SEASON PREMIERE

ABC ANNOUNCES THE TEAMS COMPETING ON THE SEASON PREMIERE OF "BATTLEBOTS," JUNE 21

8 Teams Go Head to Head During the Qualifiers Round

"Episode 101" -- "BattleBots," the epic robot-fighting tournament, kicks off SUNDAY, JUNE 21 (9:00-10:00 p.m., ET) as the first round of next generation robots, that promise to be bigger, faster, and stronger than ever before, go head to head on the ABC Television Network. During the first night of the six-episode tournament, 8 teams will converge in an arena of minefield and hazards for the ultimate shot at glory during the Qualifiers round. Each match will consist of a single three- minute bout in which the goal is to completely destroy or disable the opponent. If there is no knockout during the three-minute battle, the panel of judges will declare a victor to move onto the next round. Competitors range from NASA engineers, to teenage students, to everyone in between -- each with one goal -- to claim the ultimate title and walk away with the grand cash prize.

Over the course of the tournament event, we'll introduce you to the builders behind the robots, break down each machine, and compare the match-ups with expert play-by-play analysis from veteran sports broadcaster, Chris Rose, color commentary from former UFC fighter Kenny Florian, celebrated sports anchor Molly McGrath as the host, and sideline reporters Allison Haislip and NASA engineer Bobak Ferdowsi. Judging each battle are former BattleBots competitor and special effects artist Fon Davis, NASA astronaut Leland Melvin and the face of Nerdist Jessica Chobot. Ring announcer Faruq Tauheed will preside as the bots battle.

The 8 teams slated to compete during the Qualifiers round are listed in alphabetical order below:

1. Bite Force: Team Captain - Paul Ventimiglia (Hometown: Wayne, NJ / Currently Resides in Mountain View, CA)

2. Icewave: Team Captain - Marc Devidts (Hometown: New Orleans, LA / Currently Resides in Sunnyvale, CA)

3. Nightmare: Team Captain - Jim Smentowski (Hometown: Colorado Springs, CO / Currently Resides in Bradenton, FL)

4. Plan X: Team Captain - Lisa Winter (Hometown: Dubuque, IA / Currently Resides in Orinda, CA)

5. Razorback: Team Captain - Zack Bieber (Hometown: Fort Morgan, CO / Currently Resides in Wellington, CO)

6. Warhead: Team Captain - Ian Lewis (Hometown and Currently Resides in: Bournemouth, UK)

7. Warrior Clan: Team Captain - Terry Ewert (Hometown: Colby, WI / Currently Resides in Abbotsford, WI)

8. Wrecks: Team Captain - Micah Leibowitz (Hometown: Berkeley, CA/ Currently Resides in Hayward, CA)

"BattleBots," a reimagined take of the killer robot combat sport from Whalerock Industries and the creators of the original "BattleBots" franchise, Ed Roski and Greg Munson. The homemade robots will battle against each other, in a single elimination tournament style format, until there is one champion. MGM Television, which has a development deal with Whalerock Industries, will be distributing the program internationally. There will be cash prizes for winners in the Championship Rounds. Executive Producers are Lloyd Braun, Chris Cowan, Ed Roski and Greg Munson.

About Whalerock Industries

Whalerock Industries, founded by Lloyd Braun, is a media and technology company creating innovative content experiences across all platforms. Whalerock's digital properties reach approximately 70 million people and include Wonderwall.com, Mandatory.com, Mom.me and Moviefone.com (in partnership with Aol). The company has television and films in development and production across the media landscape.