A potential planned cage fight between tech titans Elon Musk and Mark Zuckerberg may now unfold in Italy, embracing an ancient Roman theme.
Taking an intriguing turn, Italy’s culture minister announced on Friday that he had engaged in discussions with Mr. Musk regarding the possibility of hosting the face-off as a charitable spectacle.
The billionaire heads of Tesla and Meta (formerly known as Facebook) have playfully goaded each other towards this clash since June.
Should this unique event come to fruition, significant contributions are anticipated to be channeled towards children’s hospitals.
Nonetheless, Mr. Zuckerberg has underlined that a specific date has not yet been settled upon.
Elaborating on his vision through the social media platform X (formerly Twitter), Mr. Musk disclosed having conversations with both Italy’s prime minister and its culture minister.
“An awe-inspiring locale has been agreed upon,” he conveyed. “The entire frame of the camera will exude an ancient Roman ambiance, devoid of any contemporary elements.”
However, the historical center of Rome, along with its iconic Colosseum that hosted legendary gladiatorial contests in ancient times, has been excluded from consideration.
Gennaro Sangiuliano, Italy’s Culture Minister, shared in a statement that this “grand philanthropic” occasion would harmonize with the nation’s historical importance while upholding its cultural legacy.
“Elon Musk and I engaged in a lengthy and amiable discourse, centering on our mutual fascination with ancient Roman history,” Mr. Sangiuliano stated.
“We are contemplating the arrangement of a distinguished event that fuses charity and historical reenactment, while meticulously safeguarding the surroundings… It will not unfold within Rome.”
Mr. Sangiuliano also anticipates that a “significant sum, amounting to several million euros,” will be directed towards two Italian children’s hospitals as a result of orchestrating this cage match.
Expressing himself on Threads, a platform rivaling X that he introduced last month, Mark Zuckerberg asserted that he has “remained poised for combat ever since Elon issued the challenge.” He clarified that if a mutually agreed-upon date arises, “you’ll hear about it directly from me.”
“Until then, please regard any statements he makes as preliminary.”
Seemingly alluding to the proposed plans, Mr. Zuckerberg commented that whenever he competes, he seeks to shine a spotlight on the top-tier athletes in the field.
“This is best achieved by collaborating with professional organizations like the UFC or ONE [mixed martial arts organizations] to ensure a seamless execution and create a captivating lineup,” he stated.
The unconventional concept of this face-off originated in June, sparked by Mr. Musk’s tweet expressing his willingness to participate in a cage fight with Mr. Zuckerberg.
The Meta CEO, who already possesses training in mixed martial arts (MMA) and has recently emerged victorious in jiu-jitsu tournaments, succinctly replied with “send me the location.”
