Mark Zuckerberg apparently had one very unusual reason for turning down training help from UFC star Merab Dvalishvili: the former bantamweight champion is too short.
Dvalishvili revealed that he reached out to Zuckerberg when the Meta CEO was preparing for his proposed blockbuster fight with Elon Musk.
“When he was in talks for the Elon Musk fight, I actually texted him and asked him, ‘If you want, I can come and train with you.’ He said, ‘Not right now. I’m sparring with taller guys. You’re shorter.’”
The exchange has understandably caught MMA fans off guard, especially considering Dvalishvili has since trained with Zuckerberg. The two were recently seen sparring together, including a session on a floating platform at Lake Tahoe.
Mark Zuckerberg Wanted Taller Sparring Partners for Elon Musk Fight, not Merab Dvalishvili
Mark Zuckerberg’s decision apparently came down to preparation for Elon Musk’s physical advantages.
The proposed Zuckerberg-Musk fight became one of the wildest combat-sports stories of 2023 after Musk challenged Zuckerberg to a cage fight. Zuckerberg responded positively, famously telling Musk to “send me location.”
However, the fight never materialized. Zuckerberg eventually suggested Musk was not serious about making the bout happen, bringing the bizarre billionaire showdown to an end.
Interestingly, UFC CEO Dana White recently claimed the fight was far more serious than many fans realized. White said negotiations had actually taken place and that a potential event at Rome’s Colosseum was discussed, with the venue reportedly costing around $150 million.
With Merab Dvalishvili standing around 5-foot-6, Zuckerberg apparently wanted bigger sparring partners to mimic Musk’s size. Years later, however, the Meta CEO and Dvalishvili have developed an unlikely training relationship, proving that being “too short” apparently wasn’t a permanent problem.
Also read: Umar Nurmagomedov Wants Revenge on Merab Dvalishvili: “I Want My Rematch”
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