Select Language:
Robots, equipped with boxing gloves, exchanged blows during the Ultimate Fighting Bots (UFB) competition held at the BattleBots Arena, just outside the annual Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas on January 6, 2026. AFP
These humanoid fighters mimicked their human “pilots,” throwing punches as they clashed in the UFB showdown along the event’s sidelines at CES.
The robotic combatants wobbled slightly as they swung and kicked at each other, drawing a mix of curiosity and cheers from the spectators gathered near the event on the Vegas Strip.
This competition was a shift from the typical lineup at CES, where you usually see wheeled machines boasting destructive tools.
Supporters of UFB believe that humanoid robots will attract fans by shifting the focus from destructive contests to more dynamic mixed martial arts-style battles.
A human referee addressed the robotic fighters as if they were real competitors.
“This is the sport of the future,” said Vitaly Bulatov, co-founder of UFB alongside his wife, Xenia.
[Image caption: Robots fight with kicks and punches during the Ultimate Fighting Bots (UFB) competition at the BattleBots Arena on the sidelines of CES in Las Vegas, Nevada, January 6, 2026. PHOTO: AFP]
The Russian couple envisions viewers connecting through the “human stories” of the actual people controlling the robots.
During the match, commands to punch and kick were relayed from the pilots standing ringside, who used a combination of cameras and motion-sensing Nintendo controllers.
The cameras tracked the pilots’ movements in real-time, translating them into actions performed by the robots—sometimes accurately, sometimes with amusingly wild misses.
The robots’ efforts at times resembled blindfolded boxers, prompting laughter at missed swings and applause when punches hit their mark.
“With just a few more improvements, it could become a lot more entertaining, like in movies such as ‘Real Steel,’” commented Esteban Perez, a 25-year-old IT worker from Denver watching the event.
While current battles are less intense than those in the 2011 sci-fi film about robot boxing starring Hugh Jackman, UFB events have sold out in San Francisco, drawing many young tech enthusiasts.
Bulatov added, “It’s definitely better than MMA.”
He also noted, “It’s pretty tough to knock one out,” nodding toward the ring.
Beyond the excitement, these fights serve as a way to gather data on body movements, which helps improve robot programming.
“I’m excited to see how entertaining it is and to check out the unique features of the different robots,” said Yael Rosenblum, project manager of Boston Dynamics’ Atlas humanoid robot, who attended alongside colleagues.
ChatGPT
Perplexity
Gemini AI
Grok AI
