Tech titans throw verbal jabs prior to Zuckerberg vs Musk cage match

(FILES) (COMBO/FILES) This combination of file photographs created on June 22, 2023 shows SpaceX, X (ex-Twitter) and electric car maker Tesla CEO Elon Musk during his visit at the Vivatech technology startups and innovation fair at the Porte de Versailles exhibition center in Paris on June 16, 2023 (R) and Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg testifying before the House Financial Services Committee in the Rayburn House Office Building in Washington, DC on October 23, 2019. Elon Musk said on August 5, 2023 that the “cage match” he and Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg have seemingly agreed to as a fund-raiser will be carried live on X, formerly known as Twitter, which he owns. (Photo by Mandel NGAN and Alain JOCARD / AFP)

WASHINGTON—Billionaires and social media business rivals Mark Zuckerberg and Elon Musk threw new online jabs at each other on Sunday, with the Meta founder declaring the owner of X—formerly known as Twitter—was not treating a proposed charity cage match seriously.

“I think we can all agree Elon isn’t serious and it’s time to move on,” Zuckerberg wrote on his Threads social platform. “I offered a real date… Elon won’t confirm a date, then says he needs surgery, and now asks to do a practice round in my backyard instead.”

Musk quickly responded on X, the platform he bought last year that was previously called Twitter.

“Zuck is a chicken,” Musk posted.

The Tesla boss said he would head to Silicon Valley on Monday: “Can’t wait to bang on his door tomorrow.”

When an X user suggested Zuckerberg was getting cold feet about the match, Musk referred to a popular US fast food chain known for its chicken offerings.

“He can’t eat at Chick-fil-A because that would be cannibalism,” Musk posted.

Much-hyped

The two tech titans have gone back and forth on social media about fighting each other in a much-hyped charity match.

Musk said on Friday the fight would take place in Italy, as authorities there confirmed talks about hosting a “great charity event.”

“I spoke to the PM of Italy and Minister of Culture,” Musk wrote, referring to Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni. “They have agreed on an epic location.”

In response, Zuckerberg posted a photo of himself shirtless and pinning down an opponent in his “backyard octagon.”

A martial arts enthusiast who has taken part in jiujitsu competitions, Zuckerberg said, “I love this sport and I’ve been ready to fight since the day Elon challenged me.”

“If he ever agrees on an actual date, you’ll hear it from me. Until then, please assume anything he says has not been agreed on.”

Italian Culture Minister Gennaro Sangiuliano confirmed speaking to Musk about “how to organize a great charity event evoking history” but said any match “will not be held in Rome.”

Sangiuliano said any event with Musk would raise “a huge sum, many millions of euros, [that] will be donated to two important Italian pediatric hospitals.”

The two tech tycoons, who have occasionally jousted from afar, became direct competitors after Zuckerberg’s Meta launched its Twitter-like Threads platform in early July. —AFP