The Havoc Rundown

This week on The Havoc Rundown , we're joined by the team behind NEXT Robotics and the Connecticut Antweight Robotics League (C.A.R.L.) to talk about bringing combat robotics to more builders, more venues, and more communities! Joining us are NEXT Robotics founder Ryan Seif, Vice Head Coach Marshall Linn, and coaches Leon Van Wyk and Justin Sicherman. We dive into how NEXT Robotics got started...

What does it take to connect combat robotics events across an entire region, bring together dozens of builders and event organizers, and turn individual competitions into one massive championship season? This week on The Havoc Rundown , we're diving into the Midwest Robot Combat Association (MRCA) with three of the people helping make it all happen: Emily Baumgartner, Mike Hall, and Luke Larze...

This week on The Havoc Rundown , we sit down with Peter Garnache to talk about the resurgence and rapid growth of Texas Robot Combat , how TRC has developed into a major regional hub for builders, and what goes into creating events that can serve everyone from first-time competitors to experienced builders chasing bigger stages. We get into TRC’s return after the pandemic, its relationship with RE...

On this episode of The Havoc Rundown, we are joined by BattleBots co-founder and executive producer Greg Munson for a deep dive into the history of BattleBots from its earliest beginnings to the present day. Greg takes us back to his first experiences in robot combat, the creation of La Machine, the early events that helped shape the sport, and the founding of BattleBots alongside Trey Roski. From...

We’re joined by the crew behind one of the newest and most exciting teams in combat robotics to talk about how Spectra went from a group of friends, rivals, and ridiculously talented builders to an official team with its sights set on Pro Tour and the future of team-based competition. We get into how the roster came together, what everyone brings to the team, how they share knowledge and resources...

On this episode of The Havoc Rundown , we sit down with Professor Martin Mason , captain of BattleBots’ MaDCatTer and a driving force behind Southern California Attack Robotics, better known as SCAR . Martin takes us through the story of SCAR, from its grassroots beginnings to a growing Southern California combat robotics community running events across multiple weight classes and helping introduc...

On this episode of The Havoc Rundown, we’re heading back around the world for a look at Australian combat robotics with Phil Curry of Hyperfocus3d Robotics. Phil joins us to talk about how he got started in the sport, the story behind robots like Leo, Meo, and Heo, Australia’s thriving 150g scene, the challenges of traveling and sourcing parts, and what makes the combat robotics community down und...

BattleBots is back, and there is a LOT to talk about. Justin, Ryan, Thomas, Tony, and Chey sit down for a Rundown Roundtable covering the opening round of the new BattleBots Pro League, including our thoughts on the new YouTube format, production and editing changes, tap-out buttons, the faster tournament structure, and how this new era compares to the Discovery days. Then we get into the robots....

We’re heading north for the latest stop in our Around the World series! Justin, Ryan, Thomas, and Tony are joined by Ravi Baboolal, founder of Bot Brawl Canada and former BattleBots competitor with LYCAN and RED DEVIL, for an inside look at the past, present, and future of Canadian combat robotics. Ravi takes us back to Bot Brawl’s beginnings at Maker Expo, explains why its massive 30-pound and 15...

In this episode of Havoc Rundown , we sit down with Matt and Jason Vasquez to talk about what happens when robot combat truly runs in the family. From growing up around their father’s robots to building and competing with Whiplash, Lil Lash, Defender, and 0-0 , Matt and Jason share how their relationship as brothers has shaped the way they design, prepare, and compete. We also dive into the histor...

This week on Havoc Rundown, we’re joined by artist Hotkoin for a conversation about the creative side of combat robotics: logos, stickers, character designs, team branding, robot silhouettes, and why the look of a bot can matter just as much as what happens when the weapon spins up. Hotkoin has created artwork seen all across the combat robotics community, including team logos, robot art, stickers...

In this special Havoc Rundown Roundtable, Justin Hunter, Ryan Hunter, Tony Baker, and Thomas Carrol sit down with Kelly Biderman, CEO of NHRL, and Ed Cracknell from DAZN to discuss one of the biggest developments in combat robotics in recent memory: the partnership between NHRL and DAZN. Over the course of this conversation, we explore how the partnership came together, what attracted DAZN to comb...

This episode on The Havoc Rundown , we’re diving into one of the biggest weekends in modern combat robotics: the first-ever NHRL Pro Tour event. Justin, Ryan, Thomas, Tony, and special fifth-chair guest Julian Papasian break down the atmosphere, format, fights, production, and what this new pro-style event could mean for the future of the sport. We also sit down with Joe Copenhaver, builder and dr...

This week on Havoc Rundown, we’re doing something a little different with our official College Robotics special. Justin, Ryan, Thomas, and Tony are joined by graduating builders Evan Rosenblatt and Ezequiel Gonzalez Solano from WPI, Samuel Herman and Daphne Yan from Brandeis University, and Ian Talbert from Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology for a roundtable on what it’s really like balancing com...

This episode on Havoc Rundown, the crew sits down with NHRL’s own “Evil Henchman” Sam Hanson for a massive behind-the-scenes look at how combat robotics content gets made, how NHRL has evolved over the last few years, and what fans can expect as the Pro League era begins. From announcing events and creating viral content to helping shape the fan experience at NHRL, Sam talks about how his role has...

In this episode of Havoc Rundown, we welcome back a familiar voice you’ve heard in our ad reads and a name nearly every builder recognizes—Seth Schaffer from Just 'Cuz Robotics. Seth joins us to break down how his company has evolved from simple power distribution boards into one of the most influential suppliers in combat robotics. We get into the full story behind Just 'Cuz Robotics, fro...

The road to NHRL April 4th is heating up, and in this episode of Havoc Rundown we break down the matchups, the bots everyone’s watching, and the potential chaos waiting in the bracket. From dangerous dark horses to the machines that could dominate the night, we’re digging into what really matters before the event kicks off. We’re also joined by Max Morningstar of Team Roboctopi Combat Division (TR...

In this episode, we sit down with Corey Nason to talk about his trip to New Zealand to compete at Robot Rampage and what it’s like taking your bot to an international stage. From travel logistics to adapting to a completely different competition environment, Corey walks us through the experience of fighting abroad, the challenges he faced, and how the event stacked up against what we’re used to at...

What does it take to stay competitive at the top of the 12-pound division? This week, we sit down with Zack Knight — the builder behind Pramheda , one of the most consistent and feared vertical spinners in NHRL, for a deep dive into design philosophy, strategic thinking, and what keeps him pushing the sport forward. Zack breaks down how he approaches robot design, why calculated risk-taking is jus...

In this episode, we break down the February 7th NHRL event from top to bottom, the standout performances, the biggest upsets, and what the results mean moving forward. We’re joined by Julian and Dima Papasian to talk about their experience at the event, high-level driving strategy, tough matchups, and how preparation and adjustments play out inside the cage. We dive into the top-performing bots ac...

We’re gearing up for the first major combat robotics event of 2026, and this week we’re joined by Team Omega to break down everything you need to know about Mass Destruction: Resurgence 5, happening January 31st at the Charles River Museum of Industry & Innovation in Waltham, Massachusetts. Team Omega, the builders behind legendary robots like Starchild and Ripperoni and longtime pillars of th...

It’s a brand-new year at Havoc Rundown, and we’re kicking things off with a streamlined, no-frills kickoff episode. No guests, no commercials, just the crew laying out what’s changing, what’s staying, and what’s coming next. In this New Year intro, we break down everything new for 2026, including a full walkthrough of the updated Havoc Rundown Fantasy League. We cover how the league is evolving, w...

This week on The Havoc Rundown , the crew comes together for a special roundtable episode to close out the year and officially wrap up Season 2. With no guest and no commercial breaks, this episode is a candid, free-flowing conversation covering combat robotics, the podcast, and the community that surrounds it. The team reflects on the past year, discussing standout moments, how the sport continue...

This week, we’re joined by Jamison Go, two-time NHRL worldchampion, BattleBots veteran, and one of the most respected builders in thesport. With the 2025 NHRL World Championships right around the corner, we sitdown to talk about what to expect across all three weight classes, who’slooking dangerous, and what it takes to show up and win on one of the biggeststages in combat robotics. Jamison shares...

In this episode, we’re joined by Richard Tieman , the newest addition to the NHRL commentary team and a rising voice in combat robotics broadcasting. Known for his high-energy pit reporting during Prime Time and thoughtful engagement with builders behind the scenes, Richard brings a fresh perspective to how the sport is covered, narrated, and grown. We talk about his journey from radio broadcastin...