Copyright Athlon Sports
Mark Zuckerberg, the co-founder of Meta, has a well-documented passion for MMA that has not only become a part of his personal life but has also paved the way for significant business collaborations between his company and the UFC. These include a multi-year partnership making Meta the UFC’s first official fan technology partner and the appointment of UFC CEO Dana White to Meta’s board of directors in January 2025. This close relationship has given Zuckerberg a front-row seat to UFC events and an unparalleled access to train with some of the UFC’s most popular active fighters. Some people on social media, however, scoff whenever he posts training footage. Dana White Defends Zuckerberg On a recent episode of The Skinny Confidential podcast, Dana White defended Zuckerberg’s athletic pursuits, criticizing fans who believe the Meta CEO is showing off his newfound hobby without any apparent skills. He expressed frustration with the public perception of Zuckerberg, stating that the tech executive is far more than what people online have to say. Watch the full episode here: “People talk sh— about Zuckerberg, Zuckerberg’s actually a great athlete,” White said. “He trains in MMA, he surfs, he does all this sh—. Zuckerberg will beat the sh— out of you”. White’s message was a direct challenge to online critics. “Everybody thinks he’s some computer nerd, Mark Zuckerberg will beat the living sh— out of you,” he said. He concluded with a sweeping warning, saying, “All you telephone tough guys and internet tough guys who talk shit about Mark Zuckerberg, Zuckerberg will beat the sh— out of every one of you. Just for the record.” Can Zuckerberg Actually Fight? White’s comments, however, are positive exaggerations of a very promotable business partner. There’s no doubt that Zuckerberg is committed and passionate about martial arts, as he has trained in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu with renowned black belt Dave Camarillo of Guerrilla Jiu-Jitsu and has participated in grappling tournaments. However, his interest in martial arts is still just a hobby, and his competitive achievements are modest. In his first and only publicly documented BJJ tournament in 2023, he won gold in the no-gi white belt division. While an accomplishment, a white belt level is the beginner rank in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, representing the first stage of a very long journey. The athletes he competed against were fellow beginners and hobbysits, a fact that was omitted by Dana White. Training consistently in BJJ and surfing definitely demonstrates Zuckerberg’s dedication, but it does not automatically translate to combat proficiency. Here is some recent footage from UFC light heavyweight champion Alex Pereira training with Zuckerberg (reshared by Championship Rounds on X): The footage we do have of Zuckerberg grappling shows a technically sound, but fundamentally beginner-to-intermediate, grappler. The professional athletes training with Zuckerberg are holding their skills back to avoid injuring him or making him look bad on camera. This is the norm in most combat sports gyms, as most coaches and athletes with legit professional experience tend to go at a more leisurely pace when sparring with hobbyists who have full-time jobs outside of martial arts. However, the limited available footage of Zuckerberg training striking shows his skills at a complete beginner level. His movement lacks the fluidity, explosive power, and split-second decision-making of amateur combat sport athletes, let alone professionals. Even in this footage of Zuckerberg engaging in playful, technical sparring with Alex Pereira, the CEO is quick to flinch and shell up when dealing with very light contact. His blocking and defense are also objectively ineffective and sloppy, as he drops his rear hand low before throwing a right straight. In addition, his balance and footwork are clunky. Zuckerberg deserves credit for his dedication to a demanding hobby. He is likely more skilled than the average, untrained person. However, the narrative constructed by Dana White that he is an exceptional athlete who can “beat the living sh—” out of his internet haters is, more than likely, a masterclass in promotional exaggeration.
