Their flying legs collide and quickly regain balance, confidently maneuvering;
They fall to the ground but manage a «carp flip,» performing a desperate act of survival;
They wait for the right moment and strike swiftly, defeating the opponent in one move;
Robots can do more than just this. They can slap their thighs in defiance or wave their arms in celebration… Viewers with faster connections describe it as: «With such high-energy robot battles streaming live, the main station truly showcases people from the pinnacle of sci-fi.»
On May 25, the CMG World Robot Competition-Series tournament was held in Hangzhou, organized by the Main Station of China Media Group. The event was broadcast live on CCTV-10, CCTV News, CCTV Video, CCTV Society, CCTV Sports, and CGTN New Media, both domestically and internationally.
Since the beginning of the year, the main station has continued to highlight the latest advancements in intelligent technology, hosting the first wearable intelligent robot sports competition in Wuxi in collaboration with the China Electronics Society. Together with local authorities, it organized the world’s first «Human-Machine Race» half-marathon and the CMG World Robot Skills Competition Inventors Forum, showcasing the integration of technology and science popularization through visual robotics. In May, the main station held the first global humanoid robot combat competition. What are the strategic plans of the «smart» main station in this regard?
Earlier this year, the main station’s director stated at a 2025 planning meeting that the station could lead in organizing robot competitions and sports events, using «golden nodes» to elevate Chinese technology’s global influence. The main station’s social education program center continues to refine plans, while its Zhejiang headquarters tracks and reports on Hangzhou’s tech innovation enterprises, aiming to draw attention to competitions amid the wave of human-machine collaboration.
The initial motivation for organizing the competition stems from real-world challenges in tech applications: How far has robotics technology advanced, and how can its achievements move from the lab to the public? How can humanoid robots be used in daily production and life, even replacing humans in hazardous environments or performing more difficult tasks?
Why not watch the live stream, where everyone can see the iron warriors in action and judge for themselves, using the screen as an answer sheet? This is the core concept behind the mech warrior tournament: testing robots’ comprehensive capabilities through complex actions like striking and dodging in a fiercely competitive environment. Thus, the world’s first mech warrior competition begins, alongside enhanced commentary and live streaming.
Dual commentary synchronizes knowledge with competition moments. Delivering a «combo strike» not only expends energy but also tests the precision of the entire motion control algorithm; the «catfish tactics» skill, honed through real-time sensor calibration and on-site control algorithm synchronization; the «battle scars» on robots demonstrate the durability of advanced materials like carbon fiber and aluminum alloys…
Experts and scholars from Peking University, Beijing’s Key Laboratory of AI Safety and Standards, the Tai’er Systems Lab at the China Academy of Information and Communications Technology, and Zhejiang University analyze robotics principles, tactical deployment, and algorithmic control management from the perspectives of robotics development, artificial intelligence, and mechanical engineering. Their scientific explanations enhance the blend of intellectual depth and adrenaline.
At the competition venue’s commentary booth
In the Beijing commentary room
Diverse perspectives, using «translational» screen movement. The buzzing electric currents as armor activates, subtle force curve changes in mechanical arms, and the focused expressions of selectors during calibration tests are all captured by high-speed broadcast cameras. Silent calculations are translated into intuitive screens, while the lens’s refined language carries real-time technological aesthetics, deepening the immersive viewing experience.
To expand the viewing angle, reporters in the control room crafted a 5-meter camera pole. The mounted camera clearly displays the entire arena and selector tracks, while fingertip cameras on the robot allow first-person viewers to join the «battle» and experience the shock immersion.
Ultra-long panoramic camera
Fingertip camera screenshot
Robot combat involves intense «hard vs. hard» and «iron vs. iron» clashes, but more so, it’s a scientific confrontation of «mind vs. mind» and «intelligence vs. intelligence.» As one viewer noted: «This robot battle competition overturned my expectations—it felt like sci-fi movies brought to life. I believe robots will one day become our most reliable helpers!»
Direct strikes measure the opponent’s distance, left
