Humanoid robot fights dazzle audiences at CES 2026's UFB events

The entire annual CES show was evidently spellbinding thanks to a spate of sophisticated tech for autonomous vehicles, electric vehicles (EVs), AI, and the list goes on, but another intriguing turn of events unfolded when humanoids showcased their abilities in the Ultimate Fighting Bots (UFB) competition at CES 2026 in Las Vegas.

Robot fights at CES 2026 

The humanoid robots' face-off was actually a robotic simulation of the movements of their human "pilots" as they exchanged punches and kicks.

The event drew curiosity and cheers from spectators who watched the robotic combatants stumble and swing at each other.

The human-like machines ditched the traditional lineup of wheeled machines equipped with demolition tools. The UFB competitors attempted to captivate audiences by transforming combat from demolition derbies into mixed martial arts-style bouts.

A human referee mediated the robots' fights as if they were actual fighters.

"This is the sport of the future," remarked Vitaly Bulatov, co-founder of UFB alongside his wife, Xenia. The Russian couple believes that fans will connect with the "human stories" behind the pilots controlling the robots.

During the matches, commands to kick and punch were relayed from ringside pilots using a combination of cameras and motion-sensing Nintendo controllers.

The robots replicated these movements in real time, leading to moments of hilarity as they resembled blindfolded boxers, evoking laughter from the audience when they missed and cheers when they landed blows.

While the current matches may not be a lifelike spectacle of the 2011 film Real Steel, UFB events have sold out in San Francisco and attracted a young tech-savvy crowd.