Elon Musk Claims Mark Zuckerberg Stalled, Canceled Their Cage Fight

Posted on: August 16, 2023, 11:41h. 

Last updated on: August 16, 2023, 12:03h.

Devin O'Connor @CasinoorgDevinO Read More
Expertise: Asia Pacific Gaming, Commercial Gaming, Legislation, Politics.

Tech titans Elon Musk and Mark Zuckerberg, respectively ranked No. 1 and No. 8 on the Forbes “Real-Time Billionaires List,” in late June teased on their social media platforms that they were organizing a UFC-like cage fight to settle their differences. But nearly two months later, no date has been set, and the odds of the fight happening appear long.

Elon Musk Mark Zuckerberg odds fight
The odds are lengthening that Mark Zuckerberg and Elon Musk will actually come to blows in a UFC-like fight. Each billionaire is blaming the other for the fight not happening. (Image: Getty)

UFC President Dana White has been working behind the scenes to get the two billionaires, who don’t have much affection for one another, in a ring. White believes if the bout happens, it would be “the biggest fight ever in the history of the world.”

Sportsbooks are already offering odds on the hypothetical fight, but oddsmakers in the US aren’t yet taking action. That’s because most state gaming regulators only allow betting on fights that are sanctioned by a governing body, such as the Nevada Athletic Commission.

Musk tweeted on his X platform, formerly Twitter, Wednesday morning that Zuckerberg is responsible for the delay and possible cancellation of the match.

“I joked on X about fighting Zuck. Zuck then said ‘SEND ME LOCATION.’ Italy graciously offered a Colosseum. Zuck declined,” Musk claimed in his X post.

“I suggested his home as a ‘safe space.’ Tragically, he was, ahem, ‘traveling.’ Is there anywhere he will fight?” Musk pondered.

Zuck’s Rebuttal

On Threads, Zuckerberg and Facebook’s newly launched Twitter rival, the Meta chair and CEO says Musk was never serious about the fight. And it’s time that he stops wasting time on the matter.

I think we can all agree Elon isn’t serious and it’s time to move on,” Zuckerberg wrote. “I offered a real date. Dana White offered to make this a legit competition for charity. Elon won’t confirm a date, then says he needs surgery, and now asks to do a practice round in my backyard instead.”

Zuck, however, isn’t fully canning the idea.

“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,” Zuckerberg concluded.

The exact fighting conditions were never determined, but Zuckerberg is experienced in jiujitsu, a family of Japanese martial arts.

The fight rumor emerged after Zuckerberg launched Threads to compete with Musk’s Twitter. Zuckerberg said a “sane” person should control the world’s online town square.

That prompted Musk into joking that he’s “up for a cage match” if Zuckerberg is. The two have since been exchanging words and deflecting blame for the fight not being scheduled.

Betting Downer

Though the proceeds would have gone to charity, the proposed Musk vs. Zuck fight likely would have been a major betting event for sportsbooks. That’s should the Nevada Athletic Commission have sanctioned the bout.

Several US sportsbooks have dispatched hypothetical odds on the fight, but aren’t yet taking action. Zuckerberg remains the consensus favorite at -435. Those odds give Zuck about an 81% chance of winning. A $100 bet on that line would net just $23 should the fight happen and the Facebook titan prevails.

Musk’s consensus odds are at +350, which is an implied chance of 22%. A winning $100 bet on that line would net $350.