Zuckerberg Booed at UFC Event

Meta CEO's attempt to court right-wing audience falls flat as he's loudly jeered at Las Vegas fight

Published on Mar. 10, 2026

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Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg was loudly booed by the crowd at a UFC event in Las Vegas on Saturday night, despite his efforts to transform his image and appeal to right-wing audiences by adopting a more bro-like persona, getting jacked, and cozying up to figures like former President Trump.

Why it matters

Zuckerberg's inability to win over the UFC crowd, despite his attempts at image rehabilitation, highlights the ongoing challenges he faces in improving his public perception, which has suffered in recent years due to controversies around Facebook's handling of misinformation and user privacy.

The details

Footage from the event shows the crowd loudly cheering for other celebrities like actor Mark Wahlberg and UFC fighter Robbie Lawler, but erupting into boos when Zuckerberg's image appeared on the jumbotron. Zuckerberg, who has taken up martial arts and adopted a more casual, 'bro-coded' style of dress in an apparent effort to connect with right-wing audiences, laughed off the negative reaction and briefly acknowledged the crowd's disapproval.

  • The incident occurred on Saturday, March 10, 2026 at a UFC event in Las Vegas, Nevada.

The players

Mark Zuckerberg

The CEO of Meta (formerly Facebook), who has faced ongoing challenges in improving his public image and connecting with right-wing audiences despite efforts to rebrand himself as a more relatable, 'bro-coded' tech leader.

Robbie Lawler

A UFC Hall of Famer and fighter whose appearance on the jumbotron was met with enthusiastic cheers from the crowd, in contrast to the boos directed at Zuckerberg.

Mark Wahlberg

An actor whose appearance on the jumbotron was also met with cheers from the UFC crowd, unlike Zuckerberg's reception.

Puka Nacua

A football player whose appearance on the jumbotron immediately following Zuckerberg's was met with loud cheers from the crowd.

Donald Trump

The former U.S. president, whom Zuckerberg has courted in an apparent effort to appeal to right-wing audiences, including by having Facebook turn a blind eye to hate speech during Trump's presidency.

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What they’re saying

“I'm booed”

— Mark Zuckerberg (Futurism)

The takeaway

Zuckerberg's inability to win over the UFC crowd, despite his efforts to rebrand himself and appeal to right-wing audiences, underscores the ongoing challenges he faces in improving his public perception and overcoming the controversies that have plagued Facebook and Meta in recent years.