Humanoid Robot Takes on Influencer in Cage Match

In an amusing twist of events, it seems that robots have not only outdone us in various fields but can now also deliver some serious blows. Viral videos captured the moment a giant humanoid robot seemingly took down an influencer during what is being touted as the first man-versus-machine cage match.

The influencer, Frankie Lapenna, has gained popularity for his daring stunts reminiscent of “Jackass.” His past antics include driving a motorcycle straight into an office desk and playing cards in close proximity to an agitated bull. However, it looks like he may have overestimated his abilities by stepping into the octagon with a towering humanoid robot from REK, a tech company in San Francisco known for organizing robot fights.

“At last, a human goes head-to-head with a six-foot robot,” announced the referee as Lapenna entered the ring, geared up with pads and a helmet. His coach, visibly anxious, admitted, “I’m scared for you, man.”

The coach’s concern seemed justified. Despite landing a few punches on the hefty robot—which had a striking resemblance to “The Terminator”—they appeared to have minimal impact. Eventually, the robotic kickboxer retaliated with a series of powerful kicks, the last of which knocked Lapenna to the ground, seemingly concluding the match.

Fight contract “terminated”…or at least it seemed that way.

Viewers found the scene a bit dystopian, reminiscent of classic sci-fi themes. One commentator pointed out, “Didn’t we have, like, six movies explaining why this is a bad idea?” alluding to the “Terminator” series. Another person noted, “Why is technology trying to kill us? Because we’re teaching it how,” while a third quipped that it could’ve been a plot from “Black Mirror.”

Some even speculated how an actual mixed martial artist would hold up in such a mechanical showdown. Interestingly, according to REK’s CEO Cix Live, Lapenna actually came out on top. After a shaky start, he managed to destabilize the robot and, quite dramatically, “rip its head off,” echoing scenes from a blend of “Rocky” and “Robocop.” Remarkably, he finished the match with just a minor hand injury from hitting metal.

In fact, this bout was just one of three that Lapenna participated in during the event, starting with a smaller Unitree G1 and leading up to showdowns with the two six-foot robots.

The robots in this unusual challenge were modified ENGINEAI T800 models. Although not specifically engineered for fighting, they certainly pack a punch, delivering 850 pounds of force compared to the 650 pounds an average adult can muster.

While REK has not disclosed the outcome of the last fight, Live did mention that Lapenna didn’t perform as well in this final round.