In an unexpected turn of events, SpaceX and Tesla CEO, Elon Musk, 51, has challenged Meta (formerly Facebook) CEO Mark Zuckerberg, 39, to a mixed martial arts (MMA) ‘cage match’.
This came amid ongoing discussions on social media platforms concerning Zuckerberg’s upcoming project, reported to be named ‘Threads’, and its potential competition with Twitter.
The challenge was sparked when Musk commented on a post related to Threads, expressing skepticism about Zuckerberg’s growing influence. “I’m sure Earth can’t wait to be exclusively under Zuck’s thumb with no other options. At least it will be ‘sane.’ Was worried there for a moment,” Musk remarked sarcastically.
When a user mentioned Zuckerberg’s jiu-jitsu training, Musk casually brushed it off, replying, “I’m up for a cage match if he is lol.”
I’m up for a cage match if he is lol
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) June 21, 2023
Musk’s challenge was received with gusto by Zuckerberg, who responded on his Instagram story, sharing a screenshot of Musk’s comment with the words: “Send me location.”
Musk, who has disclosed that he has trained in multiple martial arts forms such as Kyokushin karate, taekwondo, judo, and Brazilian jiu-jitsu, may have met his match in Zuckerberg, who recently placed in a jiu-jitsu tournament in May. Zuckerberg has been vocal about the value of stepping out of one’s comfort zone and the potential benefits of failure.
The Meta CEO had previously been subject to scrutiny following a New York Times report suggesting he was knocked out during a jiu-jitsu match. This was vehemently denied by Zuckerberg and his coach Dave Camarillo, who insisted that the noises Zuckerberg made during the match were misinterpreted as snores by the referee.
This all comes amidst a backdrop of growing competition in the social media space.
Meta’s Chief Product Officer, Chris Cox, referred to the upcoming ‘Threads’ as ‘our response to Twitter,’ according to the Verge. With prominent personalities such as Oprah and Dalai Lama reportedly preparing to join the platform, the stakes in this friendly rivalry have never been higher.
