UFC's potential Italy event may build on groundwork from the once rumored Elon Musk vs. Mark Zuckerberg showdown

While the UFC has significantly expanded its global presence over the last decade and continues to do so, there are markets that have yet to host a UFC event.

After the recent UFC Paris event, UFC's executive vice president and head of International and Content, David Shaw, discussed the regions that the promotion hopes to hold events in the future:

"So England, France, Spain, Germany, Scandinavia, Serbia... We're looking at Turkey... There are a number of destinations that we are hopeful for over the next couple of years... And I probably forgot a few as well." [30:11]

When an Italian reporter inquired whether the promotion had considered Italy for a future event, Shaw indicated that it was one of the options explored, especially during the discussions surrounding the rumoured Mark Zuckerberg vs. Elon Musk fight:

"We did a lot of work when there was all the talk about Zuckerberg fighting Elon Musk, and so there's a lot of conversations. We reviewed a lot of venues, and a lot of the kind of due diligence and the leg work was done then. When I mention we left a few off the list, Italy was definitely one of them." [35:03]

Check out David Shaw's comments below:

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What was the rumored Elon Musk vs. Mark Zuckerberg fight and the UFC's role in it?

In mid-2023, Elon Musk expressed his interest in a cage fight against Mark Zuckerberg on social media. The topic gained significant attention, prompting UFC boss Dana White to get involved. White confirmed that he had spoken with both men, and they were serious about the possibility of the fight.

In the following months, rumors continued to circulate about the fight, with claims that it would take place in the Colosseum in Rome. Later reports suggested that the fight would be managed by the respective foundations of Musk and Zuckerberg, with all proceeds going to charity.

However, the excitement eventually faded, and the fight did not happen. David Shaw's recent comments indicate that the UFC had taken the idea of this fight seriously as a potential business opportunity at the time.