Over the past month, an intriguing dance ensued between Mark Zuckerberg and Elon Musk, hinting at a possible momentous contribution they might make to the world – a head-to-head Las Vegas cage match.
Yes, you read that right, it’s not a jest. As the weeks dragged on, Zuckerberg appeared genuinely serious, but now it seems this epic showdown might never see the light of day.
During an internal meeting at Meta on Thursday, Zuckerberg expressed uncertainty about the match’s realization, leaving us with the painful realization that this could signify the end of technology’s most captivating era.
A transcript from the meeting revealed an employee asking Zuckerberg about the cage match’s timing. The CEO responded:
“I’m not entirely sure. I don’t have an official update on this. As you all know, I have a passion for combat. It ranks second only to my love for building things – where building remains my ultimate devotion while fighting takes the second spot.
I genuinely enjoy the sport; I’ve even participated in jiu-jitsu competitions, and I’d love to venture into MMA someday. Although I didn’t anticipate this to be the one I’d take part in. The possibility of it coming together remains uncertain, but I truly believe it’s an exceptional sport overall.”
Leading up to the launch of Threads, Meta’s Twitter-like app in June, Elon Musk, who acquired Twitter for $44 billion, took shots at the app with a series of mocking tweets, showcasing his salty demeanor.
One tweet read, “I’m sure Earth can’t wait to be exclusively under Zuck’s thumb with no other options.” A user responded, jesting about Zuckerberg’s interest in jiu-jitsu, to which Musk played along, saying, “I’m up for a cage match if he is lol.”
Surprisingly, Zuckerberg is indeed exploring martial arts. Known for his competitive spirit, the billionaire CEO spends time working with top-notch trainers, winning ju-jitsu tournaments, earning a blue belt, and getting into remarkable shape. On Instagram, he boldly replied to Musk’s tweets in late June, sharing a screenshot with the chilling caption, “Send Me Location.”
Reporter Alex Heath confirmed that Zuckerberg was serious about the proposition. Musk responded with an unexpected level of self-awareness, tweeting, “Vegas Octagon. I have this great move that I call ‘The Walrus,’ where I just lie on top of my opponent & do nothing.”
In the following weeks, Musk continued the pretense of preparing for a fight, accepting training from UFC champion Georges St-Pierre and even engaging in a practice round with podcaster Lex Fridman, who praised Musk’s strength, power, and skill.
I did an impromptu training session with @elonmusk for a few hours yesterday. I'm extremely impressed with his strength, power, and skill, on the feet and on the ground. It was epic. It's really inspiring to see Elon and Mark doing martial arts, but I think the world is served… pic.twitter.com/cq00A9Xnmw
— Lex Fridman (@lexfridman) June 27, 2023
There was a glimmer of hope for the much-anticipated fight. Dana White, the UFC president, reported that the tech titans were making real progress, and the UFC was prepared to support the event, suggesting tickets could be priced at $100 each.
Zuckerberg’s trainer, Alex Volkanovski, assured the public of Zuck’s seriousness and training efforts, although the same level of commitment from Elon Musk remained uncertain.
Zuck’s officially posting thirst traps now pic.twitter.com/k7RdmxVlGI
— Thomas❌Germain (@thomasgermain) July 11, 2023
Nevertheless, the hype surrounding the matchup might be just that, as the situation remains uncertain. In the realm of quantum theory, multiple alternate universes may exist where the fight takes place, providing a sliver of consolation in the face of possible disappointment. While Meta confirmed the internal meeting took place, no further details were shared.
As for Threads, the Twitter rip-off app launched on July 6th and experienced remarkable growth with over 100 million sign-ups within five days. Predictably, Musk responded with petty insults, tweeting “Zuck is a cuck.” However, the app’s early momentum stagnated, and during the Meta meeting, Zuckerberg acknowledged that Threads lost half its initial user base.
He assured employees that such a drop-off was normal and anticipated improvements as the company added more features, such as a desktop version and enhanced post-search capabilities.
In conclusion, the prospect of a Zuckerberg vs. Musk cage match brought excitement and anticipation, but now uncertainty looms over its realization. The two tech giants’ playful banter gave us glimpses of their competitive spirits, but for now, it seems the dream of this epic showdown may remain unfulfilled.
Meanwhile, Threads, Meta’s new app, experienced an explosive start, but challenges lie ahead as the company works to enhance its offerings and regain momentum.