Promoter of human vs. robot kickboxing match sees demand for more

Summary This NBC News broadcast segment from Hallie Jackson NOW (reported by correspondent Steven Romo) covers a viral cage match in San Francisco pitting a human against a humanoid robot. The report examines the demonstration put on by combat robotics promotion REK, interviews REK founder and CEO Cix Liv, and features studio analysis with anchor Hallie Jackson regarding the technical reality and safety risks of robot combat.

What is shown

• [00:00] Footage of TikTok influencer Frankie Lapenna in body armor and headgear sparring inside a cage against a 6-foot humanoid robot dubbed “Terminator”, culminating in a kick that knocks him down.
• [00:28] Remote interview with REK founder and CEO Cix Liv discussing why pitting humans against robots helps contextualize their scale and force for audiences.
• [00:35] Montages of Frankie Lapenna’s previous viral stunt videos and subsequent sparring rounds with humanoid robots.
• [01:03] Promotional footage of REK’s robot-versus-robot cage matches, along with historical references to BattleBots and Real Steel.
• [01:29] Video of a humanoid robot fighting match held in Shanghai, China on September 19.
• [01:41] On-screen NBC News graphic detailing U.S. FCC restrictions targeting foreign-made humanoid robots over national security concerns.
• [01:54] Cix Liv explaining that combat humanoids in these events are teleoperated rather than fully autonomous.
• [02:18] Studio conversation between Hallie Jackson and Steven Romo discussing the spectacle, injury hazards, and comparisons to science fiction franchises like The Terminator.

Claims & numbers

• The fighting robot in San Francisco stands 6 feet tall (narrator).
• Frankie Lapenna stated he fought against three different robots during the event and described the experience to NBC News as “horrifying and scary” (narrator).
• Cix Liv claims this event was the first human-versus-robot kickboxing match of its kind (narrator).
• Cix Liv states that current public claims of humanoid robots fighting autonomously are “complete BS” and that the robots are “100% people behind the scenes” via teleoperation (Cix Liv).
• REK acknowledges that its fighting robot chassis are built in China (narrator).
• A humanoid fighting tournament was hosted in Shanghai on September 19 (on-screen graphic/narrator).

Notable quotes

• [00:28] “Having a person in the ring contextualizes it for an average person. Like, how difficult is it really, how big are these things...” — Cix Liv
• [01:01] “We weren’t necessarily planning to do robot versus human fights, but the demand is absolutely insane.” — Cix Liv
• [01:54] “All the autonomy claims are complete BS... it’s 100% people behind the scenes. This is the true in China as well.” — Cix Liv

Assessment This is a mainstream television news feature analyzing a live entertainment spectacle, incorporating promotional footage, social media clips, and an executive interview. The promoter explicitly clarifies that despite the sci-fi framing, the robot is not operating autonomously and is fully teleoperated by a human handler.

Described by gemini-3.8-flash on 2026-10-08 from the video’s audio and frames.