Long Beach 1999 was the first competition ever sanctioned by BattleBots in Long Beach, California.
It was held at The Long Beach Pyramid, a 4000-seat multipurpose indoor arena which has since been renamed to Walter Pyramid.[1]
There were three weight classes at the event: Lightweight (named the Kilobots class), Middleweight (named Megabots) and Heavyweight (named Gigabots). Each weight class ran in a double-elimination bracket, dividing the field into a winner's bracket and a loser's bracket. A 'Live Webcast' of the tournament was broadcast online on ZDTV (later known as TechTV).[2] Highlights of the accompanying taping also formed the basis for the BattleBots Beginnings DVD released in 2004.
For this competition, the Kilobots could weigh between 25-55lbs, or up to 83lbs for walkers. Megabots weighed between 56-109lbs and likewise had a bonus for walking robots: 84-164lbs. The heavyweight Gigabots could weigh from 110-200lbs, or between 165-300lbs for walkers.[3]
The Kilobots division was ultimately won by Ziggo, having fought through the loser's bracket to make the latter stages of the competition. Derek Young's Son of Smashy took home the Megabots title after defeating Knee-Breaker in the final, and BioHazard triumphed over the British KillerHurtz to claim the Gigabots crown.
The rumbles for each division were won by HammerHead, Deadblow and Razer respectively.
A copy of the event's brochure is available on Archive.org.
Kilobots (Lightweight)[]
The Kilobot tournament tree (Credit: Team Run Amok).
| Kilobots Rumble[4] |
|---|
| HammerHead vs. Toe-Crusher vs. Mouser Catbot 2001 vs. Ziggo vs. Sallad vs. Wedge of Doom vs. Hot Air vs. W.L.O.W. vs. The Missing Link vs. Instigator vs. Knome vs. RACC vs. Defiant vs. Executioner vs. Lock-Nut Monster vs. Gorange 3 vs. Rasta |
Megabots (Middleweight)[]
The Megabots tournament tree (Credit: Team Run Amok).
| Megabots Rumble[5] |
|---|
| Son of Smashy vs. Carnivore vs. Ankle Biter vs. Deadblow vs. Spaz vs. Knee-Breaker vs. Scorpion Beta 3 vs. Stuffie vs. SlapPest vs. Unnamed Robots |
Gigabots (Heavyweight)[]
The Gigabots tournament tree (Credit: Team Run Amok).
| Gigabot Rumble[6] |
|---|
| BioHazard vs. Mauler vs. Tazbot vs. S.L.A.M. vs. Razer vs. FrenZy vs. Voltarc vs. Rhino vs. Punjar vs. Kill-O-Amp vs. Namreko 3000 vs. Juggernaut vs. Malicious Mischief |
Results[]
| Weight Class | Champion | Runner-Up | Third Place | Fourth Place | Rumble Winner |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kilobots | Ziggo | Defiant | Executioner | Toe-Crusher | HammerHead |
| Megabots | Son of Smashy | Knee-Breaker | Turtle Road Kill | Deadblow | Deadblow |
| Gigabots | BioHazard | KillerHurtz | Rhino | Tazbot | Razer |
Other Awards[]
- Funniest Robot Award: Tentoumushi
- Best Engineering Award: BioHazard
- Best Driver Award: John Reid - KillerHurtz
- Coolest Robot Award: Mechadon
- Most Aggressive Robot Award: Nightmare
Trivia[]
- Tentoumushi's name was misspelt as "Tentomushi" on the official tournament bracket.
- Similarly, Rott-Bott was spelt "Rott-Bot" and Mouser Catbot was also known as "Mouser Catbot 2001".
- Bombus Bombus was the first ever no-show in BattleBots.
- The production company behind the Long Beach Pay-Per-View, Innovation, was then owned by referee John Remar.
References[]
- ↑ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Walter_Pyramid
- ↑ 'ZDTV Promo (BattleBots)', ZDTVMultimedia (YouTube), uploaded 25 June, 2006 (loud audio warning: 0:29-0:32)
- ↑ http://www.robotcombat.com/longbeach99.html
- ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EH1tVwalU5A
- ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SHiw7JEXL9U
- ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zyj-chhK758