“Well, that's what it's all about, isn't it? If you want to go down in history, you have to be a champion. That's how you really know you've made it. Oh, and of course to the victor, the spoils.”
Horn, Arena Historian
The Ultimate Monster Battle Arena Season revolves around the Championships, a series of titles held by Monsters (and by extension, their trainers) that are hotly contested throughout the Season. Each Championship has a different qualification requirement, and each contender faces stiff competition for the top spot.
What are colloquially known as the Tournament Championships (current Rankings here) - the Heavyweight, Lightweight, and Double Team Championships - are fought constantly throughout the Season and regularly change hands. Mid-Season prizes for these Championships - the exact nature of these revealed during the Season but often exclusive Archaeotech, secret bonuses for Monsters, or even cold hard cash - as well as the maneuvering in the standings necessary for a title shot, ensure competition stays fierce throughout.
A Monster may only hold a single Championship, and are not eligible for lower-ranked championships. With the exception of the Double Team Championship, all championships are only held by a single Monster at once.
At the end of the Season the Champions - each receiving the coveted Championship Trophy for their respective Championships - all compete to discover who will be crowned the SEASON XXXVI ULTIMATE ULTIMATE MONSTER BATTLE ARENA CHAMPION and receive the mysterious GRAND PRIZE.
The history of the Championships is as convoluted and obscure as the history of the Arena itself. What is known is that the various Championships were added over the years as the Network sought to secure support for the Arena and expand its reach. It is widely believed that the Fans are ultimately responsible, with popular acclaim and desire for interesting matches driving large scale changes in the structure of the Championships over time.
In particular, the Lightweight Championship is the most recent addition after Fan support for action-packed Fights caused an upswell in competitors entering faster and smaller Monsters. Rules Lawyers pointed to a precedent of “weight classes” mentioned in obscure parts of the rulebook, and the Network acquiesced.
This is the big one. The top of the top. At the end of the Season all Champions are pitted together in a knockout tournament seeded by the Championship ranks to find the ULTIMATE ULTIMATE MONSTER BATTLE ARENA CHAMPION, a title with huge prestige and an almost-as-huge prize. The Grand Championship is unique in that it is not contested during the regular Season and may be held alongside other Championships.
Last Season's Grand Champion was Volcanosaurus, the winner of the Heavyweight Championship, trained by Cinder. Following a particularly grueling tournament which would have retired a lesser Monster, they took the title in spectacular fashion: completely demolishing the Network's Choice, Bulwark, over the course of a ten minute slugfest that had the entire Arena on their toes.
The top Monster in the BIG or bigger weight divisions. Some Monsters that are physically smaller but for some reason extremely heavy sometimes end up in this category. It is widely held that winning this Championship gives you the best shot at winning the Grand Champion title.
Last season's Champion Volcanosaurus went on to become the Grand Champion. Patched up and ready to fight again, they are hotly tipped to continue their reign for another Season unless unseated by something special.
The top Monster in the SMALL or smaller weight divisions. Some Monsters that are large but very lightweight or fragile end up in this category. Many Lightweight Champions have gone on to become Grand Champions, with smaller but scrappy Monsters getting surprise wins over their larger counterparts.
Last Season's Lightweight Champion was Wreckatar, trained by The Professor. Most notably, The Professor was stripped of their Reigning Champion status after punching a prospective challenger while in the Vault. They have not been seen since, and it seems likely they won't be contesting their Championship this Season.
This special Championship is shared by the two Monsters that currently hold the D-D-D-DOUBLE MONSTER Championship - a Fan favourite match type based primarily on the theory that more Monsters make things better. By tradition, the end of the Season sees the two winning Monsters duke it out in a special grudge match to determine which is Double Team Champion #1 and which is #2.
Last season's Double Team Champions were Doomigator trained by Block, and Thunderzilla trained by Tackle, winning in a shock upset. The pair continue to contest their title but it is widely considered to be only be a matter of time before they lose their spot.
At the end of the Season, after the higher-ranked Champions have been decided but before the knock-out tournament to determine the Grand Champion, anyone who isn't already a Champion can enter their Monster into the ULTIMATE SURVIVOR match. This is an all-comers-in-the-arena-at-once-match, last Monster standing wins. The results of this match are often surprising - with favourites burning themselves out early, the winner is often not the Monster who can deal the most damage to their opponents, but the one who can take the most punishment and keep going to the bitter end.
Last season's Ultimate Survivor was Toxtor, trained by Nocturne. Whether they will survive another grueling match or clutch another Championship this season remains to be seen, but no smart Bookie is likely to write them off this time.
Fans vote for this Champion at the end of the regular Season, after all the higher-ranked Champions have been determined. Frequently this results in a Champion who is ineffective in a fight but fun to watch, but hey - isn't that what it's all about?
Last season's Fan favourite was Giant Block Of Wood, known on official Network documents as The Inertianator. Predictably, it was completely destroyed by Double Team Champion Doomigator in a savage first round match. It'd need a miracle to come back this Season, and top Rules-Lawyer-turned-Trainer Canon has been unavailable for comment, but Fans everywhere are holding their breath.
The Network select this Champion at the end of the regular Season. This Championship often goes to oddballs and Monsters that have missed their shot elsewhere. The criteria used by the Network to make their decision has remained a mystery since this Championship was created, but it always results in an interesting choice.
Last season's Network Choice was Bulwark. Trainer Cam continues a long tradition of not commenting on the reason for their selection.
This Monster has been judged the most stylish by specially-chosen Fans and Network Executives. Instead of focusing on raw combat prowess and silly things like who won or lost Fights, Trainers angling for this Championship usually go for tactics like dressing the Monster up prettily and demonstrating non-combat talents during Fights.
The Swimsuit Championship has a cult following and takes itself extremely seriously. The prizes are just as real as the other Championships, and Swimsuit competitors often consider the brute clashes of regular Fights to be beneath the dignity of both themselves and their Monsters. The “Fashion Experts” - a panel of judges picked by the Network - who decide the Champion after long deliberation would agree with this sentiment wholeheartedly.
The Championship is named after the “standard swimsuit” garment that Monsters are required to wear in qualifying Swimsuit matches. A substantial number of arena bylaws are dedicated to the nature of this garment and the definition of “wearing”. Some of the most notable Rules Lawyers have made careers in this particular niche, which is considered the most poorly-understood section of the entire rulebook.
Zephyr, Trainer of reigning Swimsuit Champion Victory Viper, has already made their intentions clear for the coming Season - absolutely nothing is going to come between their Monster and this title.
OC Note: don't worry about memorising all of this - it's always okay to check in with a GM to explain it!
The Heavyweight, Lightweight and Double-Team Championships are known as the Tournament Championships and are ongoing throughout the Season. Each Tournament is divided into Divisions of 6 Trainers, and each League Conference Trainers must arrange a match with an opponent in their Division or one Division above or below, gaining points for wins as follows:
Every League Conference, the top two Trainers from each Division move up (Promotion), and the bottom two Trainers move down (Demotion) and points are reset. Some call this “The Shuffling”. Whoever is top in each Division receives a prize from the Network (announced during the Season), with prizes being more prestigious in higher Divisions. At the end of the Season (after 6 Shufflings), the Tournament Champions are whoever is in the #1 spot in each Tournament.
Not all Battles in the Arena are for the Championships - the Network likes to fill the schedule with Grudge Matches, Gladiator Fights, and even Charity Events to keep the Arena busy, Monsters fighting, and the Fans on the edge of their seats. Such Fights are also arranged during the League Conferences.
