Mark Zuckerberg, Meta Founder and jiu-jitstu tournament winner, has called out Elon Musk, Founder of Tesla and owner of X (formally Twitter), for not taking their proposed cage match seriously, and that it is “time to move on” after posting a photo of himself winning a jiu-jitsu match. Source: Mark Zuckerberg via Threads
Mark Zuckerberg, founder of Meta (the company that runs Facebook and Instagram) has said he is moving on from the long-rumoured cage fight with Tesla’s Elon Musk, claiming that his opponent “isn’t serious” about the match.
The billionaires tentatively agreed to a fight in June, when Musk (52) appeared to jokingly reply “I’m up for a cage match if he is lol”, to an X (formally Twitter) user’s warning that Zuckerberg is trained in jiu-jitsu.
Zuckerberg (39) quickly indicated that he was willing to participate.
However, Musk has said recently that the fight may be postponed due to the possibility of surgery as he has a “problem with my right shoulder blade rubbing against my ribs”.
In response, Zuckerberg said on his social media platform Threads (a direct rival to Musk’s X): “I think we can all agree Elon isn’t serious and it’s time to move on. I offered a real date. [UFC boss] Dana White offered to make this a legit competition for charity.
“Elon won’t confirm a date, then says he needs surgery, and now asks to do a practice round in my backyard instead. If Elon ever gets serious about a real date and official event, he knows how to reach me.”
However, Musk has said that if he does require minor surgery, recovery would “only take a few months”.
He has also continued to plan the fight, saying late last week that he had spoken to Italian politicians and had arranged for the fight to be held in an “epic location” in Italy.
He also said that the cage match would be livestreamed on both X and Meta platforms, with the proceeds donated to veteran’s charities and Italian paediatric hospitals.
The fight will be managed by my and Zuck’s foundations (not UFC).
Livestream will be on this platform and Meta. Everything in camera frame will be ancient Rome, so nothing modern at all.
I spoke to the PM of Italy and Minister of Culture. They have agreed on an epic location.
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) August 11, 2023
In a statement, Italy’s Culture Minister Gennaro Sangiuliano confirmed that he had spoken with Musk about hosting a “large charitable and historically evocative event”.
He confirmed that the event would not be held in Rome, ruling out Musk’s earlier belief that Rome’s world-famous Colosseum would be the stage for the billionaire bash.
Italy’s opposition said it is “mind-boggling” for Sangiuliano to indulge the billionaires in such a way.
“I find it simply mind-boggling that the Italian cultural heritage is being made available to two billionaires who want to indulge themselves like foolish teenagers,” said head of the Azione party Carlo Calenda.
“There are things that simply are not for sale. One of these is the dignity and history of a great nation.”
