Mark Zuckerberg has impressed fans and fighters by winning gold and silver medals in his first Brazilian jiu-jitsu competition.
The 38-year-old took to the mats in California this past weekend for his first tournament, representing his jiu-jitsu team Guerrilla. Zuckerberg is a big fan of MMA and captured the attention of fight fans last year by posting a video of himself sparring with American fighter Khai Wu.
It was a successful day for Zuckerberg in Redwood City as he took home gold and silver medals for his jiu-jitsu team. The tech boss posted a series of pictures from his tournament on Instagram with the caption: "Competed in my first jiu-jitsu tournament and won some medals for the Guerrilla jiu-jitsu team. Thanks to Dave Camarillo Khai Wu and James Terry for training me!"
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UFC fighters have since weighed in on Zuckerberg's pictures, with Conor McGregor writing "Yo!!! F***ing awesome Mark" and former flyweight champion Brandon Moreno also commenting "Wow, congrats!" Top-ranked bantamweight Merab Dvalishvili commented: "Congratulations Zuck great job. I would love to train with you" whilst jiu-jitsu world champion Bernardo Faria wrote: "Amazing! Half guard, arm-bars, triangle! Super cool!"
Some fans have now called for a jiu-jitsu match between Zuckerberg and actor Tom Hardy, who won all of his matches at the Open Championship in Milton Keynes last September. "Zuckerberg vs Tom Hardy pay-per-view let’s do it," one user wrote. Brazilian jiu-jitsu has become increasingly popular over the past few years with the likes of comedian Russell Brand and Hollywood star Jonah Hill hitting the mats to take up the martial art.
Zuckerberg was criticised by fans for renting out the UFC's Apex facility in Las Vegas last September for a private event, banning fans from buying tickets and even media from covering the fights. UFC president Dana White dismissed the rumours as "total bulls***" but strawweight fighter Mackenzie Dern seemed to confirm the reports.
"I know Mark Zuckerberg rented out the whole event," Dern let slip ahead of the fight, which she went on to lose. "So I know he'll be there, but I don't know if it's literally him and his wife or if he's going to have friends or if it will be like a small party, I don't know. But from someone who wanted a main event with a crowd going to very, very private, I'm like 'okay'."
