UFC CEO Dana White isn’t content with just shaking up the world of mixed martial arts! While he has helmed the promotion from a niche spectacle to a global juggernaut, now he’s stepping into a different kind of arena. One dominated by algorithms, virtual reality, and artificial intelligence. And at the center of this new venture? None other than Meta’s CEO, Mark Zuckerberg. However, the connection between White and Zuckerberg didn’t appear out of thin air.

The two have been quietly collaborating since late 2024, with White exploring how AI could revolutionize the UFC rankings system. In an interview with TNT Sports, the UFC boss confessed, “We literally had meetings this week to work on it. I actually talked to Mark Zuckerberg, too, about AI, so yeah. I’m totally going to fix the rankings. We’re going to make a lot of strong moves here coming into 2025.” Well, fast forward to 2025, and Zuckerberg has finally broken his silence on the latest twist in this saga!

According to the official statement shared on Instagram, Mark Zuckerberg revealed that along with the UFC boss, John Elkann and Charlie Songhurst will be joining Meta’s board of directors. However, the tech mogul has a special admiration for White as he stated, “Dana is the President and CEO of UFC, and he has built it into one of the most valuable, fastest growing, and most popular sports enterprises in the world. I’ve admired him as an entrepreneur and his ability to build such a beloved brand.”

The collaboration comes at a time when Meta is betting big on AI and wearables. With White on board, the company gains insight from a master promoter who has built an empire by understanding what captivates audiences. In the comment section for the update on Instagram, Zuckerberg doubled down on his enthusiasm by stating, “Excited to work more closely together”, in response to Dana White’s caption where he indicated, “I love social media. And I’m excited to be a small part of the future of AI and emerging technologies.”

For Zuckerberg, this partnership is more than symbolic. The Meta CEO has been a vocal MMA enthusiast, often spotted at UFC events, and also trains in the sport, holding a blue belt in BJJ (Brazilian Jiu Jitsu). He even rented out the UFC Apex in 2022 for a private Fight Night experience. Remember the buzz surrounding a possible MMA bout between him and Elon Musk in 2023? Now, his passion for the sport is translating into a strategic business relationship.

The partnership with Mark Zuckerberg feels like the perfect storm of ambition and innovation. Whether it’s improving UFC rankings or pioneering new AI-driven experiences, White and Zuckerberg seem poised to push boundaries. But what about the chances of seeing the Meta CEO donning a pair of gloves and stepping into the Octagon himself? While the odds of him fighting Elon Musk appear to be slim, Zuckerberg recently caused another frenzy in the MMA sphere by sharing pictures of him training with a certain Hawaiian UFC star!

Max Holloway takes Mark Zuckerberg under his wing as Meta CEO dives deeper into the UFC’s world

Earlier this year, Mark Zuckerberg revealed he’d love to step inside the UFC Octagon—once he’d recovered from his ACL injury. And who better to guide him than Max ‘Blessed’ Holloway? The former UFC featherweight champion recently teamed up with Zuckerberg for an MMA training session, sharing the experience on Instagram.

From sparring with champions like Alexander Volkanovski and Israel Adesanya to renting out the UFC Apex for private fights, he’s committed to learning from the best. Now, he’s added another legend to his roster. In a series of images shared on Instagram, Zuckerberg and Holloway posed in full training gear, captioning their post, “Blessed kind of weekend.” Fans went wild, with the post racking up over 290,000 likes.

In the comments, Zuckerberg confessed, “He has a very interesting way of approaching the sport. Really neat to learn from him. Super insightful and a good dude.”

Now, with an even more involved relationship with the UFC and Dana White, it’ll be interesting to see if the Meta CEO does more than just train with MMA stars. But from revamping UFC rankings to pushing the boundaries of virtual reality, the possibilities seem limitless. As White and Zuckerberg join forces, one question lingers: how far can they go in shaping the future of both sports and tech?  Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!