Black Dragon

**Black Dragon** is a heavyweight robot built by **Team Uai!rrior** from Brazil, which competed in the fourth and fifth seasons of the *BattleBots* reboot on Discovery and Science. Team Uai!rrior was previously famed for their career on the live circuit, winning several gold medals in RoboGames with their Middlweight General and Lightweight Federal M.T. Black Dragon made its BattleBots debut in 2019 and stunned audiences with its impressive driving and rock-solid durability, even surviving being engulfed in flames.

## Design

Black Dragon is a two-wheeled, black and red, invertible, box-shaped robot armed with a spinning eggbeater weapon. Even though it is invertible, it can self-right by spinning its weapon up to full speed and gyro back over, much like fellow Brazilian bot Minotaur. It also had a flamethrower that can be added for other matches, but it was so powerful when it arrived, it had to be toned down for safety and it wasn't used after its first fight.

   In spite of the travel restrictions arising from the COVID-19 pandemic, Black Dragon were able to enter Season 5 and were mostly unchanged except for a slightly different wedge and some slight moving of their images as well as the weapon pulley being moved to the left side of the machine for their classic configuration. As shown, the team had numerous wedge and weapon configurations depending on the matchup. Additionally, the robot now had the option for a "drisc" weapon which offered more powerful attacks and was mainly used against control bots.

## Robot History

### Discovery Season 4

Up first for Black Dragon was veteran Michael Mauldin and his new robot, Texas Twister. Things were not off to a good start for Black Dragon as they were taking hits from Texas Twister without being able to retaliate much. Making matters worse, smoke began to pour out since the first hit as their weapon motor was damaged badly, leaving them with only their wedge to use against their opponent. Still, Black Dragon pressed on, taking hits with its wedge and pushing Texas Twister into the wall and into the screws. At one point, after Texas Twister tore the burning piece off of Black Dragon, its weapon motor burst into flames, disabling its weapon, which lead to a pushing match between the two. Black Dragon took full advantage, pushing Texas Twister around, even flipping it over a few times. Both robots nearly get hit by the pulverizer, and Texas Twister's right side gets disabled, before Black Dragon pushed it towards the screws before the time ran out. Despite Black Dragon's dominance in the latter half of the match, the judges award a split 2-1 decision to Texas Twister.

Next for Black Dragon was against fellow newcomer, Bloodsport. Things were off to a good start for Black Dragon as they began throwing their opponent into the air and nearly upside down. Bloodsport stayed upright and worked to get its weapon going again. Black Dragon went on the attack again throwing Bloodsport into the air, this time breaking off Bloodsport's self-righting pole. Bloodsport still landed upright but now didn't have a working weapon so Bloodsport promptly tossed it onto its top. Black Dragon attacked it twice more as Bloodsport was being counted out and nearly got them out of the arena before taking the win by KO.

Although it was 1-1, like most of the robots, Black Dragon took part in the Desperado Tournament to compete for the Giant Bolt trophy and a spot in the Top 16 bracket. As the No.3 seed, it was put up against Brian Nave and the No.6 seed, Captain Shrederator. To combat the full-body spinner, Black Dragon went with a feeder wedge to help the egg beater weapon cause damage. As the match began, both robots stayed away to allow their weapons to get up to full speed. Black Dragon received two minor shots from Captain Shrederator, but it didn't phase them much. On the third hit, it sent each of them flying in opposite directions, as well as giving Black Dragon a nasty gash on the left side of their wedge. Black Dragon also landed upside down, but used its weapon's gyroscopic forces to right itself. Both robots approached, but Captain Shrederator was having some drive issues so Black Dragon came in for another attack, sending Captain Shrederator into the arena barrier, breaking off a few teeth. By this point, Captain Shrederator was barely moving with its shell at top speed and Black Dragon delivered a final hit that stopped the deadly spinner completely. Captain Shrederator was counted out, giving Black Dragon the win by KO and having it advance to the semi-finals.

Next for Black Dragon in the Desperado Tournament was No.2 seed and former 15th seed from 2018, WAR Hawk. In response, they went with a slightly different configuration with added wedglets on top of the feeder wedge. Fortunately for Black Dragon, WAR Hawk wasn't working properly in the opening seconds, allowing them to move in and throw WAR Hawk onto the screws. With the main bot taken out, Black Dragon decided to overpower WAR Stop, shredding the minibot into two pieces. WAR Hawk was unable to get down and was counted out, allowing Black Dragon to move to the finals against No. 1 seed, Minotaur.

This time, Black Dragon removed the feeder wedge and went with wedglets to go for the lower ground clearance. The match got underway with both robots throwing sparks as Minotaur ground away at Black Dragon's wedglets. Both backed off and Black Dragon started to take some big hits, losing a wedglet in the process. Black Dragon recovered and started to attack, pushing against Minotaur as they fought to get their weapon up to speed and/or right themselves. Black Dragon stayed on Minotaur, even after its weapon started to have issues. Eventually, Black Dragon got Minotaur up against the arena barrier and then on top of the screws, but Minotaur escaped both times. Time ran out with both robots still moving but the judges awarded Black Dragon a unanimous 3-0 decision, the Giant Bolt trophy and the first spot in the Top 16.

As the 8th seed, Black Dragon's first opponent in the Top 16 was the first Desperado Tournament winner, former semifinalist, and 9th seed, Donald Hutson and Lock-Jaw. As the match began, Black Dragon took a series of hits that threw it into the air but Black Dragon came out relatively unscathed each time. Black Dragon then got a bit of a break as Lock-Jaw was briefly stuck in the slot for the killsaws and managed to get a hit on them before Lock-Jaw escaped. Black Dragon then continued to take hits until Lock-Jaw's weapon began smoking. Black Dragon then took advantage by throwing Lock-Jaw upside down but as the match came to a close, Black Dragon was still taking hits and ended up upside down. Time ran out and the judges awarded a 2-1 split decision for Lock-Jaw, eliminating Black Dragon from the tournament.

Black Dragon wasn't done yet as they had an exhibition match against veteran Skorpios. Black Dragon was off to a very good start as they took advantage of Skorpios' tendency to tip backwards due to the weight of the weapon and threw them into the air. Skorpios recovered, so Black Dragon continued to control the fight with more tosses. Black Dragon then took minor damage from Skorpios before tossing them again. Black Dragon went straight at Skorpios' front, but neither robot had the edge. After the repeated attacks, Black Dragon managed to cause smoke to pour out from Skorpios, specifically around the point of the weapon arm. Still, both robots survived to a judges decision, which ruled a unanimous 3-0 decision for Black Dragon.

### Discovery Season 5

Black Dragon's first opponent in the 2020 season was against veteran Matt Spurk and Kraken. For the match, Black Dragon opted to use their lighter disc setup to allow for the tougher top armor and front wedgelts. Black Dragon didn't start off well as they were grappled so quickly by their opponent that they were unable to spin up their weapon in time. Black Dragon was pushed around, but also managed to push back at times. Eventually, Black Dragon was released, but lost a weapon belt in the process. Black Dragon worked to get its weapon going, but managed to collide with Kraken, bending one of Kraken's teeth. Black Dragon then flipped Kraken over, but Kraken quickly righted itself and Black Dragon was back to being in Kraken's mouth. After being released, Black Dragon circled again and its weapon managed to make contact with Kraken's teeth, ripping one of them out. This didn't phase Kraken much, so Black Dragon toppled Kraken once more before being taken to the pulverizer. The time ran out with both robots still working and the judges awarded Black Dragon a 2-1 split decision.

Next for Black Dragon was a match against newcomer Claw Viper, which had previously taken out HiJinx. Black Dragon went in with longer front wedgelets with the intent of getting under Claw Viper and this proved to be a good choice as they avoided their opponent's box rush and then threw them into the air. Black Dragon attacked Claw Viper's upper clamping arm before grinding away and taking them across the arena where they eventually pushed them into the screws. Claw Viper remained motionless as smoke began to pour out but got going so Black Dragon hit it again. This time, Claw Viper did not move as some fire built up and was counted out, giving Black Dragon the win by KO.

Black Dragon was now facing Robert Cowan and Copperhead after the latter called out Black Dragon as a future opponent earlier in the season. Black Dragon was armed with front wedglets and took full advantage of Copperhead's attempted tactic. However, Black Dragon then took two big hits that left it upside down and cost it its only weapon belt. Black Dragon continued to come at Copperhead and was tossed around and shoved into the arena barrier. By this point, Copperhead was slowing down and eventually lost its weapon completely. Both robots were unable to mount much of an attack as time ran out. The judges awarded Copperhead the unanimous decision.

Despite its loss, Black Dragon made the Top 32 as the No.5 seed, and was pitted against Craig Danby's SlamMow!. Black Dragon started off rather poorly as they were unable to get under SlamMow!'s front wedge and were nearly flipped over. Black Dragon recovered and started delivering hits, throwing SlamMow! on its back but SlamMow! self-righted. Black Dragon then pushed SlamMow! around but was unable to get its flame thrower to ignite until after completing the shove. Black Dragon then tossed SlamMow! on its back again, costing SlamMow! a belt. Black Dragon then delivered a final hit that flipped SlamMow! over. This time, SlamMow! did not right itself but Black Dragon moved in just in case. SlamMow! was counted out, giving Black Dragon the win by KO and a spot in the Top 16.

Next up for the Brazilian team was Ray Billings and Tombstone. The fight started with Black Dragon inching slowly out of its square. Tombstone approached Black Dragon, pulling off a fake-out spin before going on the attack and testing Black Dragon's wedge. Tombstone began grinding on Black Dragon's wedge as it was being pushed around, soon being forced to spin around and avoid being shoved to the wall, then taking a shot to its left tire from Black Dragon's egg beater. Tombstone began to back away whilst swinging its blade at Black Dragon's wedge. Both bots go towards each other and meet in a weapon-to-weapon collision which pops Tombstone several feet into the air. Tombstone then proceeded to land a counter-shot right to the left side of Black Dragon's wedge. Tombstone continued to press on, getting struck hard before turning around and being sent completely out of control by Black Dragon again, landing near the top-right corner of the Battlebox. Tombstone is charged again by Black Dragon, attempted to be carried around and boxed in. By this point, both robots lost their weapons due to Tombstone's wire for the weapon contractor coming loose, and Black Dragon suffering from an unknown cause, reducing the remaining two minutes to a pushing match. Black Dragon pushed Tombstone all around the BattleBox with its wedge until the end of the fight. It went to the judges, and Black Dragon took it unanimously, ending the King of Kinetic Energy's campaign for another Giant Nut.

Fresh off its statement win, Black Dragon faced Ribbot in the Top 8. Ribbot had opted for its forks and vertical spinner configuration for this fight and started out circling its opponent. The first weapon-to-weapon hit between the two bots caused Ribbot to pop in the air, shedding some of its decorative armor in the process. Black Dragon made contact with Ribbot once more, sending it flying across the box and damaging part of the side wall. With its entire shell now off, Ribbot escaped to the center of the arena, but Black Dragon had started smoking. As both bots drove around, the smoke became thicker and more substantial, creating a cloud inside the Battlebox. It became apparant that Black Dragon's weapon was no longer working, but the smoke continued. Ribbot was now upside-down, struggling for control of the fight. As it escaped, Black Dragon's smoke turned to fire but seemed unphased, continuing to bully Ribbot into the screws. Neither robot had functional weaponry at this stage, but the flaming Black Dragon fought on and remained aggressive. With a minute to go, Black Dragon's fire engulfed the bot as it darted around the box, but Ribbot never found its feet for the remainder of the match. Despite being on fire for over two minutes, Black Dragon survived to the end and took the unanimous decision.

Now in the final four, Black Dragon faced the Vazquez family and Whiplash for a place in the final. Both weapons spun up to speed, but it was Whiplash who started on the offensive. Having gotten underneath its opponent, Whiplash landed a hit which sent one of Black Dragon's wedgelets flying away. It then managed to lift it up, carrying Black Dragon to the side of the box and throwing it upside-down. Whiplash knocked the wheel and flipped the Brazilian bot over again. Despite their attempts to hit with the weapon, Whiplash maintained its aggression and tipped Black Dragon over once more, before it righted and Whiplash shoved it into the side of the box. Whiplash's right-side wedgelet had come off, temporarily beaching Black Dragon, but it managed to escape. After a few minor encounters, Whiplash then managed to tip Black Dragon onto its rear end, up against the wall. Stranded, Whiplash turned around and attempted to attack with the disc, using it as a hammer saw with the knowledge its opponent could not escape. This was unsuccessful however, as Black Dragon tried to spin up and tipped itself back over. With both bots now down a wedgelet and fork respectively, Whiplash hoisted its opponent onto the screws with 10 seconds to go, landing another hammer saw attack as the screws reversed. This left a lasting impression on the judges, who unanimously ruled in favour of Whiplash.

### Discovery Season 6

Black Dragon returned for the 2021 season, and its first opponent was against former quarter-finalist Icewave. As the fight began, Black Dragon attempted to charge down Icewave before it got up to speed, and successfully unbalanced the bot. It then got underneath the rear of Icewave as it tried to spin up again, sending it weapon-first into the Upper Deck. Though Icewave’s internal combustion engine was still firing, the primary weapon itself was no longer spinning, allowing Black Dragon to bully it into a corner. Icewave was still able to drive as it returned to the center of the BattleBox, but Black Dragon again slid underneath, forcing it into the pulverizer where it lay dormant. Icewave was counted out soon after, giving  Team Uai!rrior and Black Dragon their first win of the 2021 season.

Black Dragon's second opponent was another former quarter-finalist in the form of Victor Soto and ROTATOR. ROTATOR led with its rear forks in an attempt to breach the front of Black Dragon's plow, and this proved successful in the opening seconds as Black Dragon was immediately shoved under the pulverizer. ROTATOR 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 the distance. The judges ruled unanimously in favor of ROTATOR, pushing Team Uai!rrior to a 1-1 record.

Last up for Black Dragon in the Fight Night rounds was a rematch from last season against Claw Viper. For this fight, Black Dragon dropped the plow in favor of two smaller wedges either side of their primary weapon. Black Dragon was box-rushed by Claw Viper in the opening seconds, evading the charge but finding itself picked up by their opponent. Claw Viper dropped the Brazilian bot, which landed a glancing blow to its rear to right itself. In doing so, Black Dragon appeared to have harmed the drive of Claw Viper as it only seemed able to drive in wide arcs. However, it was able to grab Black Dragon again but tipped over in the process on two occasions. The eggbeater drum then got underneath Claw Viper and coerced it against the screws, before backing away. Claw Viper was counted out, putting Black Dragon to 2-1 and earning it the No.18 seed.

Black Dragon's first opponent of the 2021 bracket was No.15 seed Martin Mason and MadCatter. As the fight started, MadCatter raced towards Black Dragon, who fired their flamethrower in response. Black Dragon was able to flip MadCatter over and shove it into the short corner, but MadCatter righted itself and escaped. Black Dragon retreated to spin its weapon back up and popped its opponent up, taking a conservative approach to their weapon usage early on. MadCatter's elongated wedgelet then locked itself underneath the front of Black Dragon and as both weapons were up to speed, MadCatter was able to rip away the Brazilian bot's left-side wedgelet. The two locked horns in the middle of the BattleBox before MadCatter drove itself into the screws of the Upper Deck and fell back as Black Dragon threatened to attack. MadCatter righted itself using its lifting arm and attacked the front of its opponent, tearing off its other wedgelet. Black Dragon was able to land hits to MadCatter's underside and gave chase as a chunk of its rear armor flew away. From this point, MadCatter was able to win the ground game more consistently and slid its wedgelet underneath the front of Black Dragon with its weapon down, punting it against the wall. Team Uai!rrior spun their weapon back up and almost returned the favor, digging into the underside of MadCatter again. Black Dragon had its opponent pinned against the paddle hazard for a brief moment as it later carried MadCatter across the BattleBox with its flamethrower blazing. MadCatter landed the final hit of the match, overturning Black Dragon as the clock hit zero. However, the judges awarded a split decision in favor of Black Dragon, who advanced in the tournament bracket.

Now in the Top 16, Black Dragon faced off against Jake Ewert and Hydra. For this fight, Black Dragon again opted for wedgelets rather than its front plow. Immediately, Black Dragon spun up and tested Hydra's ground clearance, but rode up it and was thrown into the air, bouncing back upright. Black Dragon fought back and pushed Hydra towards the arena barrier, but was again flipped away. Hydra tentatively approached the center of the BattleBox as Black Dragon got to their left side, but could not make contact with their spinning weapon. Hydra misfired before Black Dragon again rode up the front of Jake Ewert's bot and was thrown high into the air. Unbeknownst to Team Uai!rrior, Hydra was suffering from drive issues in the middle of the floor, but Black Dragon continued to attack Hydra. Landing upside-down, Black Dragon was now able to make contact with their weapon, but was spinning downwards, propelling itself off its opponent every time the Brazilian team drove at Hydra. As a result, Hydra barely had to reposition as Black Dragon kept throwing itself at its opponent. Especially as Black Dragon was now right side up, this more often than not resulted in it being thrown in the air by Hydra rather than making meaningful contact with their own weapon. Black Dragon landed against the housing for the screws at one stage, but managed to shake itself free. Team Uai!rrior refused to leave Hydra alone, but the Team Whyachi bot countered every attack as Black Dragon caught fire with seconds to go, and their weapon was no longer spinning. The fight went the distance, and Black Dragon were eliminated at the Round of 16 stage.

## Wins/Losses

* Wins: 13
* Losses: 6

Captain Shrederator
WAR Hawk
Minotaur
Skorpios
 BattleBots Season 5
Claw Viper
SlamMow!
Tombstone
Ribbot
 BattleBots Season 6
Claw Viper
MadCatter
Hydra

## Trivia

* As of 2021, Black Dragon has had a different team captain every season:
	+ João Marcos captained the team in their debut season, Gabriel Silveira Teles took captaincy in 2020 and for Discovery Season 6, Gabriel Gomes was listed as captain.
* Though Team Uai!rrior have built well over a dozen robots over the years, Black Dragon was their first heavyweight build.
* The team's duck mascot is called Mano, and was won during their time competing in the US. It has since become a good luck charm for the team.
* Black Dragon's "Brazil wheels" have been used by other teams, including but not limited to Claw Viper, Malice and Whiplash.
* Black Dragon has yet to be knocked out in any of its fights.