Elon Musk-Mark Zuckerberg fight: How it started vs how it’s going

Will they or won’t they? At this point, it’s safe to assume they probably won’t. We are talking, of course, about the much-discussed cage fight between Elon Musk and Mark Zuckerberg that has yet to materialise, despite dozens of increasingly-bizarre posts from the two billionaires.

For some background: the idea of the two billionaires engaging in a bout took root when Elon Musk, 52, challenged Mark Zuckerberg, 39, to a fight on X (formerly Twitter). Zuckerberg responded on Instagram by writing, “Send me the location.”

This exchange in June set off a war of words which still has no end in sight, despite the fact that Musk’s first tweet, by his own admission, was a joke.

Soon afterward challenging Zuckerberg, Twitter owner Musk tweeted that he was up for a cage match in Las Vegas with the CEO of Meta, who has trained in jiu-jitsu. Over the next few weeks, the two billionaires shared photos from training sessions. In July, Musk tweeted that the fight may take place at the historic Colosseum in Rome. In never did, of course, but the tweets got more and more bizarre.

Some chance fight happens in Colosseum

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) June 30, 2023

In early August, Musk claimed that the much-awaited fight with Zuckerberg would be live-streamed on X (formerly known as Twitter) on August 26 and proceeds from the fight would be donated to charity. He later backed down saying he needed an MRI for his neck and upper back. “Exact date is still in flux. I’m getting an MRI of my neck & upper back tomorrow. May require surgery before the fight can happen. Will know this week," he wrote on August 7.

Exact date is still in flux. I’m getting an MRI of my neck & upper back tomorrow.

May require surgery before the fight can happen. Will know this week.

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) August 7, 2023

After this, he revived speculation about the fight himself by tweeting, on August 11, that the fight would take place at an “epic location” in Italy and would be “managed by my and Zuck’s foundations (not UFC).”

“Livestream will be on this platform and Meta. Everything in camera frame will be ancient Rome, so nothing modern at all. I spoke to the PM of Italy and Minister of Culture. They have agreed on an epic location,” Musk wrote.

The fight will be managed by my and Zuck’s foundations (not UFC).

Livestream will be on this platform and Meta. Everything in camera frame will be ancient Rome, so nothing modern at all.

I spoke to the PM of Italy and Minister of Culture. They have agreed on an epic location.

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) August 11, 2023

Then, Musk’s biographer Walter Isaacson shared a screenshot of the text the Tesla owner sent Zuckerberg, telling him that they should do a “practice bout” at Zuckerberg’s Palo Alto residence. Zuckerberg declined according to the screenshot, whose authenticity was confirmed by news website Variety.

I got this text message from Elon Musk at 4:44am CT showing a screenshot of some text messages in which he tells Mark Zuckerberg they should fight this Monday at Zuckerberg’s home in Palo Alto. pic.twitter.com/krgRsH5P5G

— Walter Isaacson (@WalterIsaacson) August 13, 2023

Things reached a head when earlier this week, an exasperated Zuckerberg declared that Musk was not serious about engaging in the bout.

“If Elon ever gets serious about a real date and official event, he knows how to reach me. Otherwise, time to move on,” Zuckerberg posted Sunday on Meta’s Threads. “I’m going to focus on competing with people who take the sport seriously.”

Musk’s response to this was particularly unhinged, even by his standards. The Tesla CEO on Monday tweeted that he would be visiting Zuckerberg’s home uninvited. He also said he would broadcast the drive on X so viewers can “monitor our adventure in real-time! If we get lucky and Zuck … actually answers the door, the fight is on!”

For the Tesla FSD test drive in Palo Alto tonight, I will ask the car to drive to @finkd’s house.

Will also test latest X livestream video, so you can monitor our adventure in real-time!

If we get lucky and Zuck my actually answers the door, the fight is on!

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) August 14, 2023

According to Variety, this claim was “obviously false” since Musk’s private jet landed in Cleveland on Monday. Meanwhile, a spokesperson for Meta confirmed that Zuckerberg was travelling on Monday and not at home in Palo Alto.

So what’s the latest on the Elon Musk-Mark Zuckerberg saga?

Well, as of a few hours ago, Musk is still tweeting about the fight that few believe will actually take place. “He’s scared, he’s like the kid who wants to fight in the playground but when the time comes, he runs away,” he posted, referring to the Meta CEO.

Fight Recap:

I joked on X about fighting Zuck

Zuck then said “SEND ME LOCATION”

Italy graciously offered a Colosseum

Zuck declined

I suggested his home as “safe space”

Tragically, he was ahem “traveling”

Is there anywhere he will fight?

https://t.co/gpcRLW49fv

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) August 15, 2023

The two tech tycoons, who have occasionally jousted from afar, became direct competitors after Zuckerberg's Meta launched its Twitter-like Threads platform in early July.

(With inputs from agencies)