Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg recently participated in a mixed martial arts sparring session with ex-UFC champion Merab Dvalishvili on a barge in the middle of Lake Tahoe. Viral footage shared by Zuckerberg on Sunday showed the two exchanging blows. The session was documented by multiple videographers and drone operators. Zuckerberg's wife, Priscilla Chan, was seen in a canoe nearby.
Dvalishvili, a top contender in the bantamweight division, appeared to be training the Meta chief, who has a known habit of training with elite mixed martial artists. In one instance captured on video, Zuckerberg executed a throw that sent Dvalishvili into the water. This marks the second recorded sparring session between the pair, following a previous encounter in December 2025.
The sparring incident occurred as Zuckerberg's representatives denied allegations that his $300 million yacht, The Launchpad, ignored a distress call from a stranded vessel in Alaskan waters. The incident involved a 21-foot skiff that ran out of fuel between Juneau and Petersburg. While Zuckerberg's yacht was in the vicinity on August 3, the Meta CEO was not aboard at the time, according to his spokesman.
The skiff initially contacted the Coast Guard, which determined there was no immediate distress and issued a marine assistance broadcast. The cruise ship Wilderness Legacy responded and towed the skiff to safety. A passenger on the Wilderness Legacy claimed on social media that the captain had announced Zuckerberg's yacht had repeatedly failed to respond to calls for assistance, leading to audience booing.
A spokesman for Zuckerberg stated that The Launchpad was operating on a different radio channel when the assistance request was made. By the time the yacht's crew reviewed the broadcast, another vessel had already begun responding. This explanation aligns with U.S. maritime regulations, which require assistance only when a vessel is in danger of being lost, a condition the Coast Guard did not initially assess for the skiff.