bar. As Icewave spun up, Free Shipping drove straight at it in an attempt to smother the horizontal spinner. Free Shipping tanked several hits as Icewave's spin-up was disrupted, eventually pushing it into the short corner and using its scoop to pin it against the barrier momentarily. Leading with its lifter raised to avoid Icewave's primary weapon, Free Shipping continued to drive at Icewave before shoving it into the other short corner, pinning it in place. Gary Gin then tried to lower its lifter to hook and lift Icewave, but was unsuccessful in doing so. Icewave escaped and got back up to speed, but Free Shipping again drove head-first into Icewave to stop the bar once more. It then activated its flamethrower but struggled to fire it in its opponent's general direction. The continued exchanges had forced the housing for Icewave's internal combustion engine to twist, but this did not affect the weapon's reliability as it kept delivering hits to the durable front scoop of Free Shipping. As it spun around to face its opponent, Icewave found itself vulnerable as Free Shipping rammed it into the screws of the Upper Deck, and eventually on top of the BattleBox hazard. Icewave escaped, but its primary weapon no longer appeared to be spinning as Free Shipping bullied it around the BattleBox in the closing seconds of the match. Free Shipping took the win by way of a split 2-1 judges' decision and moved on in the bracket.
Free Shipping vs. Uppercut
History repeats itself.
Next up for Free Shipping was a rematch against Uppercut. Free Shipping swapped its scoop out for its wide wedge, and again began with its lifter raised. Uppercut dealt the first blow of the match, a glancing shot which appeared to immediately immobilize Free Shipping. Uppercut then tore into the side of Free Shipping, puncturing one of the canisters for its flamethrower. The follow-up shot caused the canister to ignite, causing another large fireball in the BattleBox. Free Shipping was counted out and was eliminated at this stage of the competition.
World Championship VII[]
Free Shipping vs. Gigabyte
Debuting its invertible design, drum spinner and large wedgelet configuration, Free Shipping's first opponent of the season was Gigabyte, now piloted by co-captains Derek Tran and Camden Wallraff.
Free Shipping proves to be the early aggressor.
Gigabyte immediately spun up but hit the BattleBox. Free Shipping approached and slid underneath its shell, popping Gigabyte up with its new spinning disc. As it tried to spin back up, Free Shipping continued rammed its wedges into its opponent, unbalancing Gigabyte.
Gigabyte spins out of control
The shell spinner then deflected away and into the arena wall before Free Shipping drove under the pulverizer operated by Robotic Death Company. This gave Gigabyte time and space to spin up to speed, but Gary Gin was undeterred as he drove Free Shipping face-first into its opponent again, deflecting Gigabyte in such a way that it careened across the BattleBox and found itself in the short corner.
Gigabyte is counted out.
Gigabyte became unstable again and drove into the wall. Free Shipping charged it down, forcing Gigabyte to twist through the air and land upside-down, breaking the self-righting pole in the process. Gigabyte began spinning frantically while inverted, balancing on the stub left from where its pole broke. Free Shipping pushed Gigabyte away from the corner and drove it into the screws before taking it to the opposite pulverizer.
Still inverted, Gigabyte was no longer moving and a count began. Free Shipping took the win by knockout, beginning its season with a 1-0 record.
Free Shipping vs. Minotaur
Looking to build on its winning start, Free Shipping's second opponent was World Championship III runner-up Minotaur. The large wedgelets were exchanged for the narrower fork-style pair.
Free Shipping and Minotaur duke it out.
Free Shipping immediately box-rushed Minotaur, flipping it over and forcing Daniel Freitas to right the Brazilian bot. Gary Gin kept Free Shipping's front pointed towards Minotaur, but the drum spinner tore its left-side wedgelet away. Free Shipping scurried away and instigated its flamethrower, but Minotaur turned sharply to get around to its sides, targeting the vulnerable wheels.
"Daniel Freitas is going to try to chew on some tires. That's one of his specialties."
— Kenny Florian predicts Minotaur's next move
Team RioBotz expertly pin Free Shipping with help from the pulverizer.
Minotaur was able to pop Free Shipping into the air, but Gary Gin's robot was unaffected and even managed to fight back, driving Minotaur into the corner. As Minotaur continued to attack, however, damage began to show as Free Shipping's side armor had been torn up. One of its front tires was now also loose and in attempting to drive away, Free Shipping drove underneath the pulverizer and suffered a hit to its top panel. It was pinned momentarily and Minotaur took advantage by landing several more hits. Free Shipping reversed across the BattleBox and into the short corner, where it suddenly became stuck in place.
Free Shipping is counted out.
"Gary's staring down at his controller confused. Free Shipping may be stuck up against the side of the 'Box."
— Kenny Florian commentates as Free Shipping drives into the wall
With just over a minute of the fight remaining, a count began on Free Shipping as Minotaur held back, pegging Gary Gin's team back to a 1-1 record.
Free Shipping vs. Hydra
Free Shipping's third opponent was Jake Ewert and Hydra in a rematch from the 2019 season. The robot was again equipped with large wedgelets, in a bid to exploit Hydra's ground clearance and make the best use of its spinning drum.
"So this time, we actually have a weapon to try and do some damage to him. Try to break his drivetrain or something like that. As long as we stay away from that flipper... that's his only way of doing any kind of damage to us. We've got to try to get to the sides, get to the back, possibly... try to get under him, which will be tough, but you know, it's somethin' we need to give a shot."
— Gary Gin outlines his team's strategy against Hydra
Hydra immediately gets underneath Free Shipping.
Both competitors approached each other tentatively, only for Free Shipping to ram and activate its flamethrower close to Hydra. However, it was thrown into the bottom-right corner, cartwheeling onto the spiked bumper. Free Shipping, now inverted, managed to drive off quickly and up the front end of Hydra. Hydra capitalized by tossing Free Shipping a second time, with Free Shipping bouncing over the killsaw slots as a result. The re-righted Free Shipping backed away and circled across the BattleBox, while Hydra's forks and flipper lip caught the slots and floor seams a few times.
"We said the ground game was the key for both of these teams. So far, Hydra is the lower bot!"
Free Shipping attempted to ram Hydra again, but was thrown three more times across the inner lower perimeter by the purple machine. However, its drum briefly connected with Hydra's flipper during the second flip of this sequence. An inverted Free Shipping again rode up the front end of Jake Ewert's machine, spouting flames, and skidded towards the blue square screws in an attempt to line up another charge. However, it missed Hydra in doing so, crashing into the spiked bumper beneath the competitors' control booth. As Hydra closed in and got underneath once again, Free Shipping ripped one of its side skirt panels off with its drum.
Chris Rose: "Oh man, "How much can Gary Gin take?" is the question."
Kenny Florian: "Oh, he's rocked!"
Chris Rose: "We know it won't stop 'im from driving like a mad man. In fact, it may even make him crazier!"
— As Free Shipping attempts to retaliate with a few rams
Hydra launches Free Shipping high into the air.
While Hydra weaved over the killsaw slots, Free Shipping charged in and once again rode up its front end. This caused a large piece of metal to be removed and left on the BattleBox floor, though with no apparent detriment to either robot. Free Shipping proceeded to circle across the lower perimeter, before repeating its earlier attempts to drive up and ram Hydra. In doing so, it bumped into one of the Upper Deck screw mounts, then Hydra once again as the two competitors met in the center for the second time. Following this stand-off, Free Shipping lunged at Hydra, which flipped it over yet again. Free Shipping retreated to make another similar charge, only for Hydra to toss it at greater height into the blue square.
Chris Rose: "Oh right! There it is!"
Kenny Florian: "Big one!"
Chris Rose: "I didn't think that Free Shipping could get any flatter..."
— After Free Shipping is tossed towards the ceiling
Free Shipping loses a wedge.
Landing hard on the right-hand side of the arena, Free Shipping maneuvered to the top-right corner in its attempt to recover. However, upon meeting Team Whyachi's machine again, it was catapulted back into the corner with a similar force and height. Free Shipping's front-left wedge broke off upon landing, with Hydra proceeding to throw it over the entire width of the Upper Deck. These flips, again, had no impact on the drivetrain of Gary Gin's machine, which darted to the bottom-right corner while Hydra watched on from the center. With the match entering half distance, Free Shipping persisted in its attempts to outdrive Hydra, only to be tossed into the air by the latter for the tenth time. An eleventh flip followed as the battle entered the final minute, with Free Shipping inverted once more and luring Hydra over the now-active killsaws. Tentative movements resulted in Free Shipping being thrown into the air and onto the killsaws by two successive flips from Hydra. Both competitors circled around simultaneously; Hydra slipped underneath Free Shipping's remaining wedge and proceeded to catapult it three more times. Another strip of metal flew from Free Shipping as it landed on the second flip, coming to rest in the top-left corner. Hydra promptly tossed Free Shipping onto the red square screws with another flip - the fourth in this sequence – and again once the screw reversed direction to free its opponent.
"Somebody throw in the towel! Jake Ewert... have you no mercy, sir?"
— Kenny Florian, shortly after Free Shipping is immobilized and flipped away from the screws by Hydra
Free Shipping lays immobile at the end of the fight.
Following these flips, Free Shipping completely lost mobility, and was tossed into the outer Lexan and top-left corner by Hydra. After a brief moment in which Hydra pushed and clamped it within the corner, a count-out began during the final ten seconds, signalling an impending knockout loss for Free Shipping. Free Shipping was rendered helpless as Hydra threw it twice more, but survived to a judges' decision, as the end buzzer sounded before the count-out was finished.
"Well, Kenny, Gary Gin came out spittin' flames, but Hydra was in the mood for inflicting pain!"
— Chris Rose, over a replay of Hydra's first flip on Free Shipping
Having been flipped a total of twenty times - at a maximum recorded height of 15.3ft - Free Shipping lost the unanimous decision to Hydra. It therefore lost the match, with its Fight Night record being updated to a precarious 1-2 as a result.
Free Shipping vs. Big Dill
Free Shipping's fourth Fight Night bout saw it face off against Big Dill. Chris and Kenny were joined by End Game captain Nick Mabey for this battle.
Gary Gin: "What the hell is that?!"
Jim Yeh: "That's... I guarantee he's going for the tank."
— Team Special Delivery react to the addition of Killi Pepper
Free Shipping faces its opponent.
Early on, Free Shipping drove towards Big Dill as it initially hung back, with Killi Pepper positioning itself in the corner. Gary Gin's robot charged forward, riding up the forks of Big Dill and flipping over. As Free Shipping reversed into the wall to escape danger, Big Dill proved to be the lower robot, getting in underneath while the 1-2 bot fed itself into the front of its opponent.
Free Shipping is sent flying through the air.
Big Dill then hoisted Free Shipping, balancing it on its rear wheels and following this up with a shot to the top panel with its disc. Gary Gin recovered and with his robot now the right way up, looked to attack from an angle. Activating its flamethrower, Big Dill drove into the wall as the tide appeared to turn. Killi Pepper came in and struck the wheel of Free Shipping, before the larger Big Dill robot slid its lifter underneath again. The vertical spinner caught Free Shipping again, throwing it behind Emmanuel Carrillo's machine and bouncing onto its side.
Free Shipping fights back.
As it fell back onto all four wheels, Killi Pepper took the opportunity and charged into its vulnerable opponent, but flipped itself over in the process. Free Shipping suddenly got to the side of Big Dill, ramming it into the corner and grazing its underside with the drum spinner and losing an armor panel. However, Big Dill was able to escape unharmed as smoke began to emit from the weapon of Free Shipping.
Kenny Florian: "Uh-oh, looks like we've got some smoke coming out of Free Shipping now though."
Chris Rose: "Yep. Nick Mabey, what does it look like to you?"
Nick Mabey: "It looks like it could just be belts. Although, it keeps going..."
— Chris, Kenny and Nick Mabey attempt to diagnose the issue
Big Dill keeps Free Shipping under the pulverizer.
With its left wedge visibly damaged, Free Shipping found itself caught under the pulverizer. Big Dill attempted to lift, but hoisted itself over as the hammer came down. As it lifted again, Free Shipping was caught under the shaft of the hazard, pinned in place before being knocked back onto its wheels. Big Dill remained aggressive, however, continuing to keep Gary Gin's robot against the rails.
Chris Rose: "What a display of control by Big Dill!"
Kenny Florian: "How about Emmanuel Carrillo out-dueling the master tonight?"
— Chris and Kenny react to Big Dill's dominance
Free Shipping is counted out.
Big Dill retreated as the pulverizer continued to reign down on Free Shipping, which was now immobile. A count began shortly after and Free Shipping fell to a 1-3 record to round off its Fight Night.
BattleBots: Champions II[]
Free Shipping vs. Mammoth
Free Shipping also competed in BattleBots: Champions II, where it fought Mammoth in the opening round of the third Sin City Slugfest bracket. Free Shipping was equipped with its orange, L-shaped wedges for this battle.
"We're gonna try to take off a tire as quickly as we can, stay away from the spinning weapon. Just gotta be quicker than them."
— Gary Gin pre-fight
Gary Gin expressed his desire to outdrive Ricky Willems, and Kenny Florian also gave Free Shipping the edge ahead of the battle.
Free Shipping is swatted by Mammoth early on.
Both robots were quick out of their starting squares as Free Shipping found itself being chased by Mammoth in the opening seconds. Free Shipping approached the front of Mammoth, but was swatted away by its Tegris trunk. Ricky Willems then managed to hit the side of Free Shipping, but Gary Gin attacked the front of its opponent and sent it off-balance, losing one of its inner forks in the process.
Free Shipping terrorizes its larger opponent.
Free Shipping then met Mammoth head-on, resulting in the latter's weapon chain snapping and being tossed across the BattleBox. Sensing an advantage, Gary Gin drove towards the front of Mammoth again, opting to target its opponent's drive motors with its flamethrower.
Kenny Florian: "He's trying to burn up the motors! Gary, you are sick!"
Chris Rose: "Oh-ho-ho-ho-ho-ho-ho-ho, that's why we love him!"
— Kenny Florian and Chris Rose react as Free Shipping gains the upper hand
Free Shipping faces up to Mammoth.
Mammoth was only able to arc in place at this stage as it suffered issues with its right side of drive. Free Shipping drove underneath before targeting a tire, though its spinning weapon died shortly after.
In spite of this, Mammoth suddenly stopped moving in front of the team booths. The referee initiated a count-out, and Free Shipping moved on.
Free Shipping vs. Beta
Advancing in the bracket, Free Shipping next fought a fellow BattleBots veteran in John Reid and Beta. It was again armed with its L-shaped wedges in this battle as it looked to get underneath its opponent's sloped armor.
Beta strikes the top of Free Shipping.
Both bots circled one another in the middle of the arena to start the semi-final. Free Shipping then slid its wedges under the front of Beta, who fired its bladed hammer down in response.
Free Shipping stares down a beaten Beta.
Free Shipping rammed Beta into the screws, overturning it near the blue starting square. The vertical spinner of Free Shipping dealt a blow to the back of Beta, tearing one of its rear wheels as its primary weapon struggled to retract.
A burst of flame signalled the start of the count against the British robot, and Gary Gin's team moved on.
"...and Gary Gin, just like that, advances to the finals!"
— Chris Rose as Beta is counted out
Free Shipping vs. Gigabyte
In the final, Free Shipping had a rematch against Gigabyte, who appeared much improved since their Fight Night encounter earlier in the season. Free Shipping went with its triangular wedgelets for this battle, which proved successful in their first win over the shell spinner. In spite of its prior win, 85% of fellow builders predicted Gigabyte to take the win, whereas Kenny Florian backed Gary Gin's team.
Gigabyte promptly rights itself.
As the fight began, Free Shipping paused as Gigabyte found time and space to get up to speed in the opening seconds of the fight. Gary Gin charged into its opponent, which sent Derek Tran and Camden Wallraff's machine off-balance. Gigabyte quickly used its pole to right itself and escaped the corner, striking the front of Free Shipping in the process.
"Spinning up, spinning up, spinning up..."
— Camden Wallraff as Gigabyte returns to the middle of the arena
Gigabyte bounces across the BattleBox, landing inverted.
Gigabyte was now back up to speed and looking dangerous as it evaded another charge from its opponent. Free Shipping's flamethrower then activated, and as Gigabyte turned sharply, the shell spinner made contact with the left-side wedge of Free Shipping. This sent Gigabyte careening across the BattleBox, first bouncing into the rails near the short corner before ricocheting into the drivers' booths and breaking the BattleBots sign.
"Oh, ho... here comes that fire. Gary Gin, if he gets hit, it's gonna be a fireball in the air- Instead it's Gigabyte ricocheting all over!"
— Chris Rose reacts to the fatal hit
The final impact snapped Gigabyte's pole, and as the robot landed upside-down, it could not use its intended method of righting itself. Gary Gin capitalized by coercing the still-spinning Gigabyte into the corner and nudging it underneath the pulverizer operated by Team Special Delivery.
Gigabyte is counted out.
Free Shipping retreated as the 100lb hammer continued to land shots on Gigabyte's vulnerable underside, before Camden Wallraff stopped its weapon. The crowd began chanting Gary Gin's name, which was promptly followed by a count-out against Gigabyte. As such, Free Shipping confirmed its place in the tournament of champions.
Free Shipping vs. End Game
Free Shipping's unique look for fighting End Game.
As winner of the third Sin City Slugfest bracket, Free Shipping qualified for the Golden Bolt tournament. There, it took on the reigning Golden Bolt champion and 2020 season Giant Nut winner, End Game in Round 1. Free Shipping sported a new configuration for this fight, consisting of one L-shaped bracket and one triangular wedge.
Free Shipping rides up the front of End Game.
As the 2020 champion looked to get its disk up to speed, Gary Gin instantly charged it down and shoved End Game into the spiked screw housing in the blue starting square. With its flamethrower now active, Free Shipping drove the New Zealand bot back towards the Upper Deck before fleeing to face its opponent again. Free Shipping again met End Game head-on before turning and riding up its front again. This time, however, Free Shipping did not escape the vertical spinner and End Game ripped away Free Shipping's L-shaped attachment.
End Game lands a flurry of hits on Free Shipping.
End Game then began to grind down the remaining triangular wedge on the right side of Free Shipping's primary weapon before catching the main chassis, throwing the former multi-time RoboGames champion trough the air twice before it escaped the corner of the BattleBox. Damage began to mount up on Free Shipping as its spinning weapon was no longer active, and the right-front wheel now appeared locked up as well. As Free Shipping maintained its aggressive approach, End Game stripped a tire from Gary Gin's bot and also damaged the wheel hub.
End Game stares down a stationary Free Shipping.
Free Shipping stopped moving shortly after, and a count began as End Game backed off to spin in celebration. Free Shipping lost by knockout and was eliminated from the Golden Bolt bracket.
"The best part of this is that we're here to have fun. And the reason we have fun is because... because of my team. 'Cause we are friends first and teammates second, and I wouldn't do it without them."
— A tearful Gary Gin praises his team following their Golden Bolt elimination
BattleBots FaceOffs[]
Free Shipping vs. Big Dill
Please note that the order of the following fights is unknown, as documentation on the event itself is either limited or non-existent. This is typically true of untelevised events such as BattleBots IQ and those sanctioned by the BattleBots name.
Free Shipping is set to compete in the penultimate BattleBots FaceOffs group, where it will take on three other robots. One of which, though not necessarily its first opponent, is confirmed to be Big Dill in a rematch from the Fight Night stages of World Championship VII.
Free Shipping vs. Minotaur
Free Shipping will also fight Minotaur in another rematch from World Championship VII.
Free Shipping vs. Claw Viper
Free Shipping also square off against a fresh opponent in Claw Viper.
"If this bot was a parcel company, it would be called Dead Ex. Mess with this bot, you're straight trippin', it's FREE SHIPPING!"
"It's the forklift of fire. Fresh from the docks, it'll leave you screamin', 'What's in the box?!' It's FREE SHIPPING!"
"Someone call Wham-azon, cause this bot is in its prime. Coming to deliver death by burning. Don't OPEN the box!It's FREE SHIPPING!"
"This robot used to move boxes. Then it got fired and now it fires back at robots. It's FREE SHIPPING!"
"It signs for everything with the initials WTF. What the fork? Tine's up, you're done. This silverware will kill you son. It's FREE SHIPPING!"
"Faruq here again with another hot deal that you're going to flip over. With each toasted steel frame, you'll get a set of burnt up tires and no extra cost. But if you order now, you'll also get FREE SHIPPING!"
"This bot throws flames like Roger Clemens throws pitches, all made to strike you out. It's got an android rage, that can't be caged. When Gary's at the plate, no one is safe. You're about to get a whipping, from FREE SHIPPING!"
"This bot is very violent. This beating won't be silent. It's trick-ay! It's tricky to fight this bot, to fight this bot, to fight this bot, it's tricky! FREE SHIPPING!"
"You know, Faruq is not a liar. So hear me when I say to you "Gary's gonna set you on fire." Come on Gary, light that fire! It's FREE SHIPPING!"
"His special delivery's always on time. And it's a big box of punishment, call him Slam-azon Prime. When he knocks on your door, you know you don't stand a chance. He's the UPS of making U P your pants! Here comes FREE SHIPPING!"
"Moving's a hassle that's never the best, but give this bot a wrestle and he'll do the rest. He'll lift you and drop you until your bot's brittle. Then he'll wrap you up and send you straight to the hospital. It's FREE SHIPPING!"
"Hello, this is shipping customer service. How may I help you? Hmm-hmm. Oh, yes. Your death is free as long as you order before 2:00. Oh, no. We can kill you overnight and make it a priority. Don't track us. We'll track you 'til you're in the really silent majority. Hmm-hmm, thanks for calling. It's FREE SHIPPING!"
"From San Leandro, California, this bot's name is only valid in the continental United States, and is void of orders under 25 bucks. It's FREE SHIPPING!"
"From San Leandro, California, look out, he's about to go postal, it's FREE SHIPPING!"
"From San Leandro, California. The only bot that puts a tracking number on your death certificate, it's FREE SHIPPING!"
"You might not be intimidated by a guy who's named Gary. That's a name for a stepdad. It's not all that scary, but you'll learn some respect. He makes the rules in this house. Don't get bratty. He'll kill your bot, marry your mom and become your daddy. He'll send you to your room and your doom. It's FREE SHIPPING!"
"An old wise man once said to me that everything has its cost. A drink comes with a tab and a win comes with a loss. So don't trust the bot when it tells you that there are no hidden fees. Sure, it'll be there in 2-3 days, but you have to take off both your knees. It's FREE SHIPPING!"
"From San Leandro, California, here to deliver your coffin to your family, or at least a note that says, 'Hi. It's the post office. We tried to deliver this coffin, but nobody was home. We will try again tomorrow between 2:30 and 2:32, and if then no one is there, you'll have to come pick it up at the office.' Give it up for FREE SHIPPING!"
"From San Leandro, California, needing no return address because you won't be going home. It's FREE SHIPPING!"
"History's full of notable Garys. But he's worse than the Garys that came before. He'll knock you to the Far Side like Larson. Like Gygax, he'll lock the dungeon door. Like Gary Oldman, he's intense. Like Gary Busey, he's bananas. He'll keep it Gary Coleman short when he kills you like Gary, Indiana. It's FREE SHIPPING!"
"From San Leandro, California, everyone get your s'mores ready 'cause we're about to see some fire. It's FREE SHIPPING!"
The BattleBots website uses Free Shipping to promote free delivery on orders over $100.
Free Shipping vs. Blacksmith was the first publicly announced fight of the 2021 season.
Life-size cardboard cut-outs of Gary Gin and various other pieces of art were present in The Pits during filming for World Championship VI, including one of Gary Gin next to Original Sin.
Gary Gin organised a fundraiser for Free Shipping in July 2021, with anybody donating $5 or more having their name on the top panel of the robot.
Free Shipping is sponsored by Kooart Studio, which is a California-based multimedia art business specializing in pottery and clothing.
