It seems that the tech world is getting ready for an epic showdown as Elon Musk and Mark Zuckerberg continue to taunt each other about a potential cage fight. The latest in the saga suggests that the fight could now take place in Italy, with an ancient Rome theme, reminiscent of Gladiator battles.
In a statment, Italy’s culture minister Gennaro Sangiuliano revealed that he spoke to Elon Musk about hosting the fight as a “charity event”, which could see the two billionaire CEOs duking it out in an epic showdown. While the iconic Colosseum in Rome was ruled out as the venue, the event would still pay homage to Italy’s historical significance.
Sangiuliano said “I had a long and friendly conversation with Elon Musk, we talked about our shared passion for ancient Roman history.”
“We are thinking about how to organise a great charity and historical evocation event, respecting, and fully protecting the setting… It will not take place in Rome.”
Sangiuliano also suggested that a “substantial amount, many millions of euros” will to be donated to two Italian children’s hospitals as a result of hosting the cage match.
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
The proposed cage match has captured the attention of the public and the tech world, with both Musk, 52, and Zuckerberg, 39, engaging in light-hearted banter on social media. The potential event could raise millions of euros for Italian children’s hospitals, adding a charitable twist to the entertaining spectacle.
Writing on Threads, the newly launched platform seen as a direct competitor to X, Mark Zuckerberg emphasized his readiness to fight. He playfully mentioned that he has “been ready to fight since the day Elon challenged me”, and if a date was ever agreed, “you’ll hear it from me”.
“Until then, please assume anything he says has not been agreed on,” he added.
In another dig at the floated plans, Zuckerberg said that when he competes, he wants “to do it in a way that puts a spotlight on the elite athletes at the top of the game.”
“You do that by working with professional (organisations) like the UFC or ONE [mixed martial arts organisations] to pull this off well and create a great card,” he concluded.
As the two tech titans continue their amusing rivalry, it remains to be seen whether the cage fight will actually come to fruition. Regardless, the playful exchange highlights the larger-than-life personalities that often characterize the tech industry and the creative ways they engage with each other and their audience.
