Mark Zuckerberg, the billionaire founder of Facebook and CEO of Meta, has undergone a dramatic transformation from the perceived computer nerd of yesteryear to a legitimate mixed martial arts threat, according to UFC President Dana White.
From Silicon Valley to the Octagon
The public image of the 41-year-old tech magnate, once defined by his portrayal as a socially awkward genius by Jesse Eisenberg in the 2010 film The Social Network, has been completely overhauled. White, speaking on The Skinny Confidential podcast, left no room for doubt about Zuckerberg's capabilities.
'He trains in MMA, he surfs, he does all this s***. Zuckerberg will beat the s*** out of you,' White stated emphatically. He directly addressed the online critics, saying, 'Everybody thinks he’s some computer nerd, Mark Zuckerberg will beat the living s*** out of you. All these guys that talk stuff about him on the internet, he’ll kick their a**.'
A Formidable Fighter and Dedicated Student
Zuckerberg's commitment to combat sports is far from a casual hobby. The 5ft 7in billionaire actively trains in MMA and Brazilian jiu-jitsu, where he was promoted to a blue belt in 2023. His dedication has seen him compete in grappling tournaments, where he claimed a gold and a silver medal in his first competition.
He trains under renowned coach Dave Camarillo, the former head Brazilian jiu-jitsu coach for the American Kickboxing Academy. Camarillo offered enormous praise for his high-profile student, telling ESPN, 'He's amazing... He is an extremely hard worker.' Camarillo added that Zuckerberg excels and is 'one of the best students I've ever had.'
Zuckerberg's training regimen includes sessions with some of the UFC's biggest stars, including Israel Adesanya, Alex Volkanovski, and the reigning champion Alex Pereira. He is a familiar face at UFC events, having been part of Volkanovski's walkout team at UFC 298 and frequently sitting octagon-side with White.
The Fight That Never Was and Future Prospects
The talk of Zuckerberg's fighting prowess briefly escalated into speculation about a blockbuster showdown with his tech rival, Elon Musk. White, who was promoting the potential bout, recalled it as a 'fun moment' in his career.
'That whole thing was fascinating,' White said. 'A fun moment in my career… promoting the Elon-Zuckerberg fight and trying to put that thing together was a lot of fun, too.'
However, the fight was ultimately called off by Zuckerberg, who said he felt Musk was not serious about the contest. Despite this, the Meta CEO has expressed a desire to have at least one competitive MMA fight before returning his focus to Brazilian jiu-jitsu.
While it remains uncertain if the £164bn billionaire will ever step into a professional cage, White's endorsement makes one thing clear: the era of underestimating Mark Zuckerberg's physical prowess is well and truly over.
