Elon Musk's mother is apparently not too happy about his proposed cage fight with Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg.
For those who may not have seen the latest updates on the two tech billionaires, let me break it down for you... (and, no, this is not some alternate reality, it is unfortunately real life).
It all started earlier this month when 51-year-old Musk responded to a Twitter thread mocking Zuckerberg, stating that he was "up for a cage fight" with him. The tweet was a reply to an online user that said Musk's fellow businessman "does the jujitsu [sic] now," a reference to his recent medaling in a Brazilian jiu-jitsu tournament.
Then, last Wednesday (June 21), 39-year-old Zuckerberg - who is also the founder of Instagram's parent company Meta - posted a screenshot of the Tesla chief executive's tweet with the caption "send me location".
Musk clearly didn't flinch as on Thursday (June 22), he named a location, cryptically writing "Vegas Octagon" - which is used for UFC bouts based in Las Vegas, Nevada. Soon after the tweet regarding the two men - who have a combined net worth of $335 billion - a Meta spokesperson revealed to the BBC that Zuckerberg's Instagram story "speaks for itself".
While netizens may have brushed off the random interaction as just some banter between the tech moguls, it's been reported that both parties have headed into training, with Musk seeking out the expertise of prominent figures in the martial arts world to help him get fighting fit.
One of those prominent faces is Lex Fridman, a popular scientific podcaster and jiu-jitsu black belt holder. Fridman recently posted a snap of Musk in action during a surprise training session, during which he showcased a successful take-down maneuver. Captioning the images of Musk, Fridman wrote: "I did an impromptu training session with @elonmusk for a few hours yesterday.
"I'm extremely impressed with his strength, power, and skill, on the feet and on the ground. It was epic."
Though, not everyone is enthused about the upcoming match. In fact, not unlike most mothers, Musk's mommy ain't happy.
Maye Musk, 75, posted a series of tweets hitting out at the proposed fight ever since it was 'announced', first taking to her son's social media platform to write: "No joking. Fight with words only. In armchairs. 4 feet apart. The funniest person wins."
Then, in another tweet: "Actually, I canceled the fight. I haven’t told them yet. But I will continue to say the fight is canceled, just in case…"
Following Fridman's training photos of Musk, the model and dietician responded: "Don't encourage this match!"
Musk's mother then decided to finish off her tweets by making a suggestion for a match that didn't involve any violence, tweeting: "A verbal fight only. Three questions each. The funniest answers win. Who agrees?"
What do you think about the proposed cage fight? Who do you think would win if it goes ahead? Let us know in the comments!