California cracks down on robot-fighting startup REK
The state athletic commission says REK's man-versus-robot match was unapproved, while REK’s CEO has highlighted that California’s rules define matches as occurring between two persons.
California cracks down on robot-fighting startup REK
California's State Athletic Commission sent a cease-and-desist letter to Robot Entertainment Kombat after the startup staged an unapproved fight between a man and a robot on September 18. The commission's order bars REK and its CEO, Cix Liv, from hosting, promoting or advertising any boxing or mixed martial arts event involving a human in California without its approval.
Liv posted the warning letter on X on September 30 with a celebratory caption and has emphasized that California’s rules define matches as occurring between two persons. Influencer Frankie LaPenna, who fought the robot, won two of the three robot fights he took part in.
According to the Spanish outlet RedUSERS, REK operates in San Francisco and six other cities, mostly in the United States but also in Canada and Japan, drawing around 100 spectators per fight in California, and most of its events have been held in California so far.
Inside the robots and the danger around them
The fighters are Chinese-made robot units modified with claws and blades that were not part of their original design, added purely to increase damage for the show. REK's organizers told RedUSERS the robots are still far from fighting autonomously and are remotely directed for now, with full autonomy described as a future goal rather than a current reality.
At one recent event, a robot's blade punched straight through a photographer's camera lens, underscoring the risks of the format.
DexForce trains robots virtually, Musk weighs in on Chinese robot combat
Two brief outlet reports say Chinese startup DexForce is training humanoid robots using virtual data to cut training costs.
Elon Musk told The Economist he watched a Chinese robot fighting match and found it genuinely entertaining, noting that one robot kept fighting even after its head was knocked off. He said China is very strong in both robotics and artificial intelligence.
Separately, Xinhua reported that at Shenzhen's Robot 6S Store, described as a world-first robot sales and service venue, a tourist from Jamaica named Daniela tried robot combat and said the humanoid robots moved smoothly and naturally, making it part of Shenzhen’s growing tech tourism draw.
Extreme Robots brings Robot Wars veterans to live shows
Danny, who runs the YouTube channels Danny Vs Food and Danny Vs Robots, says he has started hosting live shows for Extreme Robots, described as Europe's largest touring robot combat show. The lineup features Robot Wars veterans including Eruption, Thor, Gabriel and Tr4.
He said fellow radio presenter Ellie Scarlett connected him with the Extreme Robots team, and he now interviews winners backstage after bouts.
Sources (8)
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