Meta founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg has emerged as a clear favorite among betters in a proposed “cage match” with Twitter owner and Tesla CEO Elon Musk.
In the 48 hours since the Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) challenge was issued by Musk, sports betting firms and odds providers have already delivered preliminary odds for the billionaire’s bout.
If the fight actually eventuates, the Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu-trained Zuckerberg has been marked with a 77% chance of winning the fight, according to Oddspedia, a sports betting platform that collates odds from several bookmakers.
Betting a dollar on Zuckerberg would potentially pay out $1.20 if he wins the fight, a bet on Musk could pay up to $4.00 if he wins.
Zuckerberg, who stands at a slight height disadvantage at 5 feet, 7 inches (170 cm), has been a known BJJ practitioner since September 2022. In May, he managed to place first and second in two BJJ tournaments in a white belt lightweight division.
His progress even prompted positive reactions from some of the most influential figures in the Ultimate Fighting Championship, such as UFC boss Dana White and former UFC featherweight and lightweight champion Conor McGregor.
Online, several videos of Zuckerberg in training can be found.
Mark Zuckerberg training with BJJ world champion Mikey Musumeci pic.twitter.com/plE3CUpoP7
— Bloody Elbow (@BloodyElbow) June 17, 2023
Musk, on the other hand, is understood to have a bigger frame and height advantage and reportedly stands at 6 feet, 1 inch (185 cm). Not much else can be gleaned about his physical aptitude for combat, however, Musk recently said that he used to engage in “real hard-core street fights” in South Africa where he grew up.
He also recently posted that he eats a donut every morning and is “still alive,” if that makes a difference.
“I have this great move that I call “The Walrus”, where I just lie on top of my opponent & do nothing,” Musk jokingly said in a June 22 tweet.
Yup, that’s me
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) June 22, 2023
Talks of a potential physical fight between Musk and Zuckerberg first came about on June 21, when Musk said he’d be willing to share the cage with the Meta founder.
Zuckerberg responded on Instagram shortly after with “Send me location” — a popular phrase first uttered by former UFC lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov.
Despite the high anticipation, many don’t expect the fight to actually happen. If it doesn’t go ahead, it’s not the first time that Musk and Zuckerberg have clashed.
Related: Twitter suspends memecoin-linked AI bot after Elon Musk’s ‘scam crypto’ claim
In 2017, the billionaires engaged in a heated debate over artificial intelligence and its future implications.
Sharing a more optimistic view, Zuckerberg reportedly called out those who believe AI has the potential to create “doomsday scenarios” — events that could result in human extinction or completely end life on Earth.
Musk hit back, stating:
“I’ve talked to Mark about this. His understanding of the subject is pretty limited.”
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