This could be “the fight of the century”. Inveighing against each other for several months by statements interposed on their social networks, the two billionaires Elon Musk and Mark Zuckerberg must face each other on August 26 in an MMA (mixed martial arts) cage. The respective bosses of X (formerly Twitter) and Meta (Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp) seem determined to settle their accounts.
The fight, which will be broadcast on X and Meta, could be held in Italy at an “epic venue”, according to Musk, and bring in millions of dollars in revenue. While the profits raised will be donated “to the veterans”, the publicity surrounding the event allows the two men to improve their image and distract from the problems their businesses are going through.
No more penis size contest. Place to fight. Seen from afar, the clash between the two men looks like a childish war of egos, with a virile tendency. But where does their rivalry come from? September 2016, a Space X launcher explodes on its Florida launch pad. The rocket was to send a Facebook satellite into space to deliver internet to Africa. “I am deeply disappointed to learn that the failed Space X launch destroyed our satellite that would have provided connections to so many entrepreneurs and everyone else on the continent,” the Facebook CEO said. It is a financial loss for the latter, who allows himself public criticism of Elon Musk.
By buying Twitter in October 2022 for 40 billion dollars, the eccentric boss of Tesla comes to play on the flowerbeds of Mark Zuckerberg, omnipresent on social networks with Facebook (nearly 3 billion users) or Instagram. Faced with the risk of a less moderate and more permissive Twitter in content and exchanges, Zuckerberg launches the July 5 Thread, a direct counterpart to X. “Competition is good, cheating is not”, tackles Elon Musk, visibly annoyed . The billionaire, second fortune in the world in 2022, then continues the sensational declarations. He offers Zuckerberg a penis-size contest, or calls him a cuckold. Radio silence opposite.
This Friday August 11th on X, Elon Musk gave a hint about where the fight would be held: “I spoke to the Italian Prime Minister and the Minister of Culture. They agreed on an epic location. » Rome’s famous Colosseum privatized to host the event or another historical site? The parallel is quickly made with the gladiators of ancient Rome, at least for Elon Musk. What about the two would-be fighters?
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.
On one side, 52-year-old Elon Musk, better known for smoking a joint in the middle of a radio interview than for going to the gym. Additionally, the businessman has a titanium plate that holds two of his vertebrae together. No worries there, but “there is an issue with my right shoulder blade rubbing against my ribs, which requires minor surgery.” Recovery will only take a few months, ”he slips in response to a user. In a photo posted on July 4, he poses with Canadian Georges Saint-Pierre. The latter is considered one of the best MMA fighters, crowned seven times UFC champion in his category.
On the other, Mark Zuckerberg, 39, appears to be in better shape and healthier lifestyle. Since the pandemic, the boss of Meta has been practicing jiu-jitsu, a combat sport that is practiced on the ground. He went so far as to win gold and silver in an official tournament last May. The same month, he boasted of having completed in less than 40 minutes the “Murph” [from CrossFit, editor’s note], which consists of running a mile, then doing 100 pull-ups, 200 push-ups, 300 squats, then using a mile, all with a 20-pound (9 kg) weighted vest. Mark Zuckerberg also appears well surrounded: in a photo posted on his Instagram account, “Zuck” displays his athletic physique, framed by Israel Adesanya and Alexander Volkanovski, respectively current middleweight champion (-84 kg) and featherweight champion ( – 66 kg) in CFU. Just that !
One question remains: what impact could this operation have on the stock market shares of Meta or Elon Musk’s companies? Response after the fight. If it takes place…
