Pro-AM

Pro-AM was a superheavyweight robot built by Mike Konshak of Team Robot Dojo that competed in the final 2 seasons of BattleBots. It was completely rebuilt between each of its appearances. The season 4.0 version was a very light robot (100 pounds below the limit), with a "cowcatcher" scoop, and armament of a lifting arm and axe. The second version was a small compact box with a spinning blade (which was machined by Team Force) and a leaf-spring steel wheel guard. This version performed rather well in BattleBots, reaching the round of 32.

The Season 4.0 version of Pro-AM was modeled after the team's Robotica entry and Season 2 champion Flexy Flyer. The Season 5.0 version drew inspiration from both that and the team's Robot Wars: Extreme Warriors entry Diskotek.

Pro-Am was potentially named after the game.

Robot History

Season 4.0

Proam sfb01 — Pro-AM's Season 4.0 appearance

Swirleevproam — Swirlee rips apart Pro-AM.

Pro-AM's only opponent in Season 4.0 was Swirlee. Swirlee spun up and Pro-AM hit him, and the impact sent one of Pro-AM's wheels flying. Pro-AM slammed Swirlee up into a wall, but Swirlee came off the wall and took out another wheel, this time with the motor still stuck to it! The 2-wheeled Pro-AM learned from this mistake, sticking to Swirlee like glue, not letting the spinbot spin up, and pushed him around. Pro-AM tried to use its weapon on Swirlee but it could not position it right, possibly because it was missing half his drive train. Just as the match ended, Swirlee got away and spun up again, but time ended before he could deliver another wheel-ripping hit. The judge's came down with a 23-22 decision, with Pro-AM the clear winner on aggression, and the split on strategy, but Swirlee scoring even stronger on damage, sealing it the victory. This knocked out Pro-AM from the tournament.

As a consolation, Pro-AM came in second in a tie for the giant screw award for this fight.

Season 5.0

PROAMvsGyrax SF02 — Pro-AM pushes Gyrax against the screws.

Pro-AM's first opponent this time was Strike Terror, but Strike Terror was barely able to damage its opponent and eventually was knocked out. This win put Pro-AM to the next preliminary round, where it faced The KillDozer. Pro-AM won by KO and advanced to the final preliminary round, where it faced Road Rage. Pro-AM won on a 38-7 judge's decision and advanced to the TV rounds, where it faced Gyrax. After Pro-AM pushed Gyrax against the screws, the time eventually ran out and Pro-AM won on a close 23-22 judge's decision. This win put Pro-AM to the round of 32, where it faced former superheavyweight champion Vladiator.

VladiatorvsProAM sf02 — Vladiator flips Pro-AM.

When the buzzer sounded, Pro-AM immediately went over Vladiator's flipping paddle twice. Then Pro-AM used its spinning blade to strike Vladiator once while being flipped into the air by Vladiator, the second time around managed to flip Vladiator on its back. Vladiator got underneath Pro-AM once again and drove it to the screws. Pro-AM's blade then penetrated Vladiator's back end, driving it to the spikes and then the pulverizer. After awhile, Vladiator used its speed to push Pro-AM into the spikes before both robots were sent over the killsaws. Vladiator got underneath Pro-AM one last time before the time ran out. In the end, Vladiator won on a controversial 25-20 judge's decision (The crowd, especially Pro-AM builder Mike Konshak, unanimously didn't like the outcome of the decision).