California orders unlicensed human and robot fight organisers to stop events
California’s Department of Consumer Affairs has ordered Robot Entertainment Kombat (REK) to stop staging unlicensed fights between people and humanoid robots. The September bout in San Francisco went viral, but regulators said it breached state boxing rules because organisers had not obtained approval from the California State Athletic Commission.
Influencer Frankie LaPenna, weighing 205 pounds, fought a six-foot, 200-pound robot inspired by the Terminator, which REK said could kick with 850 pounds of force. LaPenna won after two rounds, though the robot knocked him across the ring; he had signed a waiver concerning liability if he died. REK chief executive Cix Liv disputed the commission’s interpretation of the law, while the commission said the contest was unsanctioned and that it may issue further guidance as technology develops.
- California ordered REK to stop unlicensed human-robot fights.
- Frankie LaPenna beat a 200-pound robot after two rounds.
- Regulators may update guidance as the technology develops.
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California regulates boxing and similar contests through its State Athletic Commission, which oversees events and requires organisers to obtain approval. The rules cover who may stage a fight and how competitors’ safety is managed.
Robot Entertainment Kombat, or REK, organised a San Francisco bout between influencer Frankie LaPenna and a humanoid robot. REK is led by chief executive Cix Liv; the commission is the state body responsible for regulating contests such as boxing.
The dispute centres on whether a fight involving a person and a robot falls under existing state rules. The question matters because such events raise issues of oversight and safety, while new technology may not fit neatly within rules written for human competitors.
Both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
Requiring state approval is a reasonable way to protect participants and spectators when an event involves potentially forceful impacts, whether the opponent is human or a robot. Boxing rules can provide oversight of safety measures, medical readiness and accountability, while a signed waiver alone may not address the risks to everyone involved.
The case against
REK can reasonably argue that rules written for human boxing may not clearly cover a staged contest between a person and a machine, and that applying them without clearer guidance risks stretching existing law. If the event can be made safe, a proportionate framework tailored to human–robot bouts could allow innovation and public entertainment while addressing genuine hazards.
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Originally published by Daily Mail as “Inside the underground man v machine fight club California is attempting to shut down after terrifying ‘terminator’ beatdown”.