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MMA champs offer to train Elon Musk for cage match with Zuckerberg

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MMA champs offer to train Elon Musk for cage match with Zuckerberg

A who’s-who of MMA fighters have a beef with Mark Zuckerberg — so they’re throwing their weight behind Elon Musk ahead of a possible cage match between the tech titans

At least eight UFC fighters, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu champions, and more, led by former MMA champ Chad Robichaux are offering to train Musk for the proposed cage fight with Meta CEO Zuckerberg over his launch of micro-blogging rival Threads.

For some of them, this is about payback.

“No one likes Zuckerberg because he’s a communist that’s suppressing our speech, and ruining most of our businesses,” Robichaux told The Post. “We feel like he needs his a– beat.”

“I’ve been a victim of having my First Amendment rights violated by Zuckerberg,” Robichaux, who runs the Mighty Oaks Foundation, a veterans group, explained. “Every every Monday I have to have a staff meeting and we have to figure out what we can and can’t say so we don’t get suppressed.”

The martial-arts masters see 52-year-old Musk as their chance for revenge — even as Musk and Zuck have lately jabs on social media over a possible cage match. Most recently, Musk claimed on his social network X — formerly known as Twitter — that he planned to drive by Zuckerberg’s house to see if he “actually answers the door.”

Chad Robichaux is credited with leading the largest known civilian evacuation effort out of Afghanistan in the aftermath of the Taliban takeover.
20th Public Affairs Detachment

Alex Morono
Alex Morono punches Tim Means in their welterweight fight during the UFC Fight Night event at Spectrum Center on May 13, 2023.
Zuffa LLC via Getty Images

“Mark is traveling right now and isn’t in Palo Alto,” a spokesperson for Zuckerberg responded. “Also, Mark takes this sport seriously and isn’t going to fight someone who randomly shows up at his house.”

The trash-talking comes even as Zuckerberg last month launched Threads, a challenger to X, which quickly amassed 100 million sign-ups — more than a quarter of X’s active user base. Activity on Threads — which Meta executives said is “focusing on kindness and making this a friendly place” — appears to have fallen sharply since, according to research reports.

As for the literal cage match, “I would love to see Elon win, that’d be a great win for mankind in my opinion,” BJJ champion Thomas Cronin told The Post, noting his philosophical alignment with the space and electric-car guru. 


Nate Marquardt
Nate Marquardt during the UFC Fight Night event on Nov. 11, 2017.
Zuffa LLC via Getty Images

Other eight champions currently on board include: UFC fighter Jalin Turner, former UFC Light Heavyweight Champion Quinton Jackson, Strikeforce Champion and UFC title contender Nate Marquardt, current UFC contender Alex Morono, seasoned Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu instructor Vinicius Draculino Magalhaes, and Carlson Gracie Jr., whose father Carlos Gracie is considered one of the founders of Brazilian Jiu-Jistu.

“I have to side with Elon Musk … [because] of free speech. Zuckerberg is kind of taking away free speech on his platforms,” Jackson said. “Musk is more of a stand up guy.”

Not much is known about Musk’s master strategy to avert total annihilation from Zuckerberg. In June, he quipped on X that one of his moves is called “’The Walrus,’ where I just lie on top of my opponent and do nothing.” 


Elon Musk
Elon Musk, meanwhile has boasted about eating donuts for breakfast.
REUTERS

“I mean, with the size difference he probably could do it for a bit,” Turner, a top 15 UFC lightweight contender, laughed. 

“I think Elon Musk has a good sense of humor,” Jackson mused when asked about “The Walrus.”

Robichaux observed that “The Walrus” sounds a lot like a “Wet Blanket” technique he deploys via Jiu-Jitsu to wear down his enemies to the point of exhaustion and frustration so they start making mistakes.


Vinny Magalhaes
Vinny Magalhaes poses for a portrait on April 24, 2013.
Zuffa LLC via Getty Images

“It’s good. He’s a bigger guy,” Robichaux quipped. “He [could] use his body weight to like fatigue Zuckerberg — to make him work to constantly get up.”

Still, the jostling maestros think they can do much better.

Cronin, a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu coach who has trained a myriad of UFC fighters, has been studying up on Zuckerberg and is already spotting some vulnerabilities ripe for exploitation.


Mark Zuckerberg
Mark Zuckerberg has showcased his fighting dominance in various social media posts.
Instagram/Mark Zuckerberg

“There’s a couple of things that I see in Zuckerberg’s training that they’re not really addressing, as far as I can tell. And we want to capitalize on those positions,” Cronin said.

Cronin believes he knows “exactly how” Zuckerberg is going to come out and knows just how Musk can “throw a wrench in his plans.” He is keeping specifics close to the vest.

Jackson contended that Musk would be in jeopardy if he winds up in a ground tussle, given Zuckerberg’s considerable Jiu-Jitsu edge.

“If I was Elon Musk, I wouldn’t take him to the ground for one second,” Jackson said emphasizing he’d try his best to keep it standing.

Gracie Jr., a six-time Brazilian National Champion in Freestyle and Greco Roman wrestling also known as “The Prince of BJJ,” cautioned against “overtraining’ Musk into exhaustion.

“We’d have to work in some kind of basic fundamental techniques, and first, you have to evaluate his level and from there we can work on [him],” Gracie Jr. told The Post.


Mark Zuckerberg
Mark Zuckerberg claims he is not holding breath that Elon Musk will actually fight him.
AFP via Getty Images

Questions have swirled over whether the fight will ever come to fruition. Zuckerberg has sewed doubts, claiming that Musk is “not serious” and that “it’s time to move on.”

Musk, who previously challenged Russian President Vladimir Putin to single combat in a Hail Mary bid to rescue Ukraine from devastation, claimed that Italian officials agreed to an “epic location” for the internet kingpin rumble.

However, Italian culture minister Gennaro Sangiuliano appeared to quash speculation of a much-rumored “Gladiator”-style showdown at the ancient Colosseum, stipulating “it will not be held in Rome.”


Mark Zuckerberg
Mark Zuckerberg has been taking his Jiu-Jitsu very, very seriously.
Mark Zuckerberg

Zuckerberg has urged fans to “assume anything [Musk] says has not been agreed on.”

Musk has also claimed that he needed an “MRI of my neck & upper back” and “may require surgery before the fight can happen.”

Should Musk begin training, one adjustment the martial arts battalion would likely gently nudge him into making is his diet.


Carlson Gracie Jr.
Carlson Gracie Jr. is basically Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu family royalty.
carlsongracie/Instagram

Musk, who posits there’s a high probability we’re living in a simulation, has raved about soul-enriching junk food, claiming (possibly joking) to eat a donut every morning. 

Zuckerberg, who is seeking to build up a simulation of his own for humans to traverse, says he eats 4,000 calories a day to fuel his intense exercise regimen, often including hefty McDonalds’ orders, which he dubbed “so delicious.”

“[Musk] probably needs like a good 30 days on a good healthy diet regimen to cleanse his system and have the energy,” Robichaux said, “just to get his system functioning well and have his body fueled up.”

Another potential hurdle for Musk is the roughly 13-year age gap with Zuckerberg. 

Robichaux, some four years younger than Musk, stressed that Musk can overcome it, noting how he eats younger fighters for breakfast. 

“I’m 48. I smash 18 and 20 year old kids in the gym every day,” Robichaux joked in a dead serious way. “There’s something about this generation.”

Another option is rejuvenating stem cell therapy.

Eric Scoffers, CEO of Bioexcellorator, a firm that specializes in the treatment, told The Post “we will roll out the red carpet for Elon to make sure he’s in the best shape to beat Zuckerberg.” 

“Bioexcellorator is the exclusive stem cell treatment center for the UFC,” he added. “They’re treating current UFC champions. The treatment they offer will close the age gap between Musk and Zuckerberg.”


Elon Musk
Elon Musk is about 13 years older than Mark Zuckerberg, but is bullish about his abilities to put the younger billionaire in his place.
P&P / MEGA

The squadron of fighters have various visions for what a boot camp would look like, but are flexible to Musk’s liking.

At least one of the martial artists is stunned that the plutocrats want to subject themselves to such violent brutality rather than live out a cushy lifestyle.

“I was really surprised that two billionaires want to duke it out in the cage. I’ve been a fighter for over 20-something years. If I was a billionaire, I would not step foot in a cage — no way,” Jackson said.


Mark Zuckerberg
The Meta honcho doesn’t seem very intimidated by Elon Musk.
Instagram/Mark Zuckerberg

“I started it as a way to provide for my family — to me it was a hustle,” he added. “I did it to pay the bills.”

Musk has previously suggested that the billionaire melee will raise money for veterans and pediatric hospitals in Italy. Robichaux’s squad is hoping they might consider donating some of those funds to The Mighty Oaks Foundation.

The group works to tackle post-traumatic stress disorder and prevent veteran suicide.


Chad Robichaux
Chad Robichaux went into Afghanistan during the Taliban takeover to rescue his translator.
Marine Corps Installations West

Robichaux is credited with spearheading one of the largest known civilian evacuation efforts out of Afghanistan in the aftermath of the Taliban takeover.



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Facebook Faces Yet Another Outage: Platform Encounters Technical Issues Again

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Facebook Problem Again

Uppdated: It seems that today’s issues with Facebook haven’t affected as many users as the last time. A smaller group of people appears to be impacted this time around, which is a relief compared to the larger incident before. Nevertheless, it’s still frustrating for those affected, and hopefully, the issues will be resolved soon by the Facebook team.

Facebook had another problem today (March 20, 2024). According to Downdetector, a website that shows when other websites are not working, many people had trouble using Facebook.

This isn’t the first time Facebook has had issues. Just a little while ago, there was another problem that stopped people from using the site. Today, when people tried to use Facebook, it didn’t work like it should. People couldn’t see their friends’ posts, and sometimes the website wouldn’t even load.

Downdetector, which watches out for problems on websites, showed that lots of people were having trouble with Facebook. People from all over the world said they couldn’t use the site, and they were not happy about it.

When websites like Facebook have problems, it affects a lot of people. It’s not just about not being able to see posts or chat with friends. It can also impact businesses that use Facebook to reach customers.

Since Facebook owns Messenger and Instagram, the problems with Facebook also meant that people had trouble using these apps. It made the situation even more frustrating for many users, who rely on these apps to stay connected with others.

During this recent problem, one thing is obvious: the internet is always changing, and even big websites like Facebook can have problems. While people wait for Facebook to fix the issue, it shows us how easily things online can go wrong. It’s a good reminder that we should have backup plans for staying connected online, just in case something like this happens again.

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Christian family goes in hiding after being cleared of blasphemy

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Christian family goes in hiding after being cleared of blasphemy

LAHORE, Pakistan — A court in Pakistan granted bail to a Christian falsely charged with blasphemy, but he and his family have separated and gone into hiding amid threats to their lives, sources said.

Haroon Shahzad (right) with attorney Aneeqa Maria. | The Voice Society/Morning Star News

Haroon Shahzad, 45, was released from Sargodha District Jail on Nov. 15, said his attorney, Aneeqa Maria. Shahzad was charged with blasphemy on June 30 after posting Bible verses on Facebook that infuriated Muslims, causing dozens of Christian families in Chak 49 Shumaali, near Sargodha in Punjab Province, to flee their homes.

Lahore High Court Judge Ali Baqir Najfi granted bail on Nov. 6, but the decision and his release on Nov. 15 were not made public until now due to security fears for his life, Maria said.

Shahzad told Morning Star News by telephone from an undisclosed location that the false accusation has changed his family’s lives forever.

“My family has been on the run from the time I was implicated in this false charge and arrested by the police under mob pressure,” Shahzad told Morning Star News. “My eldest daughter had just started her second year in college, but it’s been more than four months now that she hasn’t been able to return to her institution. My other children are also unable to resume their education as my family is compelled to change their location after 15-20 days as a security precaution.”

Though he was not tortured during incarceration, he said, the pain of being away from his family and thinking about their well-being and safety gave him countless sleepless nights.

“All of this is due to the fact that the complainant, Imran Ladhar, has widely shared my photo on social media and declared me liable for death for alleged blasphemy,” he said in a choked voice. “As soon as Ladhar heard about my bail, he and his accomplices started gathering people in the village and incited them against me and my family. He’s trying his best to ensure that we are never able to go back to the village.”

Shahzad has met with his family only once since his release on bail, and they are unable to return to their village in the foreseeable future, he said.

“We are not together,” he told Morning Star News. “They are living at a relative’s house while I’m taking refuge elsewhere. I don’t know when this agonizing situation will come to an end.”

The Christian said the complainant, said to be a member of Islamist extremist party Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan and also allegedly connected with banned terrorist group Lashkar-e-Jhangvi, filed the charge because of a grudge. Shahzad said he and his family had obtained valuable government land and allotted it for construction of a church building, and Ladhar and others had filed multiple cases against the allotment and lost all of them after a four-year legal battle.

“Another probable reason for Ladhar’s jealousy could be that we were financially better off than most Christian families of the village,” he said. “I was running a successful paint business in Sargodha city, but that too has shut down due to this case.”

Regarding the social media post, Shahzad said he had no intention of hurting Muslim sentiments by sharing the biblical verse on his Facebook page.

“I posted the verse a week before Eid Al Adha [Feast of the Sacrifice] but I had no idea that it would be used to target me and my family,” he said. “In fact, when I came to know that Ladhar was provoking the villagers against me, I deleted the post and decided to meet the village elders to explain my position.”

The village elders were already influenced by Ladhar and refused to listen to him, Shahzad said.

“I was left with no option but to flee the village when I heard that Ladhar was amassing a mob to attack me,” he said.

Shahzad pleaded with government authorities for justice, saying he should not be punished for sharing a verse from the Bible that in no way constituted blasphemy.

Similar to other cases

Shahzad’s attorney, Maria, told Morning Star News that events in Shahzad’s case were similar to other blasphemy cases filed against Christians.

“Defective investigation, mala fide on the part of the police and complainant, violent protests against the accused persons and threats to them and their families, forcing their displacement from their ancestral areas, have become hallmarks of all blasphemy allegations in Pakistan,” said Maria, head of The Voice Society, a Christian paralegal organization.

She said that the case filed against Shahzad was gross violation of Section 196 of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC), which states that police cannot register a case under the Section 295-A blasphemy statute against a private citizen without the approval of the provincial government or federal agencies.

Maria added that Shahzad and his family have continued to suffer even though there was no evidence of blasphemy.

“The social stigma attached with a blasphemy accusation will likely have a long-lasting impact on their lives, whereas his accuser, Imran Ladhar, would not have to face any consequence of his false accusation,” she said.

The judge who granted bail noted that Shahzad was charged with blasphemy under Section 295-A, which is a non-cognizable offense, and Section 298, which is bailable. The judge also noted that police had not submitted the forensic report of Shahzad’s cell phone and said evidence was required to prove that the social media was blasphemous, according to Maria.

Bail was set at 100,000 Pakistani rupees (US $350) and two personal sureties, and the judge ordered police to further investigate, she said.

Shahzad, a paint contractor, on June 29 posted on his Facebook page 1 Cor. 10:18-21 regarding food sacrificed to idols, as Muslims were beginning the four-day festival of Eid al-Adha, which involves slaughtering an animal and sharing the meat.

A Muslim villager took a screenshot of the post, sent it to local social media groups and accused Shahzad of likening Muslims to pagans and disrespecting the Abrahamic tradition of animal sacrifice.

Though Shahzad made no comment in the post, inflammatory or otherwise, the situation became tense after Friday prayers when announcements were made from mosque loudspeakers telling people to gather for a protest, family sources previously told Morning Star News.

Fearing violence as mobs grew in the village, most Christian families fled their homes, leaving everything behind.

In a bid to restore order, the police registered a case against Shahzad under Sections 295-A and 298. Section 295-A relates to “deliberate and malicious acts intended to outrage religious feelings of any class by insulting its religion or religious beliefs” and is punishable with imprisonment of up to 10 years and fine, or both. Section 298 prescribes up to one year in prison and a fine, or both, for hurting religious sentiments.

Pakistan ranked seventh on Open Doors’ 2023 World Watch List of the most difficult places to be a Christian, up from eighth the previous year.

Morning Star News is the only independent news service focusing exclusively on the persecution of Christians. The nonprofit’s mission is to provide complete, reliable, even-handed news in order to empower those in the free world to help persecuted Christians, and to encourage persecuted Christians by informing them that they are not alone in their suffering.

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Individual + Team Stats: Hornets vs. Timberwolves

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CHARLOTTE HORNETS MINNESOTA TIMBERWOLVES You can follow us for future coverage by liking us on Facebook & following us on X: Facebook – All Hornets X – …

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