Elon Musk in Talks with Italian Government for Historic Site to Host Cage Fight with Mark Zuckerberg
Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk is currently in discussions with Italy’s government to organize a one-on-one cage fight with Facebook’s Mark Zuckerberg at a historic site in the country. However, while many speculated that the Colosseum would be the perfect venue, it has been ruled out by the Italian culture minister.
The idea of the fight originated from a series of social media posts in June, as Zuckerberg was preparing to launch Threads, a competitor to Musk’s rebranded Twitter platform. Both tech moguls expressed their willingness to engage in a physical scrap to settle their corporate rivalry.
Italian culture minister Gennaro Sangiuliano confirmed that he had a productive phone conversation with Musk regarding the potential event. They discussed their shared passion for ancient Rome, and their aim to organize a charity and historical evocation event that respects the chosen venue. However, Sangiuliano made it clear that the fight would not take place in Rome.
Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) president Dana White also joined the conversation by expressing his interest in holding the fight at the Colosseum. Musk further fanned the speculation when he announced on X (formerly Twitter) that the fight would be livestreamed on his and Zuckerberg’s social media platforms, with the entire camera frame reflecting ancient Rome’s aesthetics.
Musk revealed that he had spoken with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and the culture minister, reaching an agreement on an epic location for the event. In a subsequent tweet, Musk clarified that the fight would be managed by his and Zuckerberg’s foundations, rather than UFC. Additionally, all proceeds from the event would be donated to military veterans’ organizations, according to Musk.
Despite the progress made, Sangiuliano’s statement ruled out Rome as the host city. Italy boasts numerous ancient Roman and Greek sites suitable for the event, including the Capua amphitheatre, the ruins of Pompeii, the ancient Greek temples in Agrigento, and the Verona arena. Sangiuliano also mentioned that any location deal would involve a donation worth “many millions of euros” to two Italian paediatric hospitals.
While Musk and Zuckerberg’s rivalry has attracted attention, it seems the fight is not imminent. Musk admitted to having a shoulder issue that requires minor surgery, with a recovery period of a few months. As a result, Zuckerberg expressed skepticism, saying he was “not holding his breath” for the fight and suggesting a date of August 26, which now seems unlikely given Musk’s health concerns.
Linda Yaccarino, the CEO of X (formerly Twitter), also appeared to doubt the seriousness of the proposed fight. While acknowledging the back-and-forth banter between Musk and Zuckerberg, she described it as a potential humorous exchange and even hinted at the opportunity for a great brand sponsorship.
The negotiations and anticipation surrounding this high-profile event continue to generate excitement among fans and supporters. As Musk and Zuckerberg work out the details, it remains to be seen where their cage fight will take place and when the epic showdown will occur.