Here we go…

1) End Game (1-0)

Robots I’d like to see go against End Game, and I think would have a shot to win:

Uppercut (I think Uppercut has a more powerful weapon and would win easy. But I also went 2-5 in week 1, so)

Huge (the anti-vertical spinner robot)

Bloodsport (the rematch!)

Black Dragon (DURABILITY)

Kraken (He’s just going to drive straight into the weapon and try to bite it, and it will be awesome regardless of the outcome)

Bite Force (this would have been the first pick, and the real MATCH OF THE CENTURY, but sadly he is not here this season)

Gruff (he broke End Game’s weapon by stabbing it, which seems crazy to think about now. But it happened in 2019, when End Game had kind of a nightmarish season. Let’s see if it happens again)

Sawblaze (this would be a really interesting one)

2) Whiplash (0-0)

(won’t lose this spot until we see them fight. Hoping for next week!)

3-5, in some order)

Uppercut (1-0)

Earned their way here.

Hydra (0-1)

Is it possible their weapon isn’t powerful enough? I dunno, it underwhelmed against Whiplash and didn’t love the flip I saw (I need to rewatch it was late). They are staying in tier 1 (just a Bad Day) but are on watch if they falter again. Do the schedulers give them a layup next after a long stretch of really good teams?

Saw Blaze (1-0)

Also earned their way here. It’s tough to sort out this section, Sawblaze lost to Uppercut last year who in turn lost to Hydra, who just lost this week and had tech issues, but it’s not like the others have beaten End Game. I guess we have a glut here, a mini-tier inside the top realm. So not sure what the exact order is here, just know that End Game is 1 and Whiplash is 2, then these 3 round up the upper echelon.

The “Holding Tank” – no demotions until we see you play

6) Black Dragon (0-0)

7) Tantrum (0-0)

For those out there questioning Tantrum’s acumen, here’s why I put them so high. Maybe 5 was to much, but I will defend their top ten ranking to the death.

Last season:

• First match they are up big over Valkyrie, they broke their weapon and pushing Valk around, and Tantrum just drops dead and forfeits and obvious win. That’s what happened, look it up. That was their only loss before End Game. I don’t have a super high opinion of Valkyrie right now but they were the 9 seed last year.
• Win over some bum in dominant fashion (I’m not going to bother to look up who)
• Win over another bum (ditto). They are 2-1 and become the 18 seed in the playoffs.
• Beat Fusion (15 seed) in a playoff upset by knock out.
• Beat Bloodsport (2 seed) in a playoff upset by a Split Decisions.
• Beat Sawblaze (7 seed) in a playoff upset by a Unanimous decision.
• Lose to End Game, the Champ, in a match where they were winning the first half by getting under End Game and dragging them around, then made a critical mistake by using their (admittedly limited weapon) on End Game’s underside and it broke. You gotta be lucky to win a championship! After that they were reeling and it was over quickly, but still! That match (and the Rotator one) were the only serious challenges End Game faced in five matches, it won the Finals over Whiplash with far greater ease.

So that’s it. Five wins total with three playoff upsets, one of their losses a complete fluke where they were dominating, and then a competitive loss to the champ. That’s enough to qualify as top ten, sorry people. They will be booted down the ranks quickly if they lose their first match, but right now they’re coming off a season where they essentially went 6-1 and had the Champion on the ropes at one point.

8) Ribbot (0-0)

This one was questioned too, I gotta put somebody in the top ten! Everyone has questions after the first six are done.

9) Witch Doctor (0-0)

10) Minotaur (0-1)

The traditional slow start or something more? No shame in losing to Sawblaze but can’t afford another slipup in a 3 fight regular season.

“In the Hunt” – Tier Two

In some order…

• Rotator
• Gigabyte (0-1)
• Copperhead
• Bloodsport
• Lock Jaw
• Shatter!
• Gruff (1-0)

It might be time to start taking Gruff seriously. Really depends on how seriously we take the results of the Bounty Tournament, he’s on a 4-1 run between that and Week 1. He’ll get a much harder matchup next time I bet, we’ll see what happens.

• Blacksmith (1-0)

Goddamn do we love that new hammer.

• Valkyrie

(I’m trying to get to 20 top robots in the Rankings, Valkyrie is the next wo-man up. I’m still bitter because I picked her to go far in the tourney and got owned by Whiplash, then disappointed in the Bounty episode, but the robot was the 9 seed and a really fun watch. Good luck girl!)

• Skorpios