A Chinese combat robot tore through the competition at the Games of the Future Abu Dhabi 2025 on Sunday, sealing the Battle of the Robots title in a shower of sparks after slamming its rival into the glass wall of the arena.
The robot, dubbed Deep-Sea Shark 3, was built by a China-based student team calling itself Fierce Roc, which was crowned champion, according to organisers.
The contest was staged as part of a multi-sport festival of so-called “phygital” games – sport that blends real-world competition with digital or esports-style components – running from December 17-23.
Advertisement
Fierce Roc reached the final after a string of knockout bouts and a semi-final win over the US-based Team Cobalt, organisers said.
“We faced many challenges on the road to this competition, but we managed to overcome them together,” team captain Luo Yuchen was quoted as saying in the event write-up. “The dedication of our engineers and the strength of our teamwork were key to this victory.”
Advertisement
Video published by the games’ YouTube channel showed Deep-Sea Shark 3 – a heavyweight “spinner” bot fitted with a weaponised rotating blade – pinning its opponent before ramming it into the glass.