The day after Elon Musk challenged Mark Zuckerberg on social media to “a cage match” final month, Dana White, president of the Ultimate Fighting Championship, acquired a textual content.
It was from Mr. Zuckerberg, chief govt of Meta. He requested Mr. White, who heads the world’s premier combined martial arts competitors, which is fought in cage-like rings, if Mr. Musk was critical a few struggle.
Mr. White referred to as Mr. Musk, who runs Tesla, Twitter and SpaceX, and confirmed that he was keen to throw down. Mr. White then relayed that to Mr. Zuckerberg. In response, Mr. Zuckerberg posted on Instagram: “Send Me Location,” a reference to the catchphrase of Khabib Nurmagomedov, one of many U.F.C.’s most adorned athletes.
Since then, Mr. White mentioned, he has talked to the tech billionaires individually each evening to arrange the showdown. On Tuesday, he mentioned, he was “on the phone with those two until 12:45 in the morning.” He added, “They both want to do it.”
If you thought {that a} cage struggle between two of the world’s richest males was only a far-fetched social media stunt, assume once more.
Over the previous 10 days, Mr. White mentioned he, Mr. Musk and Mr. Zuckerberg — aided by advisers — have negotiated behind the scenes and are inching towards bodily fight. While there aren’t any ensures a match will occur, the broad contours of an occasion are taking form, mentioned Mr. White and three individuals with information of the discussions.
The struggle can be an exhibition match, Mr. White mentioned, and outdoors official U.F.C. jurisdiction and rights offers, although he would assist produce the occasion. The tech leaders have agreed there ought to be a charity element, Mr. White and an individual acquainted with the talks mentioned, with particulars nonetheless being labored out. The most well-liked location is Las Vegas, which requires approval from the Nevada Athletic Commission. On Thursday, Mr. Musk tweeted that the occasion might additionally occur within the Roman Colosseum.
Mr. Zuckerberg’s buddies and advisers have typically supported the match, two individuals near him mentioned, although others mentioned a struggle can be a distraction and not one of the best use of his time. One particular person near Mr. Musk mentioned that whereas he hated sports activities and didn’t seem to have the self-discipline to coach recurrently, nobody might rule something out with him.
If the matchup between Mr. Musk, 52, and Mr. Zuckerberg, 39, goes forward, it will be a uncommon spectacle, even within the braggadocio-filled universe of the tech business. While Steve Jobs and Bill Gates used to snipe at one another, the closest the tech world had earlier than this to actual sporting feuds was amongst billionaire yachtsmen like Larry Ellison of Oracle and Hasso Plattner of SAP.
But two wildly rich tech titans grappling, punching and kicking in a Las Vegas or Roman area? No one would have dreamed it.
Meta declined to remark. Mr. Musk didn’t reply to a request for remark.
Mr. Zuckerberg and Mr. Musk have lengthy teetered between being rivals, frenemies and outright enemies. The two have criticized one another over time, together with about Mr. Musk’s SpaceX rockets, knowledge privateness scandals at Meta and extra. Most not too long ago, Mr. Zuckerberg dispatched a workforce at Meta to construct a competitor to Mr. Musk’s Twitter, code-named Project 92.
If they take their rivalry past these jibes, the U.F.C.’s Mr. White mentioned he had considerations in regards to the bodily gaps between the billionaires. Apart from their 13-year age distinction, Mr. Musk is alleged to be at the least 70 kilos heavier than Mr. Zuckerberg. In official combined martial arts bouts, athletes are typically matched up by weight.
“We have two guys that have never professionally fought, and they’re in two completely different weight classes,” Mr. White mentioned. Still, he mentioned, “it will be the biggest fight in the history of combat sports.”
Mr. Zuckerberg is particularly acquainted with the U.F.C. world. Over the previous 18 months, he has launched into a private journey to bulk up and dove deep into Brazilian jujitsu, a grappling martial artwork through which rivals attempt to submit their opponent and which is utilized in U.F.C. preventing.
Mr. Zuckerberg began coaching on a lark largely in his storage in 2021, the place he constructed what he referred to as a “mini academy” with a circle of buddies who spar with him. He has mentioned he appreciated that Brazilian jujitsu required “100 percent focus” and strategic considering to defeat an opponent, relatively than brute energy.
Mr. Zuckerberg has sought out martial arts consultants, together with Dave Camarillo, James Terry and Khai Wu. In May, he competed in his first public martial arts match in Redwood City, Calif., which he attended undercover — up till the second he took off his hat and sun shades to struggle. He gained gold and silver medals within the problem.
Last yr, Meta additionally introduced it had partnered with the U.F.C. to convey combined martial arts fights to Horizon Worlds, its digital actuality app.
Mr. White mentioned Mr. Zuckerberg was actually devoted to the game.
“I’ve been talking to Zuckerberg now for maybe close to two years now,” he mentioned. “And there’s never like banter or we’re joking and laughing.” He mentioned the Meta chief govt was “dead serious all the time.”
Mr. Zuckerberg is probably going in preventing form. He has been on a strict exercise routine, going for runs and difficult buddies and colleagues to beat his occasions, two individuals near him mentioned. Last month, he posted a private document for finishing the “Murph” problem, which requires finishing a sequence of pull-ups, push-ups, working a number of miles and doing a whole lot of squats, all whereas carrying weighted, military-grade physique armor.
“Doing sports that basically require your full attention, I think, is really important to my mental health and the way to stay focused on everything I’m doing,” he mentioned in a current podcast episode.
Mr. Musk, however, has tweeted that he “almost never” works out and as soon as suffered a back injury that required surgical procedure after collaborating in an exhibition with a sumo wrestler. Last month, he said he had skilled in “judo, Kyokushin (full contact)” — two Japanese martial arts — and “no rules streetfighting.”
“He made that very clear: ‘I’m not going to lose any weight,’” Mr. White mentioned of Mr. Musk’s strategy to the potential matchup. “‘Are we going to fight or are we not going to fight?’” Mr. White mentioned Mr. Musk advised him.
This week, Lex Fridman, a podcaster, posted photographs of himself coaching judo with Mr. Musk. Mr. Fridman, who has additionally skilled jujitsu with Mr. Zuckerberg, didn’t reply to a request for remark.
At least one particular person doesn’t look like a fan of a struggle: Maye Musk, Mr. Musk’s mom.
“Don’t encourage this match!” she not too long ago tweeted, together with two frowning emojis.
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