The California State Athletic Commission issued a cease-and-desist order against Robot Entertainment Kombat (REK) after the startup hosted an unsanctioned human-versus-robot cage match in San Francisco.
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The Daily Wire reports the crackdown follows a September 18 cage match in which social media influencer Frankie LaPenna fought three remote-controlled robots in front of 100 cheering spectators.
The California State Athletic Commission sent a cease-and-desist letter on September 30, stating they must approve any boxing, kickboxing, or mixed martial arts event involving a human in the state, according to the New York Times.
California State athletic regulators issued a cease-and-desist order to a tech firm after influencer Franky LaPenna fought a 1.8-meter remotely controlled humanoid robot in an unlicensed combat event. 🇺🇸🤖🥊 https://t.co/hjeSpWlPyn
— THE GLOBAL NEWS. (@THE_GLOBE_N) October 4, 2026
Regulators warned that promoting or participating in an unlicensed combat sports contest involving a human is classified as a misdemeanor in California.
According to The Daily Wire, officials issued a statement saying, “Unsanctioned activity puts the physical and financial well-being of all those involved at risk and such activity will not be tolerated.”
Cix Liv, CEO of REK, publicly acknowledged the letter on social media, though the company continued advertising upcoming events such as a scheduled “REK Deathmatch” in San Francisco.
Liv also pushed back against the commission, arguing that REK — which describes itself as “the humanoid robot fighting league” — did not need the commission’s approval.
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In an interview with the New York Times, Liv noted that “The law clearly states that a ‘match’ is between two persons,” and said state regulators were welcome to try to prove that a humanoid robot was human.
LaPenna, who injured his hand at the event, signed a waiver before the match, stating that the company would not be held liable if he were killed.
Robot Entertainment Kombat has a fight scheduled in San Francisco for October 9, but this time, it’s robot vs. robot, with no humans involved.
According to The Daily Wire, humanoid robots are a growing sector of the technology industry.
This summer, the second annual World Humanoid Robot Games in Beijing featured more than 2,000 robots and 666 teams competing in sports including soccer, running, and table tennis.
An impressive humanoid robot sprinting at high speed during practice for the World Humanoid Robot Games in Beijing https://t.co/t6ZPLBCGs4
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