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We now know why Elon Musk didn’t want the UFC involved in his fight vs Mark Zuckerberg.
Last week, fight negotiations between Musk and Zuckerberg began breaking down when he insinuated that he didn’t want the UFC involved in the fight.
The fight will be managed by my and Zuck’s foundations (not UFC).
Livestream will be on this platform and Meta. Everything in camera frame will be ancient Rome, so nothing modern at all.
I spoke to the PM of Italy and Minister of Culture. They have agreed on an epic location.
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) August 11, 2023
Musk then said he wanted to fight Zuckerberg in his backyard a few days later.
For the Tesla FSD test drive in Palo Alto tonight, I will ask the car to drive to @finkd’s house.
Will also test latest X livestream video, so you can monitor our adventure in real-time!
If we get lucky and Zuck my 👅 actually answers the door, the fight is on!
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) August 14, 2023
UFC president Dana White spoke to TMZ about why the fight broke down, and according to White, Musk didn’t want to deal with an athletic commission drug testing him and getting medically cleared to fight.
Via TMZ
“He and I talk multiple times a week,” White said of Zuckerberg. “And we had dinner last Monday. He’s very serious about competing. And when he mentioned it, he said — listen — what he was saying in response to Elon was there are tons of professional organizations out there and this is the way this should be done, not in some backyard or whatever Elon was saying.”
He added that Zuck understood the fight would have to be sanctioned by an athletic commission, there would need to be proper medical testing and drug testing … and when Elon didn’t seem to get that — he said Zuckerberg pivoted.