Influencer Faces Humanoid Robot in Historic MMA Bout

Content creator Frankie LaPenna faced REK’s humanoid robot, known as the “Rekbot,” on September 18 in San Francisco. The bout was organized by robotics startup REK as part of a promotion for its virtual reality game featuring battles between humans and remotely controlled humanoid robots.

During the fight, LaPenna exchanged strikes with the six-foot robot and managed to hold his own for a period. The matchup changed when the Rekbot delivered a powerful roundhouse kick that sent him across the ring.

REK subsequently described the event on X as the first “Human VS Terminator” robot fight and called it a turning point in the development of the concept. The company had promoted the matchup on social media before the event, with LaPenna responding confidently to the challenge.

Following the fight, it was revealed that the robot was being controlled remotely by a human operator rather than operating autonomously. The event nevertheless generated discussion online about the possibility of human-robot combat becoming more common in the future.

REK has indicated that the Rekbot was not its final level of development, teasing that more robot combat experiences could be coming soon.

Source: Supercar Blondie, “World’s first human vs robot MMA fight has happened in San Francisco and the footage is wild,” published September 23, 2026.