The Facebook CEO shared a selfie on Instagram sporting two black eyes he sustained during jiu-jitsu training. In a caption accompanying the video, he wrote, “Sparring got a little out of hand. I may need to update my avatar.” The 39-year-old billionaire added, “More bruises than I expected, but it was worth it!”
Last year, Zuckerberg took up jiu-jitsu, which he has since claimed is a life-changing hobby that gives him an energy boost and enables him to focus on his work. In an interview on the Joe Rogan Experience podcast, the Facebook founder shared that he began training in martial arts form during the COVID-19 pandemic, which has helped him improve at work by giving him an outlet for stress. Since then, he has shared various photos on his social media accounts that show him in his combat gear and surrounded by teammates as he engages in martial arts training.
In one photo, Zuckerberg can be seen wearing a blue gi with white stripes. He is seated next to a black and red jiu-jitsu mat with other jiu-jitsu students. He is pictured in various other fighting poses as well. The entrepreneur is a frequent guest on the Joe Rogan podcast and regularly shares martial arts content with his followers.
Zuckerberg’s latest Instagram post adds to the various facets of his personal life that have been shared on his social media pages, including his family and passion for surfing. These glimpses of his private life humanize the tech entrepreneur and break down barriers that often come with figures of his stature.
This isn’t the first time the internet has roasted Zuckerberg for his digital avatar’s poor graphics. In 2022, he uploaded a picture of himself with his Metaverse avatar in front of an animated Eiffel Tower to mark the launch of Horizon Worlds in France and Spain. It was met with widespread mockery, with some Twitter users comparing the rudimentary graphics to 1990s Nintendo games and Second Life.
A few months later, Zuckerberg previewed a new version of his Metaverse avatar that boasted improved visuals. For instance, the new avatar’s legs look more like real legs than the stubby appendages in the previous version. It also features an eyebrow that wiggles as the user turns their head. The updated avatar also has a more rounded jaw. The Metaverse has a long way to go before it can be described as having high fidelity, but at least the reworked avatar isn’t a dead-eyed robot. For now, however, it’s still a dreadful-looking avatar.
