Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg showed his competitive spirit by participating in his first jiu-jitsu martial arts tournament over the weekend.
The tech billionaire took home a silver and gold medal at the event, which was held at Woodside High School in California, close to the Silicon Valley headquarters of Meta, the company that owns Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp.
“Competed in my first jiu-jitsu tournament and won some medals for the Guerrilla Jiu-Jitsu team,” Zuckerberg announced on Facebook and Instagram.
Zuckerberg started practicing martial arts during the coronavirus pandemic and has since found that it helps him boost his energy levels and tackle challenges at work. He trains with Dave Camarillo, a coach who has taught several UFC mixed martial arts champions.
Unlike MMA, Brazilian-style jiu-jitsu emphasizes fighting opponents through holds and control rather than kicks or striking.
According to Khai “The Shadow” Wu, another coach who congratulated Zuckerberg on his win, “yesterday getting to see Zuck compete was pretty epic. No match was easy and everything was earned. It was an honor to be able to help coach and offer any advice I could.”
A video posted on social media showed that Zuckerberg’s competitive streak led him to contest a referee’s call at one point during the tournament. However, the clip ends with Zuckerberg hugging his opponent, displaying good sportsmanship.
The tech billionaire’s participation in the tournament has garnered a lot of attention, with many social media users applauding his dedication to the sport.
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