Mark Zuckerberg has been busy. Running things at Meta, BJJ tournaments, and MMA training among his to-do lists. Now the tech mogul can add UFC rankings consultant to his schedule.
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In an interview with TNT Sports, UFC CEO Dana White says that he’s turned to Mark Zuckerberg to fix the rankings.
“I actually talked to Mark Zuckerberg about AI,” Dana White said. The change would replace the current system which consists of a media voting panel.
While White offered no specifics about what the AI-enhanced overhaul would look like, he said there will be “some answers on that soon.”
However, he did share more of his frustrations with the designated panel. “You know the ranking system drives me crazy. From the pound-for-pound to each division, you know that there’s huge mistakes,” White said.
In recent weeks, White has become increasingly vocal about his perceived problems with rankings. At a media scrum last week, he did not hold back.
“I can’t handle incompetence. I can’t take it anymore. It’s driving me crazy. And I can’t let people that I don’t believe know what the f*ck they’re talking about deal with the rankings anymore. I just can’t do it. I have to figure out a solution,” White promised. “The media will no longer control the rankings in the UFC.”
Mark Zuckerberg: Cornerman to Corner Office
Zuckerberg has become an increasingly familiar presence in MMA in recent years. In 2022, the former Harvard University student was given a private showcase at the Apex Center for a fight night card.
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As a BJJ white belt under former American Kickboxing Academy coach Dave Camarillo, Zuckerberg competed in gi and no gi competition. He was later awarded a blue belt.
A supposed exhibition MMA bout with fellow tech billionaire Elon Musk was a popular talking point in 2023. White offered his promotional muscle to the match-up and even began selling related merchandise until talks fizzled.
Zuckerberg, who is a frequent cage side guest, was also part of Alexander Volkanovski’s corner at UFC 298.
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