The Havoc Rundown

Hey everyone we have an exciting new episode drop!!

Team Spectra has officially hit The Havoc Rundown!

For this episode, we packed the room with Kevin Kain, Eric Randolph, Mitchell Woelfer, Christopher Davis, Lars Elliott, Liam King, Tayshaun “TJ” Jackson, Max Renas, and Jordan Morrison for a huge conversation about one of the most exciting new teams in combat robotics.

We talk about how Team Spectra came together, what made them decide to turn a group of friends and high-level competitors into an official team, what each member brings to the table, how they share knowledge and resources across the country, and what their plans are as Pro Tour and team-based competition continue to grow.

We also get into the branding and social media push that helped Spectra seemingly explode onto the scene, what they want to create beyond just competing, how they handle fighting teammates, and where they hope the team goes from here.

Then, of course, we put them through Five in Focus, hand things over to the community for the Mailbag, and things gradually descend into exactly the kind of chaos you’d expect from getting this many combat robot builders into one call.

If you’ve been seeing Team Spectra all over your feed lately, this is the episode to meet the people behind the team and hear what they’re building toward next.

🎧 SPOTIFY
https://open.spotify.com/episode/5VxAjB5K7pWRwQg0srAea9?si=_V2zyuFIQXC32s5JPhD8KQ

▶️ YOUTUBE
https://youtu.be/n4S1ObfolZ4

FOLLOW TEAM SPECTRA
🌐 https://www.team-spectra.com/
📸 https://www.instagram.com/team.spectra.robotics/
▶️ https://www.youtube.com/

KEEP UP WITH THE HAVOC RUNDOWN
🌐 https://havocrundown.com/en
🛒 https://havocrundown.com/en/store
▶️ https://www.youtube.com/

Come hang out with us, give the episode a listen or watch, and let us know what you thought of Team Spectra and where you think this team could go next.

S3E16: Team Spectra: Combat Robotics’ New Superteam The Havoc Rundown · Episode

**BIG INTERVIEW ANNOUNCEMENT!**

On **September 14th**, The Havoc Rundown will be sitting down with **Greg Munson, co-founder of BattleBots**, to talk about the brand-new **BattleBots Pro League**, his history in combat robotics, the creation and evolution of BattleBots, and plenty more.

Needless to say, we are **RIDICULOUSLY excited** for this one.

And we want **YOUR questions!** 📬

If there is something you have always wanted to ask Greg about BattleBots, the Pro League, the early days of the sport, what goes on behind the scenes, or where combat robotics is headed next, head over to **The Havoc Rundown Discord** and drop your question in our **Mailbag**!

👇 **Join the Discord and get your questions in before we record on September 14th!**
https://discord.gg/hJ8VrQ5c3z

We’ll be pulling questions directly from the community for the interview, so this is your chance to have your question asked to one of the people who helped build BattleBots into what it is today.

🔥 This is going to be a BIG episode.
🔥 Get those questions in.
🔥 We’ll see you in the Discord.

Join the The Havoc Rundown Discord Server! Welcome to Havoc Rundown—the place where combat robotics fans from around the world come together. We break down fights, explore events across the global scene, and share stories from builders, organizers, and fans alike. Join us to talk bots, trade predictions, and connect with the community. | 1...

🚨 NEW EPISODE IS LIVE! 🚨

We’re back with a brand-new episode of The Havoc Rundown, and this one is all about Martin Mason, SCAR, education, and building the next generation of combat robotics.

We sit down with Martin for a deep dive into Southern California Attack Robotics, better known as SCAR, from how the organization came together to how it has grown into a major piece of the Southern California combat robotics scene. Martin talks about running events across multiple weight classes, creating opportunities for new builders, working with schools, and why plastic ants and smaller robots can be such an important gateway into engineering and the sport as a whole.

We also get into Martin’s work at Mt. San Antonio College, his approach to teaching engineering through hands-on competition, rocketry and UAV programs, building strong teams, and the lessons that come from designing something, breaking it, learning from it, and coming back better.

And, of course, there’s plenty of MaDCatTer and BattleBots talk, including the evolution of the team, Gassy Cat, Te-Cat-E, strategy, testing, and the story behind Martin’s legendary wrestling-inspired BattleBots personality.

🎧 Listen on Spotify:
https://open.spotify.com/episode/6vMr7iIcOLEHTK7xXhBrQj?si=dQiQY3ElTqOcXBfAqbZH5Q

📺 Watch on YouTube:
https://youtu.be/2j_e8A-XV38

🌐 Everything Havoc Rundown:
https://havocrundown.com/en

🛒 Merch Store:
https://havocrundown.com/en/store
We’ve got shirts, hoodies, hats, and more, with new merch being added all the time.

Make sure you’re also following us on Facebook and subscribed to our YouTube channel for new episodes, clips, announcements, community posts, and everything else happening around The Havoc Rundown.

If you enjoy the episode, drop us a comment, share it with another combat robotics fan, and help us keep growing the community.

Huge thanks again to Martin Mason for joining us, and to everyone who sent in questions for the listener mailbag!

Havoc Rundown Industrial esports coverage for combat robotics: episodes, stats, and builder intel.

🇨🇦🤖 NEW EPISODE IS LIVE! 🤖🇨🇦

Hello everyone! Our Around the World series continues by heading North to Talk Bot Brawl with Ravi Baboolal!

This week, we’re joined by Ravi Baboolal, founder of Bot Brawl Canada, for a deep dive into the past, present, and future of Canadian combat robotics.

Ravi tells us how Bot Brawl grew from its Maker Expo beginnings into a thriving, builder-first organization supporting major tournaments, BBRL fight nights, national ELO rankings, affiliate events, and an expanding community across Canada.

We also discuss Bot Brawl’s incredible 30-pound and 150-pound sumo robots, plans for 30-pound full combat, the technology shaping the next generation of fighting robots, why helping the builder beside you remains the soul of the sport, and the surprisingly complicated rules of proper poutine.

A huge thank-you to for joining us and sharing everything Bot Brawl Canada is building!

📺 Watch on YouTube:
https://youtu.be/tCj1-3h-OKI?si=4arAaTL4JXIh652E

🎧 Listen on Spotify:
https://open.spotify.com/episode/5zDxKdsTuj6ndm4HpX6vrz?si=TYiJz3fASIyPdfbdstmPcQ

🤖 Explore Bot Brawl Canada:
https://www.botbrawl.ca/

▶️ Watch Bot Brawl events and BBRL:
https://www.youtube.com/

Give the episode a watch or listen, let us know what you thought, and go show Bot Brawl Canada some love!

S3E13: Heading North to Talk Bot Brawl with Ravi Baboolal Our Around the World series heads north as we welcome Ravi Baboolal...

Hey everyone our new episode is now live!

This week on Havoc Rundown, we’re joined by the artist known as Hotkoin for a full conversation about the creative side of combat robotics.

Combat robotics is usually talked about through weapon power, armor, forks, drive, and engineering, but there is a whole other side of the sport built around art, branding, personality, stickers, logos, color choices, character designs, and the way a robot feels when it enters the cage. Hotkoin has been a huge part of that visual world, creating artwork seen throughout the community, including the Havoc Rundown logo and rebrand art.

We talk with Hotkoin about robot identity, what makes a bot fun to draw, how builders can make their robots more memorable, the balance between function and artistic expression, and why sometimes a weird idea is what makes a machine unforgettable.

We also start the episode with Ryan’s Game Corner, where the crew gets dropped into a D&D-style wizard room, drinks suspicious potions, and solves the puzzle in the most Havoc Rundown way possible.

Huge thank you to Hotkoin for joining us and for helping shape not only the look of the combat robotics community, but the look of our show as well. Thank you also to Tom Farkas for filling the fifth chair and bringing his perspective as a builder known for putting artistic vision directly into the robot itself.

Thank you and !!

Check out Hotkoin’s art:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hotkoin/?hl=en
ArtStation: https://www.artstation.com/hotkoin
Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/hotkoin.bsky.social
Tumblr: https://www.tumblr.com/hotkoin

Listen on Spotify:
https://open.spotify.com/episode/4y84vexLC1t0qN9S5mtt4w?si=I3hMzbVgRMKt2r-Y-bCDYg

Watch on Youtube:
https://youtu.be/H2zK20wzn-8

Check out Havoc Rundown:
Website: https://havocrundown.com

🎙️ **SPECIAL RUNDOWN ROUNDTABLE NOW LIVE!** 🎙️

One of the biggest stories in combat robotics over the last several months has been the partnership between **NHRL and DAZN**, and today we're bringing you a very special conversation with the people at the center of it.

Join the Havoc Rundown crew as we sit down with **Kelly Biderman, CEO of NHRL, and Ed Cracknell from DAZN** to discuss:

⚙️ How the partnership came together

🌎 Growing combat robotics on a global stage

📈 Expanding the audience beyond the existing community

🤖 Opportunities for builders, teams, and competitors

🎥 Content, storytelling, and fan engagement

🏆 What the future of combat robotics could look like over the next several years

This discussion was shaped in part by questions submitted by the combat robotics community, and we'd like to thank everyone who contributed to the mailbag.

📺 Watch on YouTube:
https://youtu.be/OBEE4yaZR94

🎧 Listen on Spotify:
https://open.spotify.com/episode/47IrYRQsvr3E8G3FZgoQGI?si=LgX0YTjwQ5S2CjlMZmbxfw

🌐 Website & Merch:
https://havocrundown.com

A huge thank you to Kelly and Ed for taking the time to join us for what may be one of the most important conversations about the future of the sport we've had on the show.

Let us know your thoughts below! 👇

New Havoc Rundown Episode is Live!

S3E10: Deadrise, DAZN, and the Future of Pro Combat Robotics

This episode on The Havoc Rundown, we are diving headfirst into one of the biggest moments in modern combat robotics: the first-ever NHRL Pro Tour.

We break down the atmosphere inside the building, the new pro-style format, the round robin structure, the DAZN broadcast, the pressure of competing on a bigger stage, and what this event could mean for the future of NHRL and combat robotics as a whole.

We are also joined by Joe Copenhaver, builder and driver of Deadrise, to talk about his experience competing at the Pro Tour, preparing for elite-level fights, the strategy behind fighting some of the best robots in the 30-pound division, and what happens when Deadrise enters full controlled-chaos mode.

And sitting in as our fifth chair special guest host for the episode is Julian Papasian, builder of Mako and driver of Turbofiend at the Pro Tour. Julian joins the crew for the full episode to help break down the event from both the builder and competitor side of things.

🎧 Listen now on Spotify:
https://open.spotify.com/episode/35dmP9uT3CjmPKj6tNaw4R?si=soQjdzJbTx-rD2QYLYPwoA

📺 Watch on YouTube:
https://youtu.be/FtNGLIRUIhI

The YouTube version is currently making its glorious climb through the upload forge and will be available the moment processing is complete.

As always, check out our website, grab some merch, and support the show:
https://havocrundown.com/en

Send a message to learn more

The new episode is finally live!

Sorry this one took longer than expected. This was supposed to be out last week, but editing took more time than planned. Thank you all for being patient with us.

S3E9: College Robotics, Late Nights & the Next Generation of Builders is now available on YouTube and Spotify!

This episode is our College Robotics special, featuring graduating builders from WPI, Brandeis University, and Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology. We talk about balancing combat robotics with college life, late-night lab sessions, first robots, team culture, machine shop access, passing knowledge down to newer builders, and what comes next after graduation.

Huge thank you to Evan Rosenblatt, Ezequiel Gonzalez Solano, Samuel Herman, Daphne Yan, and Ian Talbert for joining us and sharing their stories.

Watch on YouTube:
https://youtu.be/9z0wbc6E12c⁠

Listen on Spotify:
https://open.spotify.com/episode/3tJqXODVXlyPBjKeRRj454?si=tkWvTU56TyCgA7UUZjsexA⁠

Website:
https://havocrundown.com/en⁠

Make sure to like, subscribe, and let us know what your favorite college robotics story from the episode was.

S3E9: College Robotics, Late Nights & the Next Generation of Builders. Justin, Ryan, Thomas, and Tony are joined by graduating builders Evan Rosenblatt and Ezequiel Gonzalez Solano from WPI, Samuel Herman and Daphne Yan from Bra...

NEW EPISODE LIVE: Max Morningstar Feature

We’ve got a big one for you today!

Max Morningstar joins the show to talk all things big wheels, bot design, and the road to the NHRL April Qualifier :fire:

We dive into his approach to building, how his bot is shaking things up, and what he’s expecting heading into April. If you’re into the meta, design strategy, or just want to hear from one of the most exciting builders right now… this is the episode to catch.

Watch on YouTube:
https://youtu.be/T-D4YLXW2K4

Listen on Spotify:
https://open.spotify.com/episode/3qbVHYvmrUHIEJEzakJgzB?si=XueRxkZLThCAwkW7SJ2T5g

More from Havoc Rundown:
https://havocrundown.com

Havoc Rundown Industrial esports coverage for combat robotics: episodes, stats, and builder intel.

🏆 The Synthesis 30 Souvenir Hunt is live.

Three keywords. Three different platforms. One way in.

🎧 Podcast
📘 Facebook
📺 YouTube Shorts

Find them all, enter them on the site, and you’ll unlock access to the Synthesis 30 v Touro Feather Fight page — where you can start earning points, climbing the leaderboard, and grabbing your referral link.

🎁 And yes… there’s something real on the line.
A physical piece of Synthesis 30, the same bot that stepped into the arena at Robot Rumble. Not a replica. Not a print. The real deal.

No hints. No hand-holding. Just breadcrumbs.

🧩 Pulled this one from deep in the vault. Back when keeping a tournament together took equal parts patience, duct tape, and sheer force of will...Some figures don’t just run the event… they become part of its identity. Stick around long enough, and you might notice the name never really left — it just changed roles.

April 3rd. That’s the deadline.