Mark Zuckerberg Shifts Focus To 'People Who Take The Sport Seriously' As Elon Musk Stalls
By Afouda Bamidele on August 14, 2023 at 6:45 PM EDT
Mark Zuckerberg seems to have called off his proposed cage fight with Elon Musk, saying that the X (formerly Twitter) CEO is not taking the fight seriously.
The two tech billionaires appeared to tease a confrontation in June when Musk tweeted about being ready for a cage fight. However, Zuckerberg has decided to move on after claiming that his rival delayed the fight several times.
Mark Zuckerberg Targeting Dedicated Sports Enthusiasts, While Elon Musk Pauses
The anticipated fight between the CEOs of Meta and X that has got people talking online and even made some already taking sides might not be happening after all. Zuckerberg took his social media platform Threads, to write:
"I think we can all agree Elon isn't serious, and it's time to move on. I offered a real date. Dana White offered to make this a legit competition for charity. Elon won't confirm a date, then says he needs surgery, and now asks to do a practice round in my backyard instead."
He insisted that if the 52-year-old becomes serious about the event, "he knows how to reach me." In conclusion, the "Chan Zuckerberg Initiative" co-founder added, "Otherwise, time to move on. I'm going to focus on competing with people who take the sport seriously."
A spectrum of reactions emerged under the post, ranging from disappointment to intrigue, with comments like, "So we are not going to be entertained?" and "Dang. Was really looking forward to that."
Post by @zuckView on Threads
Another suggested, "The baller move now would be to make that big donation to charity anyway and challenge him to do the same." Meanwhile, a fourth noted that it was not unexpected to see "that Elon Musk chickened out."
The 39-year-old's remarks are unexpected, given that Musk provided an update about the fight just last week. According to TMZ, the chief engineer of SpaceX revealed that the clash would happen at an "epic location." However, the showdown would not be immediate as he required minor surgery beforehand.
The father-of-ten shared the details through tweets, announcing that the duo had settled many aspects of their upcoming fight. The first detail mentioned was that Dana White and UFC would no longer organize the fight but would "be managed by my and Zuck's foundations."
He also mentioned that after discussions with the Prime Minister of Italy and the Minister of Culture, they confirmed the match in Italy. However, it remains unclear whether it is at Rome's Colosseum, which was rumored for months, or another location.
Regarding how fans will witness the event, Musk noted that it would be live-streamed on X and Meta. He added, "Everything in camera frame will be ancient Rome, so nothing modern at all."
Lastly, the "Boring Company" founder tweeted that all the fight profits will be directed towards veterans., adding, "Everything done will pay respect to the past and present of Italy."
The President of the Musk Foundation also explained his need for extra time to prepare for surgery to address a shoulder blade problem. "Recovery will only take a few months," he shared.
Grimes Breaks Silence On Billionaire Tech Rivals Cage Fight
Earlier, the former partner of the "X Corp." founder shared her perspective on the much-talked-about "cage fight" proposed between the tech mogul Musk and fellow business tycoon Zuckerberg.
In an interview with WIRED, the mother-of-two delved into her career and touched upon the topic of the anticipated showdown. In response to a question about the likelihood of the fight, she stayed:
"I think so. Elon is very strong, but Zuck seems like he's been training a ton."
Nevertheless, the Canadian singer, who is the mother of their two children, X and Exa, – expressed her preference for the event not to occur, despite her fondness for "gladiatorial matches."
The "Miss Anthropocene" artist explained, "Watching the father of your children in a physical fight is not the most pleasant feeling." She also noted that since it would not lead to "brain damage," she was okay with the idea.
The record producer stated, "So, actually, I think this is good. Dudes need some outlet for trad masculinity. I told Sam Altman there should be a follow-up, him against Demis [Hassabis]." Even though the "Eric Andre Show" guest star strongly believed that the "cage fight" could foster greater mutual respect between Musk and Zuckerberg, she still expressed skepticism.
