'This Nerd Is a Silent Killer': Mark Zuckerberg Rented Out An Entire MMA Arena to Watch a Fight, Privately The Meta CEO has taken an interest in the contact sport — both watching and fighting.
By Emily Rella
Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.
The stress of losing millions in stock valuation and net worth has Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg seeking out a new outlet for release — taking MMA fighting lessons.
Over the weekend, Zuckerberg took his love for MMA one step further by treating himself and his friends to a private fight in Las Vegas — and the sport's top fighters are less than thrilled about it.
On Saturday, the UFC APEX was closed to the public as Zuckerberg and his crew took over the venue to watch a duel between female fighters Yan Xiaonan and Mackenzie Dern, a stark contrast to the usual high-energy and packed crowds of most arenas.
The situation caused a stir on social media where some fighters and fans poked fun at Zuckerberg and his new hobby calling his new obsession "weird" while others championed the billionaire's love for the sport and the positive attention he's bringing to the community.
Mark Zuckerberg being an MMA enthusiast and renting out the Apex is just as random as me being a fan
— GC (@gdoesit2) October 1, 2022
Mark Zuckerberg being into mma and taking over Saturday's UFC apex is so damn weird
— Pissed Off Twood (@pissedofftwood) September 28, 2022
The best part about the ufc events live is the crowd going nutso like stay home bro wtf
— Al Iaquinta (@ALIAQUINTA) October 2, 2022
Mark Zuckerberg has made a very evil enemy of mma fans wtf dawg
— Vic Sanders (@SicVanders) September 28, 2022
That the UFC thinks this is a great marketing opportunity shows how out of touch they are.
— Nathan Quarry (@NateRockQuarry) October 2, 2022
I'm old enough to remember when the fighters were the main draw.
Not the promoter.
And certainly not a guest at the fights. https://t.co/nfxK0WhjaJ
One notable reaction to Saturday's mayhem was Zuckerberg's wife, Priscilla Chan, and her distaste for the violence involved in the ring. Her unsavory reaction made its way around Twitter where many pointed out her apparent dislike for the sport.
If Zuckerberg is thinking about becoming an MMA fighter, I don't think convincing his wife will be an easy task… pic.twitter.com/7mCk4kVbII
— Joe! (@JoeCulotta) October 2, 2022
The Meta CEO and his wife are currently expecting their third daughter.
Zuckerberg's trainer, MMA pro Khai Wu, told The Information earlier this month that the Meta CEO often asks for "more resistance" and "more force" while training, demonstrating his commitment to go all in during his sessions.
"You'd never expect these guys to be able to take you down. Next thing you know, they're attacking you with these extremely technical moves," Wu said. "You don't know this nerd is a silent killer."
As of Tuesday morning, Zuckerberg's net worth was an estimated $51.9 billion.
