Elon Musk Versus Mark Zuckerberg: The Manly Fight That Entertains Social Media

Two billionaires who conquer the internet and love to boast. What can happen when the two clash?

Of course, they can send ripples that echo throughout the digital sphere. This is what exactly happened when Twitter turned X founder Elon Musk and Meta founder Mark Zuckerberg try to settle their differences.

Both billionaires have founded successful companies that have changed the way many people live their lives. They are also both known for their outspoken personalities and their willingness to take risks.

And this time, the feud between the two big forces started back in June 2023, when it was reported that Instagram was working on a new social media platform that would compete with Twitter.

Musk, who had just acquired Twitter in October 2022, was reportedly furious, that he challenged Zuckerberg to a cage fight.

At that time, Musk responded to the world becoming "exclusively under Zuck’s thumb with no other options."

But then, a Twitter user jokingly warned Musk that Zuckerberg is already a trained martial artist, especially in jiu jitsu.

"I’m up for a cage match if he is lol," Musk wrote with confidence.

It was only after this, that Zuckerberg appeared to agree to the proposal, in which Musk proposed the Vegas Octagon.

"If this is for real, I will do it," Musk wrote at the time, later adding he had "this great move that I call 'The Walrus,' where I just lie on top of my opponent & do nothing."

While it's definitely unclear what really sparked the feud between the two men, but the competitive nature of social media and the two, and also their rivalry in the tech industry, must have contributed to the barrage of taunts the two make.

At first, Zuckerberg showed eagerness in this fight.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, for example, Zuckerberg began training in mixed martial arts and Brazilian jiu-jitsu. He was photographed training with UFC champion Israel Adesanya and Alexander Volkanovski ahead of the proposed cage match.

He even completed his first tournament in May 2023, and "won some medals for the Guerrilla Jiu Jitsu team."

As for Musk, he said that he was "lifting weights throughout the day, preparing for the fight," and later added that he had also been practicing Taekwondo, karate, judo, and Brazilian jiu-jitsu.

While he did once said that he may have to postpone the event, saying that he was getting an MRI that may result in him needing surgery, he later seemingly recalled everything he said.

For example, he said that he has since been training with UFC legend Georges St. Pierre and podcaster Lex Friedman.

Musk has also been working with MMA coach Mike Brown, who has also trained UFC fighters like Conor McGregor and Daniel Cormier.

Brown has said that Musk is a "quick learner" and that he has a "natural aptitude" for fighting.

Musk said that the fight's proceeds would go to a charity for veterans.

On his Threads social media account, Zuckerberg responded that the two should use "a more reliable platform that can actually raise money for charity," suggesting his own instead of X.

The fight was initially scheduled to take place in Italy, be promoted by Musk and Zuckerberg's foundations, and be streamed on Twitter and Meta.

Musk said he spoke with both Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and the country's minister of culture and said, that "they have agreed on an epic location."

"Everything done will pay respect to the past and present of Italy," Musk added. "And all proceeds go to veterans."

Months after the initial taunt, it's still unclear if the fight between Musk and Zuckerberg will ever happen.

The media is still isn't sure about the seriousness of the two, and whether the whole thing is just a publicity stunt.

Regardless, Zuckerberg is clearly having an advantage in a physical fight, considering that in 2023, the younger billionaire is still at his prime, whereas Musk is already a middle-aged man.

However, in a later post at least, Musk wanted people to know that he weighs 300 pounds (about 136 kilograms).

He suggested that his weight should make him more than a handful to Zuckerberg, and should totally stand a chance in the proposed cage match.

In the meantime, Musk and Zuckerberg have continued to trade barbs on social media, with Musk calling Zuckerberg a "chicken."

This happened after the Meta founder suggested that it was time to "move on" from the fight.

Since the fight has been delayed for a few times, it's unclear if it will ever happen.

As billionaires Elon Musk and Mark Zuckerberg hash out a time and place for their potential cage match, the Tesla CEO received some advice from a WWE Hall of Famer on Monday.

Torrie Wilson, who was inducted into the hallowed halls in 2019, told Musk that he can use one move from her finishing move.

"Hey @elonmusk," she said in a tweet, "I’m retired from @WWE but would like to gift this finisher to you. It’s called the Tush Push. Please use it on Zuck."

Wilson accompanied her post with an example of the move.

This finishing move is similar to the finishing move by WWE legend Rikishi. His version however, was called the "Stink Face."

While not involved in any of this, according to Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) president Dana White, both men were "dead serious" about the fight.

"This would be the biggest fight ever in the history of the world. Bigger than anything that’s ever been done, it would break all pay-per-view records, these guys would raise hundreds of millions of dollars for charity," White said.

Regardless, the feud between Musk and Zuckerberg is sure to keep the tech world entertained.

Even if their cage match agreement is all a joke, the banter has indeed gained attention, which should translate to good marketing for both Musk's X and Zuckerberg's Threads.

Before this particular feud, Zuckerberg was "disappointed" with Musk's SpaceX in 2016.

At that time, SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket exploded on the launchpad on September 1 at Cape Canaveral, Florida, and destroyed Facebook's $200 million satellite in the process.

Read: Mark Zuckerberg Furious When SpaceX's Rocket Blew Up And Destroyed Facebook's $200 Million Satellite