SyFy tried humanoid robot combat TV back in 2013; it lasted nine episodes
Jasonio · x · 2026-08-17
A nostalgic thread recalls SyFy's 2013 reality show Robot Combat League, clearly inspired by the movie Real Steel released 18 months earlier. Hosted by Chris Jericho, it ran just nine episodes, with a $100,000 prize.
The 2.4m, 454kg robots were controlled by two-person teams: one operator wore a motion-control exoskeleton to throw punches while the other steered with joysticks. The bots were tethered to a stabilizing rig since they couldn't balance on their own—a fun piece of history as humanoid robot combat returns to the spotlight.
More from Fun
- Developer reports Gemini 'shaming' him for working on an adult visual novel — Numerous-Lecture-431 · 2026-08-17
- User hit by shuttle bus at airport while chatting with Claude — DrDatta_AIIMS · 2026-08-17
- User suggests: Robot / AI extreme sports would be a better idea — TinfoilTricorn · 2026-08-17
- Naval: Don't send me the report, just send me the prompt — naval · 2026-08-17
- Dev Rant: Juggling Multiple AI Chats is More Tiring Than Coding — yihui_indie · 2026-08-17
- Why Miyazaki's art remains timeless while AI imitations fade — CJAgln · 2026-08-17