Thousand Oaks family featured on upcoming season of 'BattleBots'

ByABC7.com staff KABC logo
Saturday, April 16, 2016
Thousand Oaks family featured on upcoming season of 'BattleBots'
The Vasquez family's "Splatter" robot will try to shred the competition in this summer's season of "Battlebots."

THOUSAND OAKS, Calif. (KABC) -- It's machine versus machine as the popular series "BattleBots" returns.

The ultimate robot creations are bigger, faster, and stronger than ever. The BattleBots 2016 competition will be cutting edge, but the end goal is the same: destroy or completely disable your opponent's robot.

Sixty teams converge on a Lincoln Heights warehouse for the latest round of the reality TV series.

Among them: the Vasquez family from Thousand Oaks.

"Not a lot of families have something like this that everyone's involved in, in a project everyone has to work on," said Matthew Vasquez, 17.

Jeff and Debbie Vasquez introduced their teenage sons to the robot world when they were little boys. It's grown into more than a hobby for everyone.

"We're a team, a family team," said dad Jeff Vasquez. "We built this in our garage. If we can do it anyone can do it. That's what we did. Just dream it up and build it."

The Vasquez family dreamed up a creation they call "Splatter." And while they've poured their hearts and souls into building this 'bot, they are well aware that the outcome of the competition could mean all their hard work ends up a shredded pile of metal.

"Everyone knows their robot can be completely destroyed but that's what we come here for," laughed Matthew Vasquez. "I mean, everyone's prepared for their robot to just be gone!"

"BattleBots" returns to ABC this summer. Information about tickets to a live taping is available on the show's website.