It’s the distant future, the year 2015. We may not have flying skateboards, but you know what we do have? COMBAT ROBOTS. Sorta. Lemme back up a second. See, once upon a time, the Japanese robotics company Suidobashi Heavy Industry made a robot: buyable for $1.3 million, it weighs almost five tons, can be outfitted with dastardly weapons like twin BB gatling cannons or a water bottle cannon, is over 12 feet tall, and is programmed to fire when its operator smiles.

Japan. I tell ya.

So that’s all well and good, but the Kuratas has been around for a while. Why is it notable now? Well, see, we’re about to witness some good ol-fashioned robo beatdown.

Enter MegaBots, a startup company bound and determined to make robo-battling a reality of our glorious society. After an unsuccessful Kickstarter that attempted to raise the money for two paintball-wielding robots, MegaBots pulled together enough money for a demonstration bot…and then made the video above. They challenged Suidobashi to a duel. A robo-duel.

Suidobashi responded.

“But my reaction? Come on guys, make it cooler. Just building something huge and sticking guns on it, it’s…SUPER AMERICAN.”

Oh, them’s fighting words. It’s on.

Unfortunately, there’s no date set for the robo-duel yet, but we will be on the scene to keep you posted. Until then, you’ll just have to make do with this…