NEW YORK (AP) — Elon Musk says he may have to undergo surgery ahead of a planned “cage fight” with Mark Zuckerberg.
The two tech billionaires apparently agree for a personal duel at the end of June. It’s unclear if there will actually be a physical fight at the end, but Musk and Zuckerberg have continued to generate interest in the possible fight by attacking each other online — most recently on Sunday when Musk announced the fight would be streamed live on his social media page X, formerly known as Twitter.
Musk added that proceeds from the fight would benefit a veterans’ charity. On his Threads social media account, Zuckerberg replied, “Shouldn’t we use a more reliable platform that can actually raise money for charity?” In a follow-up post, the CEO of Facebook parent company Meta said he wasn’t “holding his breath ‘ to argue.
“I’m ready today. I suggested August 26 when he first challenged, but he didn’t confirm it,” wrote Zuckerberg, who is actually trained in mixed martial arts and was reporting on the completion of his first jiu-jitsu tournament earlier this year . “I love this sport and will continue to compete with people who train no matter what happens here.”
Earlier Sunday Musk said he trains for the fight by lifting weights. He later elaborated on the timing of the fight, noting that the date was “still in flux” due to a planned MRI and the possibility of surgery.
“Tomorrow I’m doing an MRI of my neck and upper back,” Musk wrote Sunday night. “Surgery may be required before the fight can take place. Will know this week.”
Discussion of a personal struggle began in June when Musk, who owns X, responded to a tweet that Meta was preparing to release a new Twitter rival called Threads. He quipped about how the world was “solely under Zuck’s thumb and had no choice” – but then a Twitter user jokingly warned Musk about Zuckerberg’s jiu-jitsu training.
“I’m ready for a cage fight if he does lol,” Musk wrote. After Zuckerberg apparently agreed to the proposal, Musk proposed the Vegas Octagon.
Whether or not Musk and Zuckerberg actually make it into the Las Vegas ring remains to be seen — especially since Musk often tweets about action prematurely or prematurely without going through with it. But while their cage fight agreement is a joke, the banter drew attention. In response, an endless chain of “choose your fighter” memes and posts arose.
The Associated Press reached out to Meta, X and Ultimate Fighting Championship, the Octagon’s owner, for comment Monday morning.