The California State Athletic Commission has ordered robotics startup REK to stop holding human-versus-robot cage fights after a Sept. 18 event in San Francisco. The company's CEO shared the cease-and-desist letter, which warns that organizing such contests without a license is a misdemeanor under state law.
The fight featured YouTuber Frankie LaPenna facing three different humanoid robots. REK has promoted its events as "Real pilots, real punches" and offers private robot-versus-robot events for $10,000. The commission's order specifically targets contests involving a human, leaving open the possibility that robot-only fights could continue.
The source notes the event may have been a promotional stunt rather than a legitimate sporting contest, but the safety and ethical concerns are clear. REK also offers a simulator on Steam and Meta Quest, with top players qualifying to pilot real robots in live events. The article draws a comparison to the movie Real Steel, though it does not claim the company was inspired by it.