Since Meta Platforms CEO Mark Zuckerberg was spotted in Alexander Volkanovski's corner during UFC 298 on Saturday, people are curious to know why he walked out with the featherweight champion. Now, UFC CEO Dana White has spilled the beans.
What Happened: During the press conference, White was asked if it was Zuckerberg who asked to walk out with him to the octagon. In response, the president and CEO of the UFC said that it was Volkanovski who asked the Meta CEO.
He went on to say that watching a faceoff like the one between Volkanovski and Georgian fighter Ilia Topuria is "without a doubt one of the most unique and incredible things to do in your lifetime, if you are a huge fan."
"The other one would be to walk out with a world champion as he’s going out to defend his title. So, no matter how much money you have, no matter what you have in life, it’s one of those very unique amazing things if you get the opportunity to do it," White added.
See Also: Zuckerberg Says Don’t Count Metaverse Out Just Yet: ‘If You Look At How Much We’re Investing…’
Volkanovski also explained his choice to have the fourth wealthiest individual accompany him to the cage.
He said, "He (Zuckerberg) was coming to watch obviously. I’m mates with him and chat to him regularly. He said he was coming to the event and I was like, ‘Hey, we’d love to have you come and walk out with us.’"
Volkanovski said Zuckerberg was worried about getting in the way but "The Great" assured him that it won't happen. " It’s something different aye?”
The fight ended with Australia's Volkanovski losing his title to Topuria, but it was Zuckerberg's awkwardness that became a subject of much talk and memes on social media.
Video footage of Zuckerberg wearing a tracksuit and repeatedly nodding, extending his hand, as one cornerman passed items to another, has been circulating on social media.
Why It's Important: Zuckerberg's fervent enthusiasm for martial arts has been widely reported. The Meta CEO has also achieved success in a Brazilian jiu-jitsu tournament, securing both gold and silver medals.
Zuckerberg also built an octagonal fighting ring in his backyard. Currently, the tech billionaire is recuperating from a knee injury sustained during preparation for a “competitive MMA fight.”
Last year, Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk proposed to have a “cage match” with Zuckerberg. The idea of these two tech giants squaring off in the MMA ring or a similar sporting arena captured the public’s attention.
However, the talks subsided when Zuckerberg called out Musk stating, "It's evident that Elon's intentions are not earnest, and it's best to discontinue this endeavor."
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