California sends cease-and-desist to Rek over human-vs-robot fight

The September 18th match was not just a stunt; it was promoted by Rek, which describes itself on its website as 'the humanoid robot fighting league'. The robot in the fight appears to be one from EngineAI with a Terminator-like head swapped on top. When the California State Athletic Commission sent its cease-and-desist letter on September 30th, it specifically called the fight 'unsanctioned' and demanded that Liv and Rek stop 'holding, promoting or advertising any boxing or mixed martial arts contest match, or exhibition, involving any human' in California without the commission's approval. That wording suggests the commission views a human fighting a remotely piloted robot as falling under its oversight. Liv's reaction, 'We made it boys,' indicates he sees the regulatory attention as a milestone rather than a setback. Rek's next planned match, set for Friday, will feature two robots with weapons fighting each other, which may avoid the commission's concern about contests involving a human.