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Ready for a robot smackdown? 'BattleBots' returns to TV

DIY metal machines fight to the death. Real-life rock 'em sock 'em competition "BattleBots" to air on ABC after a 12-year hiatus.

Bonnie Burton
Journalist Bonnie Burton writes about movies, TV shows, comics, science and robots. She is the author of the books Live or Die: Survival Hacks, Wizarding World: Movie Magic Amazing Artifacts, The Star Wars Craft Book, Girls Against Girls, Draw Star Wars, Planets in Peril and more! E-mail Bonnie.
Bonnie Burton

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Sparks will fly on ABC this summer. BattleBots

We've seen impressive robots torch each other with fire at RoboGames and really lousy robots barely survive their own design in Japanese robot fight clubs, and now it looks we're in for lots more robot rumbles.

After being canceled by Comedy Central 12 years ago, the popular "BattleBots" series returns to the small screen this summer thanks to ABC and Whalerock Industries.

"Like the original, the new series will feature homemade robots battling against each other in a single-elimination, tournament-style format, until there is one champion," according to Deadline.

The competing robots will be broken down into separate weight classes so they can pick on machines their own size. The show will focus not just on the fights themselves, but the builders as well.

The show should offer quite a few surprises now that there are so many machines to hack that weren't around a decade ago. We can't wait to see if the show incorporates drones, quadcopters and humanoid robots, not to mention advances in 3D printing, for even more exciting homemade robot-building possibilities.