The tech industry got a little heated this week when two of its biggest names, Elon Musk and Mark Zuckerberg, ignited a playful banter that led to the idea of a “cage match” face-off.
The exchange began on Twitter when Musk, the man behind Twitter, reacted to a tweet about Meta (formerly Facebook) planning to launch a new Twitter competitor called “Threads.” Musk jested about the world falling “solely under Zuck’s control with no alternatives” – leading to a Twitter user humorously cautioning Musk about Zuckerberg’s jiu jitsu prowess.
“Is he up for a cage match? Because I am lol,” Musk teased late Tuesday.
Zuckerberg, helming Meta Platforms (the parent company of Facebook and Instagram), seemed to respond in kind to Musk’s challenge.
“Send me location,” Zuckerberg wrote in an Instagram story on Wednesday night, displaying a screenshot of Musk’s tweet and another user’s comment prodding the Twitter boss to “start training.”
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Zuckerberg does indeed have mixed martial arts training under his belt. Last month, the Meta CEO shared about completing his maiden jiu jitsu tournament.
In a light-hearted response to Zuckerberg’s location inquiry, Musk suggested the Vegas Octagon as the venue. He then made a jest about his combat skills and workout regimen, indicating that the challenge might not be a serious one.
“I’ve mastered this fantastic move, ‘The Walrus’, where I simply lie on my opponent & do nothing,” Musk wrote.
The question of whether Musk and Zuckerberg will actually step into the ring remains up in the air — particularly given Musk’s reputation for making premature or unfulfilled claims on Twitter. Regardless, their humorous exchange has garnered widespread attention, sparking a flurry of memes and posts encouraging people to “pick their fighter.”
A spokesperson from Meta, in a statement to The Associated Press, said, “The story speaks for itself.” Zuckerberg has not added any further comments.
Even amid doubts about the reality of the cage match, predictions about the potential winner are already being made. On Thursday, DraftKings’ projected odds stood at +140 for Musk and -160 for Zuckerberg.
When The Associated Press reached out to the Ultimate Fighting Championship (owners of the Octagon) and Twitter for comments, Twitter’s press email cheekily replied with a poop emoji, their standard automated response to the press.
If you’re wondering who the author is putting his money on, he’s not putting it on either very-high-net-worth individual. He doesn’t have any! Let us know who you’re backing in the comments below.
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