Though it’s been nearly three years since Mark Zuckerberg called off the much-publicized cage fight with Elon Musk that Dana White was in talks to promote, his dream of competing in a professional MMA bout has endured. While Musk recently became the world’s first trillionaire, Zuckerberg, still a multi-billionaire, hopes to achieve a different milestone by competing under a fight promotion like UFC.

“I’ve wanted to do a competitive fight for a while, and I was training for it when I got injured,” Zuckerberg said in a recent interview. “I’d still love to do it at some point. I just think the thrill of competing is such a rush, and I think it also focuses your training and makes it (so) that you learn more in a way that you’re just a little more casual and laid back about it if you don’t have a goal that you’re going towards. I’d love to do a competition, whether it’s UFC or something else.”

Outside of the boardroom, that confidence to step inside the cage stems from the years the Meta chief has spent sharpening his skills as a jiu-jitsu practitioner. Reflecting his grasp of the sport’s fundamentals, Zuckerberg earned a blue belt back in 2023, under the guidance of Dave Camarillo, who runs the San Jose-based Guerrilla Jiu-Jitsu academy.

During one of his appearances on the Joe Rogan Experience, Zuckerberg explained that his search for a physically demanding activity led him to Brazilian jiu-jitsu. As he started spending more time learning different aspects of the martial art, he found it a suitable option to help him cope with a busy work schedule.

That push for improving his MMA skills developed alongside Zuckerberg’s ambition to expand Meta’s reach, which eventually placed him on a collision course with Elon Musk.

To compete against Twitter (now X), the launch of Meta’s new platform, Threads, sparked a social media exchange after one user teased that Musk should be wary of Zuckerberg, who has been training in BJJ.

The Meta boss accepted the challenge by posting the screenshot of Musk’s message, saying, “Send my location,” to which Musk replied, “Vegas Octagon.” The exchange led to huge media coverage.

Speaking about the Zuckerberg vs. Musk superfight, Dana White later confirmed that the proposed bout was genuine during an interview with Tucker Carlson.

Mark Zuckerberg vs. Elon Musk: When Silicon Valley’s biggest rivals nearly fought

“(Musk vs. Zuckerberg) was real,” White said. “I was in the middle of it, and I had a blast doing the negotiations with that thing. Talking with Elon for an hour every night, and talking to Mark for an hour every night. . . . (Negotiations were) about the fight, where it would be, and (weight classes).

“I was literally doing conference calls with the government in Italy to do this thing in the Colosseum in Rome. For the right number, the Colosseum was going to let us do that fight there.”

But as it eventually happened, the fight never materialized.

While Zuckerberg proposed a date for a fight, Musk allegedly refused to commit, instead suggesting an alternate arrangement, like a “practice round in Zuckerberg’s backyard.” The Tesla and X chief later said he needed surgery to treat his back and neck.

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

Given the years he has spent, one can only speculate how Zuckerberg might have fared against Musk had they fought for real.

If he eventually fulfills his ambition of competing, the Meta chief would not be the first prominent businessman to venture into professional combat sports after achieving success elsewhere.

That distinction belongs to Herschel Walker. The Augusta, Georgia native and former running back enjoyed a successful stint as an entrepreneur and public servant before stepping into the cage at the age of 48. His Strikeforce run included two bouts, both ending in early stoppage victories for Walker.

Mark Zuckerberg could well be hoping for a similar path. Multi-dimensional expertise makes for an impressive resume when compared to one that is limited to only one discipline.

But outside of that optimism, one is forced to think if Zuckerberg’s plans are realistic.

He turned 42 last month. Even if a promotion like UFC attempts to match him against an opponent of similar age, there’s a significant risk the Meta chief could suffer a serious injury against someone who has spent years competing professionally. Despite the Meta and UFC having close business ties, it would not be a scot-free affair at this age for him. He has already experienced one major setback after undergoing surgery to repair a torn ACL that he reportedly suffered during a sparring session three years ago.

Still, as the host said in the recent interview, there are many who would love to watch Zuckerberg step into the cage. It would be an “incredible spectacle.”