appConfigEntityId

bodyType

customContents

entityId

entityUuid

isVideo

articlePageQuery

article

articleSchemaContent

content

hooksArticlePageAdvertisementConfigArticle

hooksArticlePageFloatingButtonConfigArticle

appConfig

filter

json

liveArticle

Danielle Popov

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.
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.”
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.

The impact sent up a bright spray of sparks; the defeated robot was knocked airborne before landing inert at the edge of the box.
Organisers said Deep-Sea Shark 3 weighed 110kg and could reach a top speed of 28km/h. After the stoppage, team members turned to the cameras and waved a flag from the Harbin Institute of Technology, where the group is based.
The Battle of the Robots drew teams from 16 countries, including India, the United States, Russia and Belarus, according to the organisers.
Chinese state broadcaster CGTN cited an unnamed expert describing the win as evidence of China’s growing strength in robotics “system integration” – the ability to combine hardware, software and control systems that can hold up under punishing conditions.
Fierce Roc’s leader, Qi Wenjie, also told state media that the robot used a home-grown algorithm designed to suppress current spikes when the machine stalled, protecting motors from overload during high-stress collisions.
Organisers said robot combat was part of a wider selection of sports in the competition, which included football, basketball, drone racing and shooting.


China’s storage makers aim to climb value chain with advanced packaging bets

As Chinese carmakers diversify beyond CATL batteries, Beijing warns of market overreaction

Chinese banks, Ant International push instant cross-border digital yuan transfers

Chinese EV battery giant CATL starts trial production at Hungarian factory

China technology

Chinese team slams rival into glass wall, as sparks fly at robot showdown in Abu Dhabi

Chinese team Fierce Roc was crowned champion of Battle of the Robots  at the Games of the Future Abu Dhabi 2025. Phoo: Handout

Deep-Sea Shark 3 takes out the title in a shower of sparks. Photo: Handout

Unitree G1 humanoids go viral with synchronised frontflip and ‘impressive’ Musk endorsement

Unitree robots dance on stage with singer Wang Leehom in Chengdu last Thursday. Photo: Handout

Unitree robots do frontflips at the concert. The video clip went viral afterwards. Photo: Handout

DeepSeek’s game-changing rise, China’s robot boot camps: 7 AI 2025 breakthroughs

DeepSeek is being touted as China’s secret weapon in the artificial intelligence war with the US. Photo: AFP

Technicians train humanoid robots at a data collection centre run by the robotics company Agibot in Shanghai. Photo: Getty Images

Sex dolls made by WMDoll are on display at its headquarters in Zhongshan, a city in southern Guangdong province. Photo: Coco Feng

EngineAI Robotics’ humanoid T800 is capable of delivering Bruce Lee-style roundhouse kicks with great force. Photo: Handout

China packs a patent punch in the race to build humanoid robots

A technician teaches a humanoid robot to use a wrench to tighten a bolt at a data collection pre-training center for humanoid robots in Hefei, east China’s Anhui Province. Photo: Xinhua

Unitree’s humanoid G1shows off its kung fu moves during the International Robot Exhibition. Photo: Wency Chen

China’s humanoid arms race: start-ups debut robots for stores, offices and factories

Hobbs, Noetix Robotics. Photo: Handout

SenseTime pushes open-source AI model to provide a ‘smart brain’ for every robot

The first robot dog products unveiled on Thursday by Ace Robotics, a new venture of SenseTime. Photo: Handout

SenseTime co-founder Wang Xiaogang, who also serves as chairman at Ace Robotics. Photo: SenseTime

News

China

China Future Tech

Robotics

Deep-Sea Shark 3, built by China’s Fierce Roc team, kicks some bot at the Battle of the Robots at Abu Dhabi’s Games of the Future


Deep-Sea Shark 3, built by China’s Fierce Roc team, kicks some bot at the Battle of the Robots at Abu Dhabi’s Games of the Future.


Robotics: Industry Trends

United Arab Emirates (UAE)

Chinese team slams rival into glass wall, as sparks fly at robot showdown in Abu Dhabi

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}Deep-Sea Shark 3, built by China’s Fierce Roc team, kicks some bot at the Battle of the Robots at Abu Dhabi’s Games of the Future

Deep-Sea Shark 3, built by China’s Fierce Roc team, kicks some bot at the Battle of the Robots at Abu Dhabi’s Games of the Future