Elon Musk wasn’t lying—he did talk to Italy’s culture minister about fighting Mark Zuckerberg

Elon Musk did in fact speak to the Italian culture minister about the country hosting a mixed martial arts fight with Mark Zuckerberg, says a spokesperson for the politician’s office.

A spokesperson for Italian culture minister Gennaro Sangiuliano tells Fast Company that the politician spoke with the billionaire owner of X (née Twitter) about the potential of hosting a bout between the two tech leaders within the country.

Musk and fellow tech mogul Mark Zuckerberg have been engaged in a semi-joking war of words on social media in recent weeks. Zuckerberg, who since the COVID pandemic has been an adherent of Brazilian jiu-jitsu, recently posted a screenshot suggesting he had installed a UFC-style octagon cage in his backyard.

“I had a long and friendly conversation with Elon Musk, we talked about the common passion for the history of ancient Rome,” Sangiuliano said in a statement issued after the phone conversation. A spokesperson for Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, whom Musk also said he spoke to about the potential fight, directed Fast Company to Sangiuliano’s pre-prepared statement and declined to answer whether Meloni was also present on the call with Musk.

Sangiuliano admitted that conversations around the fight have not developed beyond initial logistical questions. “We are thinking about how to organize a great charity and historical event, respecting and fully protecting the locations,” he said in the statement. The event would benefit Italy by putting its archaeological, artistic and cultural heritage on the global stage, Sanguiliano said.

More than six million Americans travel to Italy every year, spending €6 billion ($6.6 billion) in the local economy.

Despite Musk’s hints about gladiators fighting in the Colosseum, the best-known gladiator arena in ancient Rome, Sangiuliano confirmed in the statement that the bout in fact wouldn’t take place in the Italian capital.

Musk did not immediately respond to a request for comment asking for clarity about where the fight would take place. Musk had tweeted earlier today that the fight would be streamed on both X and on a Meta platform yet to be confirmed. Musk added: “Everything in camera frame will be ancient Rome,” suggesting some confusion about the potential location.

Something else that may have gotten lost in translation over Musk’s call with the Italian government? Who will benefit financially. 

It appears the two did discuss that profits from the fight will go to a good cause. However, which one appears also to be uncertain. Sangiuliano said in the statement that he imagines profits from the event, which he hopes will be “many millions of euros”, will go to two large Italian pediatric hospitals to help fund infrastructure and research to help tackle diseases affecting children.”

Musk himself tweeted something different. “All proceeds go to veterans,” he said.