The California State Athletic Commission (CSAC) has issued a cease-and-desist order to Robot Entertainment Kombat (REK) following a San Francisco event that featured a human influencer fighting three humanoid robots in a cage match. The commission’s action, dated September 23, 2026, warns that hosting unlicensed full-contact combat events involving human participants is a misdemeanor under the State Athletic Commission Act and the California Business and Professions Code.
The regulatory clash centers on the definition of a combat sports participant. REK CEO Cix Liv (also known as Six Reeve) has argued that the commission lacks jurisdiction over these matches because state law defines a “match” as a contest between “persons.” Since the opponents are machines, the startup contends the matches fall outside traditional regulatory frameworks. Despite the legal warning, Liv publicly shared the cease-and-desist letter on social media with the caption, “We made it boys.”
The event that triggered the state’s response took place on September 18, 2026. Social media influencer Frankie LaPenna entered a cage to face three humanoid robots. While REK marketed the spectacle as a “human vs. robot MMA fight,” the machines were not autonomous AI entities. Instead, they functioned as proxies for human pilots who controlled them via remote virtual-reality systems.
The hardware involved presents significant physical risks to human participants. The robots are modified EngineAI T800 models, which typically stand 5’8″ but were modified by REK to reach 6 feet. Weighing up to 187 pounds, the machines feature 29 high-torque joints capable of generating 450 Nm of torque. During the September 18 match, LaPenna sustained a hand injury when he punched the robot’s metal torso.
Before entering the cage, LaPenna was required to sign a “death waiver,” a document intended to absolve REK of legal responsibility for fatalities. According to Tom’s Hardware, the CSAC explicitly labels such unlicensed events as potential criminal acts, regardless of any private liability waivers signed by the participants.
The future of REK’s live events remains in flux as the company attempts to pivot around the CSAC’s restrictions. A follow-up event billed as the “world’s first humanoid weapon fight” is scheduled for Friday, October 9, 2026, in San Francisco. This event is designed to feature only robots, a move intended to bypass regulations that apply strictly to human combatants.
Beyond the state athletic commission’s concerns, REK faces potential supply chain hurdles. The T800 models used by the startup are reportedly subject to a recent Federal Communications Commission (FCC) ban on certain unauthorized foreign-made humanoid robots, which could limit the company’s ability to maintain or expand its roster of mechanical fighters.
