What Elon Musk says to billionaire tech rival Mark Zuckerberg as he re-challenges him to a cage fight grudge match

  • The pair have teased the possibility of fighting each other since June last year 

By Milo Pope

Published: | Updated:

Elon Musk has rechallenged rival tech boss Mark Zuckerberg to a cage fight one year after they first vowed to take each other on. 

In what became a viral back-and-forth in June last year, Musk tweeted bragging that he was 'up for a cage match if he is', to which the Meta boss responded on Instagram 'send me the location'.

Since then the pair have exchanged digs, with the Tesla boss claiming a fight between them would be 'unfair' on Joe Rogan's podcast due to his size advantage.

Now, Musk has added further fuel to the fire after he responded to a question as to whether he will ever fight the Meta CEO. 

Speaking at the Capitol Hill in Washington D.C., the Tesla boss said: 'I'll fight Zuckerberg any place, any time, any rules.'

Musk laughed at himself after claiming he would fight Mark Zuckerberg 'any place, any time, any rules'

Musk laughed at himself after claiming he would fight Mark Zuckerberg 'any place, any time, any rules'

A look at how the two tech bosses would stack up against each other if they were to ever fight

A look at how the two tech bosses would stack up against each other if they were to ever fight

In August last year, Musk contacted Zuckerberg on X to say he was outside his door and ready to have a warm-up fight. 

A spokesperson for Mark, however, said he was currently travelling and had no interest in fighting someone who 'randomly shows up at his house'.

The billionaire duo have been flirting with the possibility of a super-fight that UFC president Dana White believes would generate over $1billion in revenue for the best part of two months.

Zuckerberg has expressed doubts over a competitive battle with Musk, which would likely be staged at the Colosseum in Rome.

He also told Musk to contact him if he ever 'gets serious about a real date and official event' for a cage fight under MMA rules in a post on his new social-media platform Threads.

‘I offered a real date. [UFC president] Dana White offered to make this a legit competition for charity,' Zuckerberg said.

'Elon won’t confirm a date, then says he needs surgery, and now asks to do a practice round in my backyard instead.'

Musk previously leaked private messages with Zuckerberg after sending a screenshot of their latest exchange to Isaacson, in which he urged the Facebook founder to accept a warm-up fight before their proposed $1b showdown.

Zuckerberg pictured training with UFC stars Israel Adesanya (left) and Alexander Volkanovski (right) last year

Zuckerberg pictured training with UFC stars Israel Adesanya (left) and Alexander Volkanovski (right) last year

Musk has also spent time practicing ahead of their suspected cage fight. Musk told Rogan last year: 'He [Zuckerberg] accused me of not being serious. And I said, "Listen, at the end of the day, I'll fight you any place, anywhere under any rules".'

Musk also spent time practicing last year ahead of their suspected cage fight

Zuckerberg pictured formerly competing in a martial arts BJJ tournament. He told Musk to contact him if he ever 'gets serious about a real date and official event'

Zuckerberg pictured formerly competing in a martial arts BJJ tournament. He told Musk to contact him if he ever 'gets serious about a real date and official event'

A fight between the two would likely occur at the Colosseum in Rome. Musk has previously said the Italian Prime Minister and its Minister of Culture agreed to an 'epic location'

A fight between the two would likely occur at the Colosseum in Rome. Musk has previously said the Italian Prime Minister and its Minister of Culture agreed to an 'epic location'

Zuckerberg, however, told him to get serious over a competitive contest or 'move on' from the saga amid fears they are 'hyping something that will never happen'.

'If you still want to do a real MMA fight, then you should train on your own and let me know when you're ready to compete,' he wrote.

'I don't want to keep hyping something that will never happen, so you should either decide you're going to do this and do it soon, or we should move on.'

According to Business Insider, Musk's full reply was: 'I have not been practicing much, apart from a brief bout with Lex Fridman today.

'While I think it is very unlikely, given our size difference, perhaps you are a modern day Bruce Lee and will somehow win.'

Musk told Rogan last year: 'He [Zuckerberg] accused me of not being serious. And I said, "Listen, at the end of the day, I'll fight you any place, anywhere under any rules".'

The Tesla founder added, 'I'm way bigger than him, it's unfair. I don't think he should fight me.'

He also said that he had previous fighting experience, including competing in martial arts as a teenager.

MetaUFC FightingTeslaElon MuskDana White