Inspired by Victor Soto's middleweight robot Blue Flame, ROTATOR debuted as an invertible, hexagonal robot. Unlike the middleweight, however, ROTATOR sported a horizontal spinner at both the front and back of the robot. One of these was positioned above the chassis, making it an overcutter, and the other was positioned underneath the chassis, making it an undercutter. Both of these spun at 300mph in ROTATOR's debut season and weighed 30lbs apiece.[1] This maintained ROTATOR's appearance whenever it was flipped over, personifying its palindromic name.
ROTATOR during World Championship II hero shots.
ROTATOR was originally an alternate for the show in its debut season, but was allowed to compete due to a handful of drop-outs during filming for World Championship II. Though ROTATOR won an exhibition rumble, it lost its one and only main competition fight against Witch Doctor.
ROTATOR during World Championship III hero shots.
For World Championship III, ROTATOR had multiple internal upgrades. Visually, it had new tires which gripped the rims better, new LED lights and its logos were now painted on both ends of the robot. The team now had the option to sacrifice a disk in favor of adding a thicker titanium plow and wheelguards. It did much better in this season, making the Round of 16 and upsetting fan favorites Icewave before falling to the past and eventual champion Bite Force in the quarter-finals. At the end of the season, ROTATOR received the Most Destructive Robot Award for 2018.
ROTATOR during World Championship IV hero shots.
ROTATOR returned for World Championship IV in 2019 with greater variety in its spinning weaponry as the disks could be swapped out for 20lb bar spinners, freeing up weight for additional armor if desired.[2] Equally, in place of the angled plow, ROTATOR had a new defensive configuration consisting of hinged rear forks. This setup was used in three of its five matches against wedges and vertical spinners. Despite beating the feared Tombstone in one of the fights of the season, ROTATOR fell short of the Round of 16 after losing a side of its drive in an important play-off match against Blacksmith.
ROTATOR during World Championship V hero shots.
For World Championship V, ROTATOR appeared largely unchanged though had a few aesthetic details such as black lines down its wheelguard, subtle orange LEDs positioned right next to the castor, and a remodeled disk weapon. Though the signature double disks remained an option, Victor Soto persisted with the single disk setup. After going 1-2 in the qualifying rounds, ROTATOR made the Championship Tournament due to the nature of its slim losses. ROTATOR handed JackPot their first defeat in the Round of 32, but lost in a controversial match to eventual champion End Game in the Round of 16.
ROTATOR returned for World Championship VI, now shiny gold in appearance opposed to the matte gold look from seasons past. ROTATOR's name and logo were now adorned on the top, and according to Victor Soto, the team permanently ditched the double disks in favor of the single disk configuration, as it has proven to be much more competitive and reliable. The team saw several additions, with Ali Tariq and Bianca Soto introduced for the competition. ROTATOR began its season with consecutive wins over Kraken and 2020 season semi-finalist Black Dragon. Having defeated Captain Shrederator in a rematch from BattleBots: Bounty Hunters, ROTATOR once again fell in the Round of 16 to the eventual champion Tantrum.
After dethroning Bronco in BattleBots: Bounty Hunters, ROTATOR looked to defend its title in BattleBots: Champions I. However, it suffered a surprise loss to bracket winner Glitch in its only fight after a big impact dislodged its baseplate and caused ROTATOR to cut through its own batteries. This impact later featured in the 2023 special BattleBots: Nastiest Knockouts, placing sixth.
ROTATOR during World Championship VII hero shots.
ROTATOR was stated to be competing in World Championship VII by BattleBots via Instagram.[3] The team were later revealed as #14 in the BattleBots Pre-Season Power Rankings.[4] The extent of ROTATOR's upgrades are unknown, though long-time friend and fellow BattleBots builder Marc DeVidts joined the team following Icewave's rejection. ROTATOR began its season with a loss to Hydra and a win over JackPot. It then lost its third qualifier to Bloodsport. Following a win over Fusion, Victor Soto's team entered the Round of 32 with a 2-2 record, but its Giant Nut hopes were quickly eradicated at the hands of Copperhead.
As confirmed by the BattleBots website in September 2023, ROTATOR made its return in BattleBots: Champions II. It defeated rookie Terrortops, but lost in Round 2 in a rematch against Valkyrie.
The team posted progress on upgrades for ROTATOR on December 7, 2023.[5]
A render of ROTATOR, posted in May 2021.
ROTATOR equipped with its bar spinner during World Championship IV.
ROTATOR in the blue square during World Championship III.
ROTATOR's twin disks.
ROTATOR during World Championship II photoshoots.
ROTATOR in The Pits during World Championship II.
An unpainted ROTATOR, circa 2016.
ROTATOR under construction, circa 2016.
ROTATOR under construction, circa 2016.
ROTATOR's original CAD ahead of World Championship II.
In 2016, ROTATOR was displayed at a Design & Manufacturing show in Minneapolis, Minnesota alongside Witch Doctor.
ROTATOR on display in Minnesota in 2016.
Robot History[]
World Championship II[]
ROTATOR vs. Witch Doctor
ROTATOR's debut came against fellow BattleBots IQ competitors in Witch Doctor. For this match, ROTATOR's team opted for its steel bar spinners as the team figured its aluminum disks would not survive against its opponent. It was also positioned sideways in its starting square to allow time for both its weapons to get up to speed irrespective of a Witch Doctor box rush.
Witch Doctor makes short work of ROTATOR.
Though both of ROTATOR's bars were able to spin up, Witch Doctor charged at its side and quickly penned Victor Soto's robot in the corner of the arena. Witch Doctor then struck the same side again, ripping its tire away and throwing ROTATOR over.
Chris Rose: "Victor Soto's getting counted out already!"
Kenny Florian: "Ohhh, devastating knockout by Witch Doctor... brutal!"
— Chris and Kenny react to the decisive hit
ROTATOR is counted out.
Its top-mounted bar was now not spinning and ROTATOR was struggling to drive just seconds into this qualifier. The referee issued a count-out against ROTATOR, and Witch Doctor won by knockout.
ROTATOR was not selected to be a wildcard, meaning it was officially eliminated from the tournament.
ROTATOR vs. The Disk O' Inferno vs. Splatter (Exhibition)
The Disk O' Inferno slams ROTATOR into the screws.
Early on, ROTATOR lost power to one of its disks following a coming together with The Disk O' Inferno. ROTATOR collided with Splatter, but struggled to regain balance before the Infernolab machine used its rear-mounted flipper to drive ROTATOR into the screws.
The Disk O' Inferno collides with ROTATOR.
ROTATOR adopted a sit-and-spin technique which resulted in a weapon-to-weapon impact; this tore a chunk out of The Disk O' Inferno's primary weapon and forced Jason Bardis to power down his weapon. ROTATOR collided with Splatter again, but took the opportunity to spin back up as the orange machine focused on flipping The Disk O' Inferno over.
ROTATOR is stacked against the wall by Splatter.
As The Disk O' Inferno struggled to self-right, Splatter turned its attention back to Victor Soto's machine. ROTATOR was lifted against the wall but used its exposed wheel to maneuver away from danger. While neither of ROTATOR's blades were spinning by this point, nor was the vertical spinner of Splatter as it overturned ROTATOR twice more.
ROTATOR strikes Splatter as The Disk O' Inferno rights itself.
Splatter returned to the corner of the BattleBox to assist The Disk O' Inferno in being turned over, but was not successful in righting it. ROTATOR remained on that side of the arena and had gotten its undercutting blade back up to speed in this time, slicing into the left side of Splatter with several damaging attacks and tearing away its left-rear tire.
ROTATOR shows late aggression.
ROTATOR then landed a blow to the opposite flank of Splatter, which was now only able to drive in arcs and shedding fibreglass. The dual disks were down again, but ROTATOR appeared the only robot showing full mobility as the rumble entered its final minute. ROTATOR continued to spin on the spot, making frequent contact with its opponents and showing the most aggression in the closing seconds.
Time ran out and ROTATOR was declared the winner of the rumble by a unanimous judges' decision.
World Championship III[]
ROTATOR vs. Petunia
ROTATOR tears into Petunia's armor.
Petunia takes ROTATOR to the killsaws.
ROTATOR returned for the 2018 season, and their first opponent was Petunia. When the match began, things started off in ROTATOR's favor as they tore into the beak and side armor of Petunia. However, the disks eventually stopped spinning, leaving ROTATOR with little defenses or options. Still, ROTATOR used its drive system to try and become a push bot and spin like a thwackbot, but Petunia was gaining the upper hand. ROTATOR was grappled by Petunia right near the wheel well, but Petunia couldn't cause any sufficient damage. Later, ROTATOR found itself in Petunia's grasp again, this time a bit more towards the center of the bot. Towards the end of the fight, ROTATOR was grabbed again and this time taken to the killsaws and had one of its tires shredded. In the end, the judges awarded the victory to Petunia.
ROTATOR vs. Predator
ROTATOR slams Predator.
ROTATOR then had an untelevised match against Craig Danby and Predator, in which ROTATOR quickly got both disks up to speed, then started to shave bits of armor off of Predator's left side, then managed to rip off both the wheel guard and the wheel off of Predator's front right side. ROTATOR then got a huge hit on Predator's left side and ripped off the wheel and wheel guard this time off the front left side, and bent open Predator's back left wheel guard. ROTATOR then went in for a final hit that ripped out once again the wheel and wheel guard of Predator's back left side. Predator was then counted out, giving ROTATOR the win via knockout.
ROTATOR vs. Warrior Dragon
The two bots collide.
ROTATOR is pinned and roasted.
ROTATOR's next opponent was Team Whyachi and Warrior Dragon. For this match, ROTATOR swapped out its usual blades for its spinning bars and opted to spin them in the opposite direction they normally spin to counter against Warrior Dragon's ring spinner. The match started out pretty evenly, although ROTATOR was getting the better of the attacks. ROTATOR continued to attack, using its undercutting bar to cause damage. Warrior Dragon continued to fight but continued taking punishment as well. ROTATOR was beginning drive issues as it was now driving in circles. Luckily for ROTATOR, Warrior Dragon's weaponry eventually stopped working, allowing it to inflict more damage. In response, Warrior Dragon pushed and pinned ROTATOR against the barrier of the screws, with the "Dragon" drone making use of its flamethrower. The drone, though, flew too low and clipped ROTATOR's top bar, grounding it. With it's drone done, Warrior Dragon pressed on and pushed and pulverized ROTATOR. ROTATOR eventually broke free and attacked but by this point, smoke was pouring out of Warrior Dragon and it was barely moving. Time ran out and the judges awarded ROTATOR the win on a split 2-1 decision.
ROTATOR vs. Skorpios
ROTATOR rips off the arm of Skorpios.
ROTATOR spinning victoriously over a bruised and battered Skorpios.
ROTATOR next found itself up against Skorpios and went with its usual dual-spinning disk configuration. The match went underway as ROTATOR was instantly box rushed by Skorpios and so began the chase. ROTATOR tried to use its upper cutter to dish out some punishment but to no avail, even after repeated impacts. Skorpios went on the aggressive, pursuing ROTATOR and chasing it around the BattleBox. ROTATOR drifted and circled left and right, trying to deflect Skorpios' repeated charges with its undercutter. ROTATOR was then pushed up against the arena barrier and was about to take damage from Skorpios' weapon, but fortunately for ROTATOR, it was not working properly, so they were instead released. After narrowly missing the pulverizer, ROTATOR was again pushed by Skorpios against the arena barrier, but it was Skorpios that found itself and it's front forks entrapped against the arena barrier. With a massive opportunity right in front of ROTATOR, it instead decided to point its top disk towards Skorpios and waited patiently for Skorpios to break free. Sparks flew as Skorpios abruptly broke free and barely missed having it's saw taken off. ROTATOR was quickly backed into the the arena barrier right in front of both teams to see ROTATOR deliver a vicious shot and forcefully dislodged Skorpios' saw. Skorpios backed away into the killsaws and despite losing its weapon, still chose to pursue ROTATOR. Skorpios pushed it towards the killsaws but suffered from the hazard themselves. ROTATOR reversed to where a pulverizer stood and Skorpios charged. It delivered another hit which tore off a piece from the top of Skorpios near where the saw arm once stood, revealing the insides of Skorpios. At this happened, the pulverizer slammed down hard on Skorpios. Skorpios chased after ROTATOR of whom took a shot from the killsaws and missed the slightest hit from the pulverizer. Skorpios desperately shoved ROTATOR against the screws in attempt to rack up some late points, but time ran out and the judges awarded a unanimous 3-0 decision to ROTATOR.
ROTATOR vs. Icewave
ROTATOR destroying the weaponry of Icewave.
ROTATOR annihilates Icewave's engine housing.
ROTATOR tears off the top housing for the ICE on Icewave.
ROTATOR's first match of the Top 16 was a grudge match against Icewave. In response, the robot was fitted with only one of its two disks, intending to hopefully cut into the ICE of Icewave and thus disable the weapon. Additionally, they strengthened the armor for where the other blade would've been to use as a shield against Icewave's weapon. As the match began, ROTATOR took early shots from its opponent, tanking the blows until Icewave's internal combustion engine stalled. ROTATOR soon turned around and used its disk, tearing into the housing for Icewave's engine. By the third attack, the housing had been torn open and Icewave now had no active weapon. ROTATOR continued to rip into the housing and took out Icewave's the engine itself, despite being pushed around by its opponent. ROTATOR stayed aggressive and left only the top and back of the housing that once supported Icewave's internal combustion engine. Both robots took a shot from the killsaws before ROTATOR got one final hit that tore off the top off the housing for Icewave's engine. Time ran out and the judges awarded the unanimous decision to ROTATOR.
ROTATOR vs. Bite Force
ROTATOR is cornered by Bite Force.
Bite Force attacks ROTATOR.
Next up for ROTATOR was a clash with former champion Bite Force. For this fight, ROTATOR opted for its dual spinning bars to leave less surface area for Bite Force's weapon to hit. When the match began, ROTATOR was immediately launched into the air by Bite Force. ROTATOR recovered and started its assault, tearing off pieces of Bite Force's armor. Despite it being clear that Paul Ventimiglia and Bite Force were holding back, ROTATOR was still being tossed around like a rag doll. In a burst of sparks, ROTATOR was violently flung by Bite Force and nailed by the pulverizer. As the match progressed, ROTATOR continued to tear off pieces away from Bite Force until ROTATOR's own armor panel was torn off. Bite Force continued to attack as ROTATOR began to look weary. Paul Ventimiglia asked Team Revolution if they were okay to continue as the damage ROTATOR was receiving worsened, and they signalled to keep going. For the remainder of the match, ROTATOR struggled to keep its weapons running and soon enough, Bite Force put an end to the match by mangling one of ROTATOR's tires. Victor Soto's bot was counted out, giving Bite Force the win by knockout and eliminating ROTATOR from the tournament.
SawBlaze unleashes a flurry of sparks off ROTATOR.
ROTATOR's first battle of the 2019 season was against SawBlaze, which opted for a sturdy wedge configuration to defend against ROTATOR's undercutting blade. ROTATOR responded by opting for only one blade and added four wedgelets to its back in hopes of getting under SawBlaze's wedge. As soon as the match began, SawBlaze immediately charged out of its square but was appended by ROTATOR's forks early on. ROTATOR swung around and its spinner collided with SawBlaze's wedge. SawBlaze retaliated with lightning agility by forcefully shoving ROTATOR up onto the screws right in front of the judges to see. The impact flipped ROTATOR out of control making ROTATOR inverted. It took SawBlaze a bit of time to bring its saw down as the team had some problems with their weapon controller as the saw would struggle to spin up, but would take a while to get going afterwards. Once it got going, they brought down its saw onto ROTATOR and the sound of the saw cutting into ROTATOR filled the BattleBox as sparks flew. SawBlaze released ROTATOR and its blade immediately powered up again. SawBlaze used ROTATOR's fork to its advantage and threw ROTATOR against the wall, its blade brushing against SawBlaze's wedge. SawBlaze continued to control the pace of the match and almost shoved ROTATOR into the screws again, but instead, bumped into the screws and lost its grip on ROTATOR. SawBlaze chased ROTATOR across the BattleBox and almost managed to pulverize ROTATOR, but ROTATOR's forks managed to get under SawBlaze and its wedge briefly. ROTATOR's blade continued to make contact with SawBlaze's wedge, but no significant damage could be seen inflicted upon Jamison Go's machine. ROTATOR was then taken to the screws, its blade repelling itself from being stuck on the screws. SawBlaze made a second attempt, but ROTATOR's forks once again denied it. ROTATOR found itself yet again in SawBlaze's grasp and was slammed into the BattleBox. SawBlaze brought down its saw onto ROTATOR's wedgelets and even more sparks were lit. The carnage continued from SawBlaze as it drove and cut into ROTATOR at the same time, then slamming ROTATOR against the screws for the third time. SawBlaze did this once more, stopping its weapon and ramming ROTATOR under the pulverizer and hammered ROTATOR at least seven times. Jamison Go kept the pressure on, desperate to not let the battle go to distance. ROTATOR deflected a charge from SawBlaze and spun around to line back up again. ROTATOR's spinning was cut short by SawBlaze, who popped ROTATOR into the air by hitting its spinning bar just right, sending it reeling into the screws. ROTATOR tried escaping, but SawBlaze forced Victor Soto's robot back in, leaving ROTATOR to get chewed up in the last ten seconds. ROTATOR got out, right side up with only five seconds left in the match. ROTATOR tried to land one more hit, but the time ran out as they were lined up perfectly, but could not deliver the final shot. The judges ruled an unanimous 3-0 decision in favor of SawBlaze.
ROTATOR vs. Bombshell
ROTATOR impacts the rear of Bombshell.
ROTATOR's next Fight Night clash was against former runner-up and Last Chance Rumble winner Bombshell. For this fight, ROTATOR stuck with the same setup used in the SawBlaze fight, but with the rear wedgelets at a more shallow angle at the ends to hopefully get a better shot under the opponent. As the match got underway, ROTATOR took the first hit and was sent flying through the air, but landed upright. ROTATOR then took another hit, but then attacked Bombshell, tearing into Bombshell's side and ripping off a front wheel. ROTATOR got in another hit that sent Bombshell flying, as well as dislodging Bombshell's left base plate slightly, but Bombshell stopped moving when it landed. Bombshell was counted out, giving ROTATOR the win by KO.
ROTATOR vs. Tombstone
Both bots collide.
ROTATOR's next match was against another former champion and the robot which beat its previous opponent in the 2016 final - Tombstone. In response, the team added the plow that it used to great effect against Icewave. This proved to be a good choice as the first hit sent Tombstone flying and caused Ray Billings' machine to lose part of a tooth on its weapon bar. As the match progressed, ROTATOR continued to take damage while also sending Tombstone flying through the air, eventually causing Tombstone to pivot on one wheel as gyroscopic forces took over. Tombstone got going again, but ROTATOR got Tombstone up against the arena barrier near the screws and caused trouble for Tombstone. ROTATOR soon got the break it was looking for as Tombstone started smoking and its weapon spun down. ROTATOR fought on, despite having its own weapon being destroyed in one of the earlier hits and eventually Tombstone caught fire. ROTATOR had very little to fight with, but Tombstone eventually stopped moving as the flames spread and took over. ROTATOR tapped Tombstone a few more times before the former champion was counted out, giving ROTATOR the upset win by knockout.
ROTATOR vs. DeathRoll
DeathRoll tears off ROTATOR's blade.
ROTATOR was then placed against the undefeated Australian bot, DeathRoll. ROTATOR went with a configuration designed for success against vertical spinners, but when the match began, things didn't go well for them as they were taking damage from DeathRoll and being thrown around the arena. ROTATOR continued to fight, even as its weapon and wedgelets were removed and its side armor came loose. Despite being flipped a few times, ROTATOR managed to last to a judges' decision, but they awarded DeathRoll a unanimous 3-0 vote.
ROTATOR vs. Blacksmith
Sparks fly as Blacksmith and ROTATOR come to blows.
In a final bid for the Top 16, ROTATOR was placed against Al Kindle and Blacksmith. In response, ROTATOR was back to its traditional two disk setup. As the match got underway, ROTATOR was on the attack but not causing much damage to Blacksmith. ROTATOR continued to attack and eventually took out Blacksmith's weapon but Blacksmith's hammer still continued to emit flames. ROTATOR soon began to have drive issues up against the screws and was facing retaliation from Blacksmith. With little offenses left due to its drive issues, ROTATOR opted to spin in place and was shoved under the pulverizer. ROTATOR fought bravely until time ran out. The judges awarded Blacksmith a unanimous 3-0 decision and a place in the Top 16.
This would prove to be the last time ROTATOR used its two disk setup as Victor Soto retired it in favor of the single disk setup in future seasons as it proved to be more reliable and competitive.
World Championship V[]
ROTATOR vs. Beta
ROTATOR is shoved into the corner by Beta, but decapitates it in the process.
ROTATOR's first fight was against the heavily upgraded Beta. As a result, ROTATOR was armed with a similar configuration to its match with SawBlaze, featuring wedgelets at the back and a single spinning bar. ROTATOR had trouble making any kind of impact against its opponent as they were pushed all around the arena and could only create sparks grazing Beta's front. ROTATOR continued fighting on, though occasionally ran away to maintain weapon power before managing to meet with Beta near the pulverizer. Despite Beta controlling ROTATOR, they refused to swing their hammer. When Beta went under the pulverizer, ROTATOR was able to decapitate Beta as it was being pushed around. Neither robot had been immobilized and the judges awarded a highly controversial 2-1 split decision in favor of Beta.
ROTATOR vs. Valkyrie
Valkyrie and ROTATOR clash spinners.
Fresh off its tough loss, ROTATOR then fought another undercutter, Leanne Cushing'sValkyrie. For this fight, ROTATOR went with a more typical wedge configuration, intending to stop Valkyrie's weapon long enough to spin around and strike with its own weapon, which was selected as its 40lb bar. ROTATOR started off strongly, using its rear wedge to keep Valkyrie at bay. ROTATOR continued this strategy and managed to get Valkyrie unbalanced enough to where it was standing on its back end. Valkyrie got down and ROTATOR started to engage its weapon but continued to control the fight. However, as time went on, ROTATOR began to show signs of damage as its left tire had a chunk missing and its rear wedge was coming loose. As the clock ran down, ROTATOR went in for another hit and lost their rear wedge and left wheel guard, leaving both robots without working weapons. Both robots survived to a judges' decision and after a close examination of the robots from inside the arena, the judges awarded a unanimous 3-0 decision to Valkyrie.
ROTATOR vs. Big Dill
ROTATOR deforms the forks of Big Dill.
Now facing the possibility of going winless and not making it into the Round of 32, Team Revolution had to defeat its final Fight Night opponent, Big Dill, to have any chance of making it into the Tournament. For this fight, ROTATOR went with the undercutter and wedgelet configuration, and removed the wheel guards to prevent Big Dill from getting a hold. As the match got underway, ROTATOR avoided a box rush from Big Dill, giving him time to spin up his weapon to full speed. Despite Big Dill getting underneath him a few times, ROTATOR masterfully got around to the sides and back of his opponent and did some serious damage with his blade, bending Big Dill's lifting forks and destroying one of his wheels. ROTATOR continued to attack Big Dill from the sides until it could no longer show any controlled movement. Big Dill was counted out, giving ROTATOR its first win of the season by KO.
ROTATOR vs. JackPot
JackPot strikes ROTATOR early on.
The knockout blow.
Next up for ROTATOR was the No.11 seed, JackPot. ROTATOR was doing okay to start as they weren't able to dish out damage to JackPot but also weren't really pushed around much. Luckily, when ROTATOR did get pushed under a pulverizer, it was one operated by their team so they were able to avoid damage. Afterwards, ROTATOR started using Tombstone's tactic to use the front wedgelets, then spin around and strike with the bar. This wasn't proving to be all that effective until a big hit tossed JackPot onto its back. Luckily for ROTATOR, JackPot had sacrificed their self-righting mechanism for a different configuration so they were unable to self-right and were counted out, giving ROTATOR the win by KO and a spot in the Top 16.
ROTATOR vs. End Game
ROTATOR and End Game do battle.
Up next for ROTATOR was another dangerous vertical spinner, the No.6 seed End Game. The fight began with ROTATOR being charged by End Game after a few initial impacts. After more glancing blows, End Game eventually ripped off one of ROTATOR's wedgelets. ROTATOR was then chased around the box and was popped into the air by an End Game attack. However, that hit would break both of the weapon belts off of End Game, forcing it to only use It's wedge for the rest of the fight. Despite having no weapon, End Game continued to be aggressive, constantly going after ROTATOR and taking hits, even causing ROTATOR to flip itself over. ROTATOR struggled to take advantage of End Game's weapon dying, and in the end, its own weapon also died. The fight went the full three minutes and the judges awarded a 2-1 split decision for End Game, eliminating ROTATOR from the competition at the Top 16 stage.
BattleBots: Bounty Hunters[]
ROTATOR vs. Axolotl
ROTATOR removes Axolotl's weapon belts.
ROTATOR delivers the kill shot to Axolotl.
ROTATOR returned for BattleBots: Bounty Hunters, taking part in a bracket for the chance to take down an icon in Bronco. In Round 1 of its bracket, ROTATOR took on newcomer Axolotl. ROTATOR was armed with the same configuration used against Beta. Things did not start off well as ROTATOR was pushed towards the screws but ROTATOR quickly removed Axolotl's weapon belts and Axolotol was having drive issues. ROTATOR pushed its opponent under the pulverizer before Axolotl stopped moving completely. ROTATOR moved Axolotl to the arena barrier and tapped it a few times to verify it was no longer functional before the countdown for Axolotl began. ROTATOR took the win by knockout and earned a place in the next round.
ROTATOR vs. Captain Shrederator
ROTATOR and Captain Shrederator collide.
ROTATOR deflects away from Captain Shrederator.
In the second round, ROTATOR met Brian Nave and Captain Shrederator. ROTATOR started off evenly with Captain Shrederator as neither bot was causing any major damage to the other. However, ROTATOR began to get the losing end as they were nearly flipped multiple time and also got sent to the opposite end of the box. Luckily, one of their exchanges with its opponent caused their opponent to lose a tooth but this didn't hinder their opponent's ability to spin the shell much. ROTATOR continued to get tossed around until Captain Shrederator's weapon motor began to emit smoke, leaving ROTATOR with the only working weapon. The match went the distance and the judges awarded ROTATOR a unanimous 3-0 decision to advance to the quarter-finals.
ROTATOR vs. MadCatter
ROTATOR gets hit by MadCatter.
ROTATOR strikes MadCatter's left side.
For the right to face the bounty, ROTATOR had to do battle with Martin Mason and MadCatter. In response, ROTATOR was armed with a similar configuration to their first fight, but with only two wedgelets in back and perhaps a stronger weapon. ROTATOR was able to withstand MadCatter's attacks and threw their minibot aside multiple times before throwing it fully out after the first seconds. Around the first minute of the match, ROTATOR managed to get behind MadCatter and deliver a shot to their back left wheel. ROTATOR began to gain the upper hand as MadCatter's weapon spun down, the left side started dying, and pieces began flying of the ablative armor. After successfully knocking off a washer of sorts, ROTATOR stopped MadCatter's weapon again as it circled around and smoke seeped out of the wounded vertical spinner. ROTATOR continued attacking, sending more sparks from the wedge and more pieces of armor around. MadCatter was counted out, giving ROTATOR the win to advance to the finals.
ROTATOR vs. Bronco
ROTATOR takes on Bronco.
In the finals, ROTATOR was up against team Inertia Labs and Bronco. For this fight, ROTATOR kept its three wedgelet configuration, but removed its wheelguards. Throughout most of the match, ROTATOR kept facing down the backside of its opponent, but ROTATOR stayed aggressive and managed to tear into Bronco's wedge and even break the pin to Bronco's flipper. With the flipper losing its main weapon, ROTATOR continued attacking that wedge, even hitting Bronco with its pulverizer as ROTATOR used its wedgelets to try and keep Bronco under it, but ROTATOR did not have the push to do so. After a bit of driving in the center of the box, ROTATOR landed another shot on Bronco's wedge, but went flying over and right under the pulverizer, but got out and back into action. ROTATOR attacked again, breaking off a bit of the left wheelguard, but threw itself back under the pulverizer, not getting away without getting hit this time. After some more maneuvering, ROTATOR managed to break that wheelguard off, but flung itself in the air and dangerously close to the screws. ROTATOR managed to land a few minor shots to the front before backing off again, only to get pushed by Bronco's wedge and the gyro forces of their disk brought them to the pulverizer for a third time. The pulverizer held ROTATOR in place to run down the clock a bit, but when it went up, ROTATOR slipped away to deal a few more shots to the backside of Bronco before the time ran out. The judges awarded ROTATOR the victory and an unknown amount of $25,000 cash prize.
World Championship VI[]
ROTATOR vs. Kraken
A flaming Kraken has ROTATOR in its jaws.
Kraken is extinguished as the crew attempt to separate both bots.
ROTATOR's first fight of the season was against Matt Spurk and his improved Kraken, accompanied by Wally the Narwhal. For this encounter, ROTATOR began inverted to attack high up on Kraken with its single horizontal disk. However, it was slow to spin up as the fight began and when Kraken charged right at ROTATOR, it had to turn, which made it vulnerable to Kraken's primary weapon. However, ROTATOR evaded its opponent and was able to spin up properly in the middle of the BattleBox. ROTATOR attempted to lead with its forks, with enticed Kraken to get a bite with its bladed teeth. Though when ROTATOR spun around, Victor Soto's bot dealt a big strike to Kraken's side. The second shot saw both robots turned away by the impact and before long, Wally found itself caught in the crossfire as ROTATOR attacked and parts of the minibot were strewn across the floor. In doing this, ROTATOR got itself caught in Kraken's grasp in such a way that the horizontal disk's tooth was clamped in place. Suddenly, flame erupted from the head of Kraken as it appeared its flamethrower tank had become damaged from an earlier assault. Matt Spurk's bot continued to burn, but it became apparent soon after that it was unable to release ROTATOR. As per the rules, the fight was halted and crew came in to extinguish Kraken in an attempt to separate them manually. If the two bots could not be unstuck, the fight was due to go to the judges. However, ROTATOR and Kraken were eventually apart and the fight resumed with 1:50 left on the clock.
"Let the bot battle... uh, resume?"
— Chris Rose highlights the rare occurance of a fight having to be temporarily halted, and then resumed
Kraken becomes toothless at the hands of ROTATOR.
ROTATOR destroys Kraken's air bag late on.
From the restart, Kraken tried to chase down ROTATOR but a swift turn saw Victor Soto's bot snap off both teeth from its opponent's primary weapon. Now toothless, Kraken still managed to run ROTATOR disk-first into the screws, but it was now without its ability to crush or shoot flame. ROTATOR dished out more glancing shots as it became apparent one of Kraken's tires was coming apart with foam littering the BattleBox. Kraken was only running on one wheel, so ROTATOR remained patient before attacking again, not wanting this to go to the judges. ROTATOR then struck the side of Kraken again, causing an explosion as the air bag was ruptured and an entire side was hanging limply. Despite all the damage, Kraken survived to a judges' decision, but they ruled unanimously in ROTATOR's favor.
ROTATOR vs. Black Dragon
ROTATOR attacks Black Dragon's front plow.
ROTATOR's second fight was against last season's semi-finalist Black Dragon. Equipped with their three hinged forks, ROTATOR led with its rear in an attempt to breach the front of Black Dragon's plow. This proved successful in the opening seconds as Black Dragon was immediately shoved under the pulverizer. ROTATOR then delivered the first hit of the match with its horizontal undercutter and pointed their forks at Black Dragon again. The Brazilian team got to the side of ROTATOR and shoved it into the arena barrier, threatening to score a big hit with their own primary weapon. However, the plow acted as a barrier between their weapon and ROTATOR's side and Black Dragon was unable to capitalize. ROTATOR delivered several glancing shots to the front of Black Dragon before a bigger hit caused their flamethrower to malfunction and throw sparks, accompanied by smoke. ROTATOR continued to attack and rode up the front of its opponent, digging into the floor as it used its own weapon to right itself. As smoke began to fill the BattleBox, Black Dragon struggled to get a meaningful attack on its opponent, who continuously used its forks to win the ground game. In the closing moments, ROTATOR pinned Black Dragon against the barrier before releasing, and the fight went to the judges. They unanimously ruled in favor of ROTATOR, putting Victor Soto's team to 2-0.
ROTATOR vs. Captain Shrederator
ROTATOR leaves Captain Shrederator under the pulverizer.
ROTATOR was not given a third Fight Night battle, and advanced to the Round of 32 as the No.6 seed. In their first tournament fight, they faced Brian Nave's No.27 seeded Captain Shrederator in a rematch from BattleBots: Bounty Hunters. For this fight, ROTATOR swapped out its hinged forks in favor of leading with a defensive plow. ROTATOR fed their plow into Captain Shrederator in the opening moments as both robots spun up to speed. ROTATOR then showed its undercutter to Captain Shrederator and popped it into the air before switching back to their plow. After tanking a few more hits in the hope of destroying Captain Shrederator with its own weapon, one of the shell's teeth was torn away, leaving Brian Nave's bot unstable. After ROTATOR came back in with the undercutter, Captain Shrederator bounced backwards into the Upper Deck, tearing the housing for the screws and losing its second tooth. Captain Shrederator ricocheted towards the pulverizer powered by Victor Soto's team but was no longer mobile. As ROTATOR positioned its opponent beneath the hammer, Captain Shrederator was counted out and ROTATOR advanced in the competition.
ROTATOR vs. Tantrum
ROTATOR and Tantrum face off.
ROTATOR assaults Tantrum in the short corner.
The knockout shot.
ROTATOR next faced Tantrum in the Round of 16, equipped with its hinged forks in the hope of getting underneath its opponent and dictating the pace of the fight. However, Tantrum was immediately able to get to the side of them and rammed ROTATOR into the wall. ROTATOR spun around to hit the front of Tantrum before driving away, and then Tantrum rode up their forks. However, they were able to escape before Victor Soto could take full advantage of the situation. Both bots returned to the center of the BattleBox and ROTATOR spun to deliver a swipe to the front of Tantrum and then to the side. With a well-timed punch, Tantrum upended its opponent, which bounced off its forks and landing against the Upper Deck. Now inverted, ROTATOR was chewed up by the screws and eventually lifter atop the platform, where it took the opportunity to spin back up to speed. ROTATOR exited the Upper Deck and threw itself into Tantrum, now hitting higher than before. After a collision sent both robots in opposite directions, Tantrum appeared to have lost drive on one side as it struggled to escape the short corner. However, a chain powering its self-righter had snapped and was stuck underneath the robot, high-centering it momentarily. Tantrum used its fists to lift its back end off the floor and suddenly became free, much to the surprise of Victor Soto who drove ROTATOR weapon-first into the wall. However, Tantrum again became stuck and this time, ROTATOR took advantage, snapping part of the self-righting mechanism, although it was still working. Both bots went weapon to weapon in the short corner as Tantrum was mobile again. Tantrum pinned ROTATOR against the side of the Upper Deck for a brief moment, but ROTATOR continued to dish out heavy hits to the front of Tantrum. However, the tides suddenly turned as Tantrum pinned ROTATOR again, this time with its drum spinning, and peeled away part of its front armor. ROTATOR escaped the corner but Tantrum gave chase, ramming ROTATOR into the wall and sending it flying out of the arena. ROTATOR was counted out and despite its damage and aggression, fell at the Top 16 stage.
BattleBots: Champions I[]
ROTATOR vs. Glitch
ROTATOR is destroyed by Glitch.
ROTATOR left smoking and immobile.
ROTATOR returned to defend its Bounty Hunters title in BattleBots: Champions I and qualify for the Golden Bolt tournament. Standing in its way was the winner of its episode's bracket, Glitch. As ROTATOR led with its forks, Glitch approached with its weapon powered down. As ROTATOR spun around to hit with its undercutter, Glitch spun too and ROTATOR deflected away. Glitch then manoeuvred into the center of the BattleBox and got up to speed as ROTATOR recalibrated, looking to avoid hitting Glitch's weapon. ROTATOR approached and dealt a glancing shot to the front of Glitch. All of a sudden, Glitch retaliated by launching ROTATOR high and far, tearing the underside of Victor Soto's bot away. As it flew through the air, its lithium polymer batteries came loose and the horizontal spinner cut through them, thus causing ROTATOR to smoke heavily upon landing. ROTATOR was counted out and Glitch took the win by knockout.
As it turned out, ROTATOR’s aluminum bottom plate had been swapped out for a titanium plate for that season. When ROTATOR’s blade clashed head on with Glitch's drum, its weapon flexed and made contact with the plate. Under normal circumstances, the blade would have carved a small gouge on the plate and otherwise not affect the robot as a whole. However, due to the added resistance of the new plate, its failure point was shifted from the plate itself to the bolts holding it down. In turn, the contact between the blade and the bottom plate caused all 24 bolts to shear off the bot, ripping out the bottom plate and allowing ROTATOR’s batteries to fall into the path of the spinning weapon.
World Championship VII[]
ROTATOR vs. Hydra
ROTATOR's first Fight Night match of World Championship VII was a Main Event against the previous season's semi-finalist, Hydra. Prior to the fight, ROTATOR experienced issues with its radio transmitter. For this battle, it entered the arena in the inverted position and was equipped with three hinged forks at the rear, in an effort to breach Hydra's ground clearance.
ROTATOR is stuck on the rails early on.
However, ROTATOR started the slower of the two competitors, weaving gently towards the center as was bumped and pursued by Jake Ewert's machine. This allowed the golden machine a chance to get its spinner up to speed, which Kenny Florian noted afterwards took longer than normal. In the chase, ROTATOR was rammed and flicked onto one side by Hydra's flipper, before getting flipped into its regular undercutter position. ROTATOR was tossed a second time into the spiked bumper by Hydra, but broke free and resumed fighting in the inverted position. It succeeded in getting underneath and pushing Hydra back into the bottom-left pocket, enabling the spinner to regain full inertia once more. However, in attempting to strike the front of Hydra, ROTATOR was instead catapulted at a great height back into the corner, and was twice thrown against the outer Lexan enclosure by the Team Whyachi entry.
ROTATOR gets underneath Hydra in the short corner.
Two more flips followed; the second resulting in Hydra tossing ROTATOR into one of the BattleBox lights. Upon landing near the Upper Deck, ROTATOR was left with a badly damaged tire, but still managed to breach Hydra's clearance and push it against the bumper as the latter continued to pressure it. Hydra backed out and got around the side of ROTATOR; ROTATOR's spinner was deflected upwards, forcing the entire robot alongside the bumper and causing it to land on Hydra's flipper.
ROTATOR is stuck again and counted out.
Hydra promptly threw ROTATOR sideways towards the screws. One of the forks of Victor Soto's machine hooked the stationary paddle, leaving its wheels completely off the BattleBox floor. ROTATOR was thus counted out with Hydra waiting close by, suffering its first Fight Night loss of the season as a result.
Afterwards, it was revealed that ROTATOR was thrown 14ft in the air during one of Hydra's flips, while Chris Rose and Kenny Florian raised the possibility of it having suffered technical issues with its spinner.
ROTATOR vs. JackPot
ROTATOR's second Fight Night opponent was against Las Vegas representative JackPot in a rematch from their Round of 32 battle in the 2020 season.
ROTATOR presses JackPot against the wall.
Early on, ROTATOR managed to evade the Vegas team's powerful weapon. ROTATOR then turned and both weapons collided, switching between its forks and undercutter as it swiped against the front of JackPot. Jeff Waters' robot escaped and drove towards the short corner, but ROTATOR gave chase and slammed into JackPot's twin plows. It then intersected JackPot as it drove away, ripping its right-side plow away.
"Okay! We've got bot parts flying... ROTATOR's ditched the ground game and is now just slinging that weapon into JackPot with no fear whatsoever!"
— Chris Rose as JackPot struggles for mobility
JackPot lost drive on its right side and arced around the BattleBox, losing power to its vertical spinner soon after. Now hurt, JackPot suffered more attacks to its sides as ROTATOR's team honed in on its wheels. Although its lifter was still raising and lowering, ROTATOR remained the aggressor as its opponent drove in circles.
"ROTATOR continuing its assault, but JackPot's weapon is still spinning, Kenny! Victor has got to be oh-so careful."
— Chris Rose
JackPot is immobilized on the killsaws.
However, JackPot's weapon came back to life, meaning the Vegas team continued to pose a threat to Victor Soto's robot. ROTATOR continued to attack the vulnerable underbelly and JackPot's weapon stopped once more. ROTATOR shoved it into the rails and hauled it to the killsaws as Jeff Waters' robot could only arc in place.
ROTATOR rammed its blade into JackPot once more, and JackPot suddenly stopped moving. The killsaws cut into its frame as ROTATOR backed away. JackPot was counted out and ROTATOR picked up its first win of the season.
ROTATOR vs. Bloodsport
ROTATOR in the test box.
ROTATOR's third Fight Night opponent was Bloodsport, in the team's second Main Event of the season. Victor Soto opted to use its defensive plow configuration to counter Bloodsport's "Long Bar", though Team Revolution initially experienced issues with the plow high-centering the robot during testing.
ROTATOR in the blue square.
This was rectified once a ¼" lower section was cut away by an Lincoln Electric welder. As soon as both robots entered the BattleBox, ROTATOR was strategically placed to drive plow-first from the blue square.
Pieces fly off as ROTATOR and Bloodsport come together.
In the opening moments, it steadily approached Bloodsport, but struggled to line up a deflection against its faster and more nimble opponent. ROTATOR turned to the left as Bloodsport circled round, exposing its left wheelguard to a heavy hit which sent it into a 360-degree aerial spin. This bent the wheelguard open, with ROTATOR as a whole also beginning to show more sluggish movements, as it drove across the perimeter towards the blue square.
"That 72lb weapon - and dishin' out some punishment, right from the get-go! ROTATOR looks stunned a little bit, Kenny."
— Chris Rose as ROTATOR takes early damage from Bloodsport
Bloodsport is propped against the Upper Deck.
In spite of this, ROTATOR pointed its undercutter at a fast-approaching Bloodsport; sparks flew and both machines recoiled as a result of this weapon-on-weapon collision. ROTATOR spun towards the top-right corner, recovering to meet and exchange several more blows with Bloodsport's "Long Bar". After a momentary pause, ROTATOR sustained another heavy hit - this time to its right-hand side - which had the effect of launching Bloodsport into the air. Once both robots met again opposite the control booth, it absorbed two more hits to its front end, the second causing Bloodsport to recoil into the spiked bumper.
ROTATOR gave chase as Bloodsport attempted to spin its "Long Bar" back up. As both robots reached the other side of the inner perimeter, it absorbed another heavy blow which sent Bloodsport recoiling onto an Upper Deck screw.
"Bloodsport's hung up, ROTATOR has it on the ropes!"
— Chris Rose, shortly after Bloodsport gets stranded on an Upper Deck screw
ROTATOR is attacked again.
While the Bots 'n' Stuff Robotics machine struggled to free itself, ROTATOR did not immediately capitalize, likely in part due to its own mobility issues. Eventually, it crept up to and clipped Bloodsport's "Long Bar", sending another large shower of sparks flying. ROTATOR continued to linger near Bloodsport as it levered itself free with the "Long Bar", but was deflected away as its undercutter made contact with its escaping opponent.
As before, ROTATOR tried to pursue Bloodsport across the arena, though its movements appeared to become more limited and erratic. Settling near the center, it drove spinner-first into Bloodsport, causing both robots to recoil once more.
"They have space and - looks like ROTATOR might be strugglin' there! This is a great opportunity for Bloodsport! ROTATOR is hurt!"
— Kenny Florian as ROTATOR takes more heavy hits from Bloodsport
ROTATOR is immobilized.
ROTATOR tanked a few more hits from its opponent, though in doing so its left wheel and undercutter both became disabled. It reversed on the spot to point its plow at Bloodsport, which continued hitting ROTATOR while sending more sparks and pieces of debris flying. A final blow left ROTATOR completely immobilized, though not without causing Bloodsport's faceplate to fly off.
"I think that's gonna be it for ROTATOR. What a win this would be!"
— Kenny Florian, shortly after ROTATOR becomes immobilized
Victor Soto acknowledged his machine's looming defeat, which was confirmed as referee David Sanfilippo issued the 10-second count-out. ROTATOR lost by knockout after one minute and 47 seconds, its Fight Night record now resting at a precarious 1-2.
ROTATOR vs. Fusion
ROTATOR's fourth and final Fight Night opponent was Fusion as Victor Soto's team looked to finish with an even record. For this battle, ROTATOR was again equipped with its forks and also began inverted to hit higher up on Reese Ewert's bot.
ROTATOR driving its forks into Fusion's weapon.
Leading with its forks, ROTATOR met Fusion head-on, buffeting its drum spinner before swinging its disk around and striking its opponent, causing both robots to deflect away. Fusion came off worse from this exchange, with its own horizontal spinner bouncing against the BattleBox floor and throwing the Team Whyachi bot into the Upper Deck.
Fusion bounces across the arena.
Fusion landed upside-down near the short corner, rendering its drum spinner useless as it was now spinning downward. ROTATOR approached and struck Fusion in a weapon-to-weapon exchange, but caused little in the way of damage. Victor Soto then turned and fed its forks into the horizontal spinner instead in a move which unbalanced Fusion again, sending it tumbling towards the center of the arena again.
Fusion catches fire before grinding to a halt.
Attempting to play Soto at his own game, Reese Ewert swung Fusion around and struck with its triangular spinner, first grazing the frame of ROTATOR and then engaging with its side panel. Fusion's horizontal spinner stopped after this hit and ROTATOR came in again, tearing a fork away. The fight then moved to the centre of the BattleBox again as a small fire erupted within Fusion.
"This has been an issue for them. Running both of those weapons causes an insane amount of heat inside Fusion an- Oh my God... no, the fire! Here we go again!"
— Kenny Florian
Fusion is immobilized and counted out.
This appeared to disable Fusion's drive as it suddenly stopped moving altogether. ROTATOR dealt a couple of final blows, dislodging the drum spinner from its mounting point. Fusion was counted out and ROTATOR picked up its second win to finish the Fight Night rounds with a 2-2 record.
ROTATOR vs. Copperhead
ROTATOR made the Round of 32 as the No.23 seed and took on the No.10 seed, Copperhead. As in its win over Fusion, ROTATOR began this fight inverted, looking to hit higher up Luke Quintal's machine.
Copperhead and ROTATOR collide.
Leading with its forks, ROTATOR approached Copperhead as both robots got their high energy kinetic weapons up to speed immediately. However it was Copperhead who got the better of the early exchanges, sliding underneath Victor Soto's robot but balancing the weight of its opponent on its still drum. ROTATOR swung itself around to face its opponent before going weapon-to-weapon. This saw ROTATOR get popped into the air, but landing unharmed.
Copperhead expertly avoids ROTATOR's disk.
As Copperhead was slow to turn, ROTATOR slammed its horizontal spinner into its vulcanized rubber tire, tearing a small chunk away. This did not affect Copperhead's ability to drive, however, as it countered by striking ROTATOR's forks with its drum. ROTATOR attempted to swipe at Copperhead again, but the No.10 seed used the gyroscopic forces of its weapon to throw itself over and upright again, effectively evading ROTATOR's destructive spinner.
Copperhead pops ROTATOR into the air.
ROTATOR then drove at its opponent, but Copperhead turned before impact and forced another weapon-to-weapon collision. This again favored the vertically-spinning weapon as Victor Soto's robot was flung into the air - its wheelguard now partially detached. Copperhead honed in on this damaged side, peeling the armor away further as ROTATOR's left wheel was now exposed. As Copperhead drove up the forks of ROTATOR, the former Most Destructive Robot Award winner struggled to capitalize as its drive and weapon both appeared sluggish.
Copperhead rips a second fork off ROTATOR.
Now at the halfway mark, Copperhead continued to bite at the forks of ROTATOR and even tore one off, but its right side of drive appeared to have seized up. Luke Quintal was forced to arc his way towards ROTATOR, showing damage but satisfying the new mobility rules for World Championship VII. ROTATOR itself was reduced to a pushbot with no signs of life in its horizontal spinner, but drove into the actively spinning drum of Copperhead and lost another of its forks.
ROTATOR drove over the killsaws in the closing moments as both robots limped to a judges' decision. All three judges voted unanimously in Copperhead's favor, prematurely ending Victor Soto's season.
ROTATOR vs. DeathRoll
ROTATOR returned for a single exhibition match against DeathRoll as part of Vengeance in Vegas II. This served as a rematch from when the teams fought during the 2019 season Fight Night Main Event.
ROTATOR swipes at DeathRoll early on.
The fight started with ROTATOR leading with its forks while DeathRoll charged at them with its vertical spinner. DeathRoll quickly got a hit on the right side of ROTATOR, but its vertical spinner then suddenly machine ceased to work. After leading with its forks for a few moments, ROTATOR started to attack with its undercutter as DeathRoll's weapon was now a non-factor. ROTATOR struck its opponent's flank, causing parts to fly away from the Australian bot.
Both robots fly to opposite ends of the arena.
DeathRoll then gained control and shoved ROTATOR for a few seconds as Victor Soto's undercutter powered down its spinner. ROTATOR's weapon got back up to speed during this moment and hit DeathRoll again in the blue starting square, causing both robots to go flying in opposite directions.
DeathRoll rides up the forks of ROTATOR.
Both bots recovered as DeathRoll tried to shove ROTATOR into one of the short corners of the Upper Deck. ROTATOR escaped and circled around the arena to hit DeathRoll again as it was partially stuck on the Upper Deck. Steven Martin's bot recovered but was kept at bay as it struggled to get under ROTATOR's forks.
ROTATOR sends DeathRoll flying.
ROTATOR continued to attack, slamming DeathRoll and throwing it across the BattleBox. Victor Soto sought to lead with its rear forks before whipping around to strike with its undercutter weapon.
ROTATOR strikes DeathRoll again before catching a seam in the floor.
With no weapon of its own, DeathRoll struggled to retaliate as ROTATOR attacked without fear, chipping away at the World Championship IV semi-finalist.
ROTATOR pins DeathRoll late on.
The match ended after ROTATOR pinned DeathRoll in one of the corners of the BattleBox, immobilizing it. Referee David Sanfilippo initiated a countout, giving Victor Soto the win by knockout.
BattleBots: Champions II[]
ROTATOR vs. Terrortops
ROTATOR pre-fight.
ROTATOR returned for BattleBots: Champions II, where it fought the undefeated rookie Terrortops in the opening round of the first Sin City Slugfest bracket.
ROTATOR slams into Terrortops, overturning it.
As ROTATOR swung around, it evaded Terrortops' initial charge. Victor Soto's bot swung around to drive face-first into the front of its opponent before finding itself chased by the World Championship VII alternate. ROTATOR then swiped Terrortops and flung it over, but Ben Burton's bot righted itself.
Kenny Florian: "Nice little self-right but dealing with some drive issues. I don't think Terrortops liked that hit from ROTATOR."
Chris Rose: "No, not at all."
— Kenny Florian and Chris Rose observe Terrortops' drive issues
At this stage, accumulated damage had bent Terrortops' wedge down and lifted its right side wheels off the floor, which allowed ROTATOR to attack without fear. Despite these issues, Sophia Musk-Burton was able to arc the robot towards the center of the BattleBox. The former Most Destructive Award winner continued to attack the wounded Terrortops, threatening to carry it to the Upper Deck, but the rookie's vertical spinner slammed into the steel floor and let it escape.
ROTATOR controls Terrortops from underneath.
ROTATOR used its pointed front to drive Terrortops toward the short corner, who waved its lifter in a desperate attempt to shake free. Continuing its dominance, Victor Soto's robot retreated to spin up to speed before unleashing a sideswipe on Terrortops, flipping it over again.
Kenny Florian: "Impressed with the durability of Terrortops…"
Chris Rose: "Yeah."
Kenny Florian: "This is their first year in here against a veteran bot in ROTATOR. And they may be behind on the scorecards but their weapon is still active and they are hanging on"
— Kenny Florian praises Terrortops for staying in the fight
ROTATOR takes Terrortops to the pulverizer.
Terrortops was taken to the short corner, where it suffered several blows from the 100lb pulverizer and saw its decorative ribcage begin to crack. ROTATOR backed away before nearing closer to assess Terrortops' mobility.
ROTATOR watches on as Terrortops is counted out.
The rookie bot was no longer moving and was counted out, confirming ROTATOR's win by knockout and a place in the semi-finals.
ROTATOR vs. Valkyrie
Advancing to Round 2, ROTATOR now took on Valkyrie in a rematch from their explosive World Championship V encounter.
Both robots come together early on.
ROTATOR led with its rear plow, anticipating Lucy Du to strike first. However, it quickly turned and delivered the first attacks of the fight itself. With their horizontal spinners sitting at different heights, both Valkyrie's undercutter and ROTATOR's overcutter made contact and spun the bots in opposite directions. Valkyrie kept its weapon pointed at ROTATOR, but the former Bounty Hunter opted to lead with its disk - a decision which surprised Kenny Florian.
"Victor Soto not relying on that wedge as much as I thought he would, here. Keeping that blade squared up..."
— Kenny Florian
Valkyrie then attacked ROTATOR's plow, bouncing over the top of Victor Soto's machine, but not without landing a hit with its blade. The height of ROTATOR's weapon allowed it to slice into Valkyrie's left tire, though this did not appear to affect Lucy Du's driving ability as her robot tanked hits to its front.
ROTATOR and Valkyrie fly to opposite ends of the arena.
As the hits kept on coming, it was Valkyrie's turn to cut into a tire as ROTATOR's right tire shed some rubber. ROTATOR retaliated by tearing off Valkyrie's left wheelguard and the next impact sent both robots to opposite sides of the BattleBox.
Valkyrie continues to grind down ROTATOR.
This hit damaged ROTATOR's right tire as it opted to tank hits with its plow. Valkyrie honed in on the side armor in the closing moments, peeling its left wheel armor away in the final seconds.
Valkyrie took the win by unanimous judges' decision. Victor Soto opted to appeal the decision, but the decision stood and ROTATOR's elimination was confirmed.
NOTE: Valkyrie was declared the winner of this battle on a unanimous judges' decision. Team Revolution appealed this decision, but were unsuccessful and the unanimous decision stood.
"Flip it, flop it, you can't stop it. It's ROTATOR!"
"If it were a classic rock band, it would be REO Bleed Wagon. Roll with the changes, it's ROTATOR!"
"Your destruction is gonna go viral when this bot catches you in its death spiral. It's ROTATOR!"
"With a 360 view all around, this bot will grind its opponents into the ground. Two weapons; a wedge and a spinner. Will it come out unscathed and be a winner? It's ROTATOR!"
"You say "ro-tay-to" I say "ro-tah-to." No matter how you say it, this bot will mash you up. It's ROTATOR!"
"I've done over 500 of these introductions and I just realized something incredible, that "ROTATOR" spelled backwards is "ROTATOR." That's a palindrome, and you know what? That's pretty darn cool. Get ready to be spun to your death. It's ROTATOR!"
"Its dual disks spin like they are crazed. It can hit you two ways and drive away unphased. It's the only bot with a split personality. It's ROTATOR!"
"All it does is spin, spin, spin no matter what. Got wins on its mind and is never givin' up. When it steps into the box, everybody's hands go UP!" It's ROTATOR!"
"This bots favorite movie is Blade Runner because it has spinning blades that gore, and loves Harrison Ford. It's gonna bring the pain. Like. Tears. In the Rain. Wake up! It's time for ROTATOR!"
"This next bot will grind you like creepy guy in the night club. He's the VIP from Miami and you're gonna be RIP. Complete with throttle service, clear the dance floor for ROTATOR!"
"This bot's in such great shape, it could teach a spin class. After this workout, you'll be feeling shredded and saying "cardi-oh no!" It's ROTATOR!"
"Your grandparents think this bot's a winner. Its spinners will blend you up like an old man's dinner, and make you throw a fit. Like when you get a birthday card with one dollar in it. Don't be a hater, it's ROTATOR!"
"It puts the spin the bot in spin the bottle. Forget Seven Minutes in Heaven, this durable bot will give you Three Minutes in Hell. More dangerous than a tornado, it's ROTATOR!"
"He fills prescriptions for pain like he was a pharmacist and last year, he set Tombstone ablaze like he was an arsonist. He really turned heads and he did it with ease, and it's only right the fire was 360 degrees because he's ROTATOR!"
"This bot has a RAP sheet, a record, he's criminal. You're a goner is his message. It's overt and it's subliminal. He'll leave you with wounds and he'll leave you with scars, so just pray that these rhymes put him behind bars. It's ROTATOR!"
"This bot might be golden but it won't thank you for being a friend. It'll straight up shake you til you're meeting your end. It's not old. It's classic. It's ready to fight. It's straight up immortal just like Betty White. It's ROTATOR!"
"From Doral, Florida, killing from the same direction on the other side of the equator, it's ROTATOR!"
"From Miami, the Dane County dominator, ROTATOR!"
"From Miami, Florida, turned up for what? To beat your 'bot. It's ROTATOR!"
"From Miami, Florida, here to smoke you like a Cuban, it's ROTATOR!"
"Battling this bot, you better conquer your fears because its horizontal disk is like Britney the way that it spears. It'll hit you baby one more time, make you break and bend, and just when you think it's safe, oops, he did it again. It's ROTATOR!"
"This South Beach slammer will do anything to you. His spinners cut both ways and there's nada you can do. His rhythm's gonna get you killed. And everyone can tell, he's the Miami power machine and he'll make you conga through the gates of hell. Get on your feet for ROTATOR!"
"After you meet this next bot, you'll need a real spin doctor. That's what I said now. To save you from its blades, that spin like a helicopter. That's what I said now. It's the king that killed two princes. I know, you know how with its razor sharp spinner. That's what I said now. Give it up for ROTATOR!"
"It takes 24 hours for the Earth to rotate on its axis. But spend 24 seconds with this Rotator and you'll fade to blackness. You'd better give them space or the results will be morbid, cause with one big bang, he can launch you into orbit. It's ROTATOR!"
"Go shot for shot with this bot, and you'll get the spins. It's time to get punch drunk in the city of sins. You'll black out and wake up. You won't have a clue how you ended up peeing your pants and going home with a two. It's ROTATOR!"
"From Miami, Florida, eureka? No, you'll shriek-ah, because there's gold in them dark hills. It's ROTATOR!"
Trivia[]
According to a 2016 video, ROTATOR was supposed to originally have a flamethrower. This was dropped, however, for unknown reasons.[6]
ROTATOR was the only seed in the 2018 season to not have all of its qualifying fights aired fully on TV. This would also happen to Uppercut in the following season.
ROTATOR is also one of four robots to reach the Top 16 in the reboot's third season to not have any of its fights featured as a Main Event, with the others being Son of Whyachi, Monsoon and WAR Hawk.
ROTATOR's match with SawBlaze was a regular fight for the two-hour Discovery premiere, but was the main event for the international premiere.
Before ROTATOR's fight with DeathRoll, Chris incorrectly said that ROTATOR was KO'd by SawBlaze, when the fight went to the judges instead.
