Zuckerburg vs Musk in a cagematch

While this headline may sound like a joke, apparently it’s anything but. These two billionaires from the tech industry have been in talks for a cage match and details are actually continuing to progress. In fact, there are even parameters for the fight in place.

The Proposal

So, how did it all start? Last June, Elon Musk (Tesla, X, and SpaceX) challenged Mark Zuckerberg (Meta) to this fight. Via social media, it quickly did the rounds garnering support from followers around the world. It seems that Zuckerberg instantly went a step further, as Dana White, the president of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), received a phone message the very next day.

The text was a simple one. Zuckerberg wanted to know if White knew more about the fight and how serious Musk was being about it. From this point, things started to move forward with a vengeance. White reached out to Musk to double-check if he really was ready to put his fists up and fight. And, yes, he was. Subsequently, White relayed this message to Zuckerberg to affirm it. Consequently, Zuckerberg responded publicly to say that he wanted the location of the match. Better still, it was phrased as ‘Send Me Location,’ which is the same catchphrase used by UFC great, Khabib Nurmagomedov.

White has continued to talk to both of these tech billionaires to see what and how this will happen. Impressively, he’s been in touch every day in an attempt to get this properly organized. At the end of June, it was reported that he was on the phone for hours with both of them. It seems they are equally keen to throw down and get on with this fight.

As such, if this was just a pipe dream for many or something that was spread as a joke, then you’d be wrong. This is as serious as it gets and is really no stunt just for internet clout.

Impressively, both billionaires have continued to consult with their advisors to specifically organize what they will do. They’re currently negotiating behind the scenes to see how and when they can get into this physical fight. However, let’s not get too excited. The match is far from confirmed and there are no actual guarantees that it will even happen. That being said, it’s being taken very seriously and the vague outlines of the event are definitely taking shape.

What would the fight be like?

If this does go ahead, don’t get your hopes up that it will be just like other UFC fights and face-offs. This will be an exhibition match and not actually under UFC jurisdiction. However, White has emphatically stated that, regardless, he’d help to organize and produce the event. White is used to this type of process and talks. He’s the perfect person to actually get this off the ground. While details are still in the works, it’s looking increasingly likely the event will take place in Las Vegas. But, this does mean that the Nevada Athletic Commission will need to give its approval. In fact, Musk has recently doubled down on this and said it could take place at Roman Colosseum.

But what of those around the two billionaires? Zuckerberg’s friends all appear to be supportive. However, some of his advisors have said that this is a distraction and could be seen as a waste of his time. On the flip side, Musk’s friends and advisors seem fine with the concept but less sure that he’ll be able to follow through physically. Apparently, Musk isn’t disciplined when it comes to physical exercise. But, he can never be ruled out simply because he’s so unpredictable.

Never-before-seen fight

There is a bit of an age disparity between the two contestants. Musk is 52 while Zuckerberg is 39. Additionally, it’s a rare occurrence for two men, not fighters, to suddenly jump in the ring with each other to fight. In particular, it’s almost unheard of in the tech world. Yes, other tech billionaires, such as Steve Jobs and Bill Gates, used to fight with each other but this was all done verbally without physical violence. The only event that could be considered in the same league as this fight proposal would be the sporting yacht feud between Hasso Plattner (SAP) and Larry Ellison (Oracle).

An event where two tech-heads are actually getting physical with each other in an attempt to hurt and boost their egos is virtually unheard of. Of course, we all want to see it happen!

Even though there is plenty of media and social comments surrounding this event, neither side cared to comment specifically.

A long time coming

It’s no secret that these two have been competitors for a long time. Over the years, each has criticized various aspects of the other’s tech empire. Even now, Zuckerberg has just created Threads to combat Musk’s Twitter (now X). It seems that their rivalries and competitiveness are going above and beyond online fighting and moving into the physical.

There are still concerns. White wants it to be fair. There’s the obvious 13-year age gap between the two contestants. Musk is also a good 70 pounds heavier than Zuckerberg, which could also pose problems — typically UFC fighters are matched by weight. Not only are they from different weight classes, neither are professional fighters in any shape or form. Nevertheless, it’s unlikely the viewership will actually care. In fact, this could easily be one of the biggest fights to take place.

Training is underway for Zuckerberg. He’s even started Brazilian jujitsu and looking at strategies for winning. With martial arts experts Dave Camarillo, Khai Wu and more, he’s on his way. Additionally, he’s actually competed in a martial arts tournament in California. So it’s likely he’s in good shape for the fight. Meanwhile, Musk claims he never works out and even had to undergo surgery after a sumo wrestler exhibition match. That being said, he claims he’s now training in Judo, Kyokushin, and street fighting. He’s not going to lose weight though.

Betting odds

With all this going on, how are the odds looking? Well, despite Musk’s disinterest in training, his odds have still improved. Starting out at as the underdog at +350 against Zuckerberg’s -500, thousands of fans are backing Musk. By early August, Musk’s odds had shortened to anywhere from +175 to +230, depending on the sportsbook. Zuckerberg is still the overall favourite though.

Maybe this fight will be one to watch after all. Unless Musk’s mother can put a stop to it!