War of the Tech Giants: Mark Zuckerberg Dismisses Elon Musk Feud, Sparks Controversy

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Mark Zuckerberg doesn’t think his fight with Elon Musk will ever happen.

Elon Musk is not being serious, and it is time for us to move forward," wrote Zuckerberg, 39, via Threads on Sunday, August 13. "I suggested a genuine date. Dana White, the President of UFC, offered to turn this into a legitimate competition for charity."

Zuckerberg further pointed out that Musk, the owner of X (previously Twitter), is responsible for the scheduling conflicts.

"Elon refuses to provide a definite date, claims he requires surgery, and now proposes to have a trial run in my backyard," remarked Zuckerberg. "If Elon ever becomes genuinely interested in scheduling a proper date and official event, he knows how to contact me. Otherwise, it's time to move on. I will direct my attention towards competing with individuals who approach the sport with seriousness."

It appears that the owner of Meta intends to put an end to weeks of confrontational discourse. Musk, who is 52 years old, initially issued the challenge to Zuckerberg in June.

After commenting on a post alleging that Zuckerberg planned to develop a rival platform to Twitter (which Meta released Threads weeks later), Musk received a cautionary message from another user regarding Zuckerberg, who has taken an interest in jiu-jitsu. In response, the South African entrepreneur tweeted, "If he's up for it, I'm game for a cage match lol."

On June 21, Zuckerberg shared a screenshot of Musk's tweet on his Instagram Story, accompanied by the caption, "Send me the location."

Ever since then, there has been an ongoing discussion regarding the specifics of the fight, such as the date and location. Initially, Musk expressed his desire to hold the fight at the "Vegas Octagon," but more recently he proposed Rome as an alternative.

In a message communicated via X on Friday, August 11, he stated, "The fight will be organized by my and Zuck's foundations, not UFC. The livestream will be available on this platform and Meta. The entire camera frame will depict ancient Rome, with no modern elements present whatsoever. I have personally spoken to the Prime Minister of Italy and the Minister of Culture, and they have both agreed upon a magnificent location. Every aspect of the event will honor Italy's rich past and vibrant present, and all proceeds will be donated to veterans and pediatric hospitals in Italy."

Musk, however, announced that he would require surgery for an issue with his right shoulder blade rubbing against his ribs. He assured his follower that the recovery process would only take a few months.

In response, Zuckerberg emphasized that no concrete plans had been made regarding their potential match. Expressing his passion for the sport, the New York native stated that he was prepared to compete ever since Elon issued the challenge. Zuckerberg requested everyone to refrain from assuming any agreed-upon date until he personally confirmed it.

Zuckerberg, who participated in his inaugural jiu jitsu tournament earlier this year, expressed doubt about Musk being his next adversary in the ring. Zuckerberg stated on Friday, "I'm not counting on Elon, but I will reveal information about my upcoming fight when I am prepared." He further explained, "When I compete, my intention is to bring attention to the exceptional athletes dominating the sport. This can be achieved by collaborating with professional organizations such as the UFC or ONE to execute the event seamlessly and curate an impressive lineup of fighters."