Zuckerberg vs Musk? Dana White Says Pay-Per-View Fight Is ‘Serious’

Fight organizer Dana White said two of the richest men in the world are serious about a cage match together and that it “would be the biggest fight ever in the history of the world.”

And, given Mark Zuckerberg’s recent martial-arts training, Tesla leader Elon Musk may have bitten more than he can chew in his challenge to the Facebook CEO.

“I was talking to both Elon and Mark last night,” White said in an interview with Barstool Sports. “Both guys are absolutely dead serious about this.”

Zuckerberg and Elon are really going to fight? pic.twitter.com/lB0rRE8Pzu

— Barstool Sports (@barstoolsports) June 22, 2023

White is the president and co-owner of Ultimate Fighting Championship.

Zuckerberg Quick to Answer Musk’s Call

On Tuesday, Musk tweeted “I’m up for a cage match if he is lol.”

Zuckerberg was quick to respond saying on Instagram “Send Me Location,” according to Fox News.

Following the challenge, White said Zuckerberg asked him if Musk was serious. Musk then confirmed to White he was.

White said it would break pay-per-view records and raise “hundreds of millions of dollars for charity.”

Zuckerberg Would (Probably) Wipe the Mat with Musk

Zuckerberg has been making waves around the martial arts world, training with big names and winning competitions in Brazilian jiu-jitsu.

While only still a white belt, the 39-year-old has won gold in an amateur no-gi competition hosted in Woodside, California. At the same tournament, Zuckerberg won silver in a gi competition in his division. Zuckerberg disputed the results of one match, saying he did not tap to a choke.

Zuckerberg has also recently been training with four-time jiu-jitsu world champion Mikey Musumeci.

He also finished the famous Murph challenge in 40 minutes, doing a one-mile run, 100 pull-ups, 200 push-ups, 300 air squats followed by another one-mile run all while wearing a 20-pound weighted vest.

Mark Zuckerberg trained with Brazilian Jiu Jitsu world champion, Mikey Musumeci pic.twitter.com/SMUXHFPR90

— Dexerto (@Dexerto) June 17, 2023

Zuckerberg said in his interview on the Joe Rogan Experience he got into grappling during the pandemic because of how it engaged him both physically and mentally.

“There’s something that’s so primal about it,” Zuckerberg said.

(GV Wire/David Rodriguez)

Musk Has Been His Own Target for Fitness Jokes

51-year-old Musk has said he doesn’t work out much, though he recognizes the value of fitness. With a 26-pound weight advantage, 6-foot-1, 180-pound Musk stands a head taller than 5-foot-7 Zuckerberg.

But jiu-jitsu focuses on using technique to counter physicality. If the duo were to fight in a cage match under UFC rules as Musk suggested, there would be few limitations on fighting styles.

In his 2018 interview with Joe Rogan, Musk said he has some training in judo and Kyokushin karate, as well as some background in jiu-jitsu when he was a child.

Musk said he would use a move called “the walrus,” where he would just lie on a person so they can’t get away.

Jiu-jitsu training, however, focuses on escaping holds from people trained to fight.

Colby Covington, a former UFC champion, said on Laura Ingraham’s Fox News Show, “Elon Musk, he brings alpha energy.”

No, Fight Not Yet Certain

Musk similarly challenged Russian President Vladimir Putin to a fight in March 2022 that Putin never acknowledged.

Neither Meta nor Tesla responded to requests for confirmation if the fight would happen by press time.

Musk also famously tried backing away from an attempt to purchase Twitter. After posting he would buy the company, Twitter sued Musk to compel him to purchase the social media giant. Musk ended up purchasing the company in October 2022.

The world will have to see if the two giants follow through on their threats.