Zoofights (competition)

Zoofights is a creation of the Something Awful Forums (specifically it's main forum General Bullshit) and it's members. Originally envisioned and masterminded each time by forum member Major Failure, Zoofights is a tournament-style battle where animals from all species and time periods are brought together, augmented in a number of (usually quite foul and unpleasant) ways, and pitted against each other in mortal combat, the outcome of which is decided on the votes of other forum members.

Exactly what inspired the original concept is unknown, but it is among the better content Something Awful and its forums (which, among other things, created the Let's Play style of video game recording) has conceived of.

Zoofights I
Begun in the early months of 2005, the first Zoofights would lay down the basic concepts of the event: 16 teams of augmented animals competing in brutal deathmatches. The contestants ranged from gibbons with clubs for arms to a squad of flying tiger sharks. This competition would also introduce the general concept of a greater villain, as several losing competitors would end up fused into the eldritch horror-esque Swanmass, forcing the final two competitors to team up against it rather then actually fight each other. Notable competitors included the armored pachyderm Hulkaphant, the eventual team of the upgraded squid Mechos and his monkey pilot/companion the Red Banana, and of course the villain Swanmass.

Zoofights II
Zoofights II began on June 19th 2006. The concept was tweaked somewhat by changing the teams of animals to a mix of singular and teamwork efforts, though the number of animal entrants remained the same. A second-half attempt to add RPG elements to the tournament did not turn out very well, hence rendering Zoofights II something of a black sheep of the collective events. Notable tournament entries included shotgun-wielding and mustached bear Sgt. Grumbles, lightsaber-tusked and vengeance-seeking walrus team The Dream Made Flesh, and corpse-animating goat necromancer Necrogoat, who ended up being an avatar for a returning Swanmass.

Zoofights III: Zoofights Begins
Zoofights III, after a 2007 hiatus, began on April 8th, 2008. Zoofights III would re-imagine Zoofights happening in an alternate steampunk-style Victorian age (which also allowed a far-improved version of the aborted RPG elements of Zoofights II by allowing SA forum members to masquerade as various figures of history, as well as a few time travelers) as well as introduce pictures of the tournament competitors. Once again, the Zoofights would end in a battle against a greater threat, as unfortunate tournament hiree Jack The Ripper would create his own abomination, FROM HELL, and force the tournament finalists to team up against it. Notable tournament entries included the mechanical (and dapper gentleman) Steamcrab, grizzled space marine mammal Oh, The Huge Manatee, and the noble (and a train) Bisontrain.

Zoofights IV: Timefights
Begun on May 2nd 2009, Zoofights IV would return to the same alternate-Victorian period, albeit with heavier sci-fi elements. The tournament woukd be further tweaked with the introduction of a randomizer to the votes, hence making tournament battles more interesting affairs then foregone conclusions. It is also the first Zoofights to actually finish and crown a winner, despite the presence of TWO villains: the seraphic Elohim and the endless hybrid legion-mind Seanet. Notable tournament entries include fan-favorite Wolfbike, unflinching badass The Walrus (walruses seem to have a history of badassery in Zoofights), and eventual tournament winner and first actual undisputed King Of Beasts, Ol' Bitey.

Zoofights V
Major Failure has confirmed there will be future Zoofights.