I tried to watch Battlebots and the presentation is awful.  It's just like watching American Football, Baseball, ice hockey or WWF - two commentators talking drivel and a whole load of people taking themselves too seriously.

Robot wars, on the other hand, has a sort of self-deprecating sense of humour.  It's clear in the choice of commentator (a soccer commentator who is known even in soccer as being way too excitable), the horrifically, but consciously, unfunny Craig Charles intro jokes and, most importantly, the house robots themselves.  I noticed in the supermarket (when I was meant to be buying vegetables but ended up looking at the toys) that Robot Wars toys are now produced of all the house robots and, surprisingly, of Hypno-disc - the house robots give a real sense of character to the contest.  The arena, as well, is trying to be science fiction - a sort of Aliens feel - rather than major league baseball.

I suppose the fundamental difference is that, whereas Battlebots focuses on the controllers and the creators, Robot Wars tends to focus more on the actual robots.

Pete

That must have been the furthest off topic that I've ever been.  Wow.