The first-ever humanoid robot fighting tournament kicks off on May 25, 2025, in Hangzhou, East China's Zhejiang Province. (Photo/Courtesy of Unitree Robotics)

The China Media Group (CMG) World Robot Competition - Mecha Fighting Series, the first-ever humanoid robot fighting tournament, kicked off in Hangzhou, East China's Zhejiang Province on Sunday, as contestants, including robots developed by Unitree Robotics armed with a wide range of combat skills, gathered for a livestreamed showdown, while putting on display Chinese robotics firms' tech prowess.

This competition marks a historic moment as it is the world's first combat sports event centered around humanoid robots, signaling the gradual integration of artificial intelligence (AI) into combat sports, the CMG report said, noting that all humanoid battlebots are equipped with domestically developed technologies.

The competition includes demonstration and competitive matches, with humanoid robots showcasing combat moves and robots controlled by humans in real-time fighting in the arena, according to the organizer.

Unitree Robotics, a prominent player in the humanoid robot industry, is the partner in the match. During the event, robots demonstrated boxing one-on-one and in groups, displaying their moves and capabilities for their exhibition session, according to information the company shared with the Global Times on Sunday.

Four human operator teams controlled the robots to compete in a tournament-style series of boxing matches.

"The robots fight in a human-machine collaborative way," Chen Xiyun, a marketing team member of Unitree Robotics, told the Global Times on Sunday. Chen added that the robots demonstrated straight punches, hook punches, sidekicks and aerial spin kicks, and they even got up from the ground after falling.

As one of the robot participants, the company's flagship humanoid robot, Unitree G1, stands 1.32 meters tall and weighs 35 kilograms. It is equipped with advanced computing power and smooth motion control. According to Chen, Unitree G1 was designed to operate in environments that are challenging for humans, offering enhanced flexibility and agility in a compact form.

Industry experts said such robot battles provide high-pressure, fast-paced scenarios that test robotic structure, motion control and AI decision-making capabilities. The contest is expected to drive innovation in perception, control and execution technology, while creating a "train-through-competition" talent pipeline for China's fast-growing robotics sector.

Chinese humanoid robots have showcased their progress, from solving Rubik's Cubes and assisting in medical procedures, to running in marathon races and now stepping into the boxing ring. This boxing match isn't just about combat, but actually a platform to showcase China's advancements in AI, robotics and engineering, Tian Feng, former dean of Chinese AI software giant SenseTime's Intelligence Industry Research Institute, told the Global Times on Sunday.

Tian noted that in addition to battery endurance and material durability, combat sports demand full-body coordination and upper limb capabilities. Operators must remotely control the robots to swiftly adjust tactics in response to their opponents' moves during the battles, and these remote-controlled robots are assessed not only for their strength but also for their learning and adaptability.

Ahead of the boxing contest, the robots were put through tests to demonstrate their combat readiness and assist the organizers in refining the rules, said Gao Yuan, a coordinator of the mecha fighting arena. A robot must have sufficient self-balancing ability, and its mobility and movements must be smooth and precise enough. The developers aim to eventually create lighter and smarter robots for everyday life, per CMG.

In addition to the event on Sunday, the world's first combat tournament featuring full-sized humanoid robots is scheduled to be held in Shenzhen, South China's Guangdong Province on December.

According to the organizer, Shenzhen-based robotics company EngineAI, the event aims to showcase cutting-edge breakthroughs in AI and robotics through highly competitive and visually exciting battles, while promoting industrial upgrades and wider adoption of robot tech.

With multiple events emerging, the robot combat sports industry is heating up fast and showing huge potential, Tian said, adding that Chinese robotics firms, including Unitree, AgiBot, EngineAI and Booster Robotics, are developing the next generation of humanoid robots, offering a glimpse into the next frontier of tech-powered entertainment.

Driven by rapid advancement in embodied intelligence, China's humanoid robots are evolving at an accelerated pace, extending their reach into both industrial and household applications. According to the Chinese Institute of Electronics, China's humanoid robot market is projected to reach 870 billion yuan ($120 billion) by 2030, the Xinhua News Agency reported.