Watch: Tech CEO Mark Zuckerberg Actually Holds His Own Against UFC Champ Alex Pereira in Wild Sparring Session
Tech billionaire Mark Zuckerberg proved he’s not just talk when it comes to fighting – at least in the gym. The Meta CEO recently stepped onto the mats with UFC light heavyweight champion Alex Pereira at the Cruz Mixed Martial Arts Academy in Nutley, New Jersey, and the footage quickly spread across social media.
Video: Mark Zuckerberg Spars UFC Champ Alex Pereira
The training session, which took place at the facility operated by Pereira’s longtime coach Plinio Cruz, happened shortly after Pereira’s redemption story at UFC 320 on October 4. Just weeks after losing his title to Magomed Ankalaev by unanimous decision at UFC 313 in March, Pereira reclaimed the light heavyweight crown with a devastating first-round technical knockout. He wasted no time getting back to work, and somehow that work included welcoming the 41-year-old tech mogul into the octagon.
What makes this encounter particularly interesting isn’t just that Zuckerberg showed up to train with one of the most dangerous strikers in professional fighting today. It’s that he apparently held his own. The video shows Pereira and Zuckerberg exchanging technique, with the Meta founder even managing to achieve a takedown against the reigning champion – no small feat given the size differential between the two. For a man whose public persona screams Silicon Valley boardroom, Zuckerberg displayed genuine technical awareness and the willingness to get uncomfortable on the mats.
Zuckerberg‘s journey into combat sports began during the pandemic, and unlike tech competitor Elon Musk’s sporadic fight talk, the Facebook co-founder has committed seriously to the craft. He started training Brazilian jiu-jitsu in the summer of 2022 under legendary coach Dave Camarillo at Guerrilla Jiu-Jitsu in San Jose, California. Within five minutes of his first class, Zuckerberg was hooked. “Where has this been my whole life?” became his internal monologue, and apparently, it stuck.
By May 2023, just one year into training, the social media mogul Zuckerberg had already competed in BJJ tournaments under the alias “Mark Elliott” in an attempt at anonymity, a disguise that fell apart immediately when officials called his name. He walked away from his first competition with gold and silver medal finishes in the Master’s 3 white belt division. His coach wasn’t shy about offering praise either. Dave Camarillo called him “one of the best students I’ve ever had,” which coming from someone who trained Cain Velasquez, Jon Fitch, and Josh Koscheck, carries legitimate weight.
The billionaire earned his blue belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu in 2023 and has since trained with several elite fighters such as Kai Wu. He’s rolled with multiple-time IBJJF and ADCC champion Mikey Musumeci, grappled with UFC featherweight Alexander Volkanovski, and apparently even sparred in virtual reality with the fighter. Dana White, the UFC president, even issued an open invitation for Zuckerberg to potentially compete in a dedicated BJJ organization under the UFC banner, calling it “awesome.”
Pereira, meanwhile, comes into this training session riding high momentum. The 38-year-old Brazilian became the first fighter ever to hold championship titles simultaneously in both middleweight and light heavyweight divisions in the UFC. Before his MMA career took off, he was a two-time kickboxing champion in both middleweight and light heavyweight categories, making him the only fighter to achieve dual-division championship status in both sports. His left hook has become the stuff of legend – it’s the weapon responsible for knocking out fighters like Jiri Prochazka, Sean Strickland, and Jamahal Hill during his UFC career.
