Elon Musk announced Friday that his much-anticipated cage fight with Mark Zuckerberg would take place in Italy, where authorities acknowledged talks about staging a “great charity event.”
Musk announced on his X social media site, formerly Twitter, that negotiations were progressing for a tech titan showdown.
Musk wrote, “I spoke to the PM of Italy and Minister of Culture,” referring to Giorgia Meloni. “They picked an epic spot.”
Italian Culture Minister Gennaro Sangiuliano confirmed speaking to Musk about “how to organise a great charity event evoking history” but claimed any match “will not be held in Rome.”
Musk said in late June that he wants the fight in the Colosseum, a UNESCO World Heritage site.
Sangiuliano claimed any Musk event would raise “a huge sum, many millions of euros, (that) will be donated to two important Italian pediatric hospitals.”
“It will also be an opportunity to promote our history and our archaeological, artistic, and cultural heritage on a global scale,” he said.
Musk stated “Everything done will pay respect to the past and present of Italy” and “go to veterans.”
He stated that his and Zuckerberg’s foundations will administer the cage match, not the UFC.
Dana White, still seeking participation, told Mike Tyson’s podcast this week that he thought the bout would make $1 billion.
After Zuckerberg’s Meta launched Threads in early July, the two tech tycoons became direct competitors.
Musk later wrote a Latin phrase that translates to “it is delightful to play the fool occasionally.”
Musk did not set a fight date but said he may require “minor surgery” to fix a “problem with my right shoulder blade rubbing against my ribs.”
“Recovery will only take a few months,” he continued.
The world’s richest person claimed Friday that his titanium plate holding two vertebrae together is “not an issue.”
Zuckerberg, a jiu-jitsu competitor, did not respond.
