Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg Got the Meme became the latest subject of internet memes this week after an awkward clip of him at UFC 298 went viral online.
The 15-second clip shows Zuckerberg sitting in the front row at the UFC event on Saturday night. UFC announcer Joe Rogan walks by Zuckerberg and says “Mark Zuckerberg is here tonight!” Zuckerberg turns to look at Rogan and gives him a strange smile and wave. However, Rogan does not acknowledge Zuckerberg’s reaction and keeps walking.
The awkward interaction immediately caught the attention of viewers, who started sharing and meme-ifying the clip across social media. On Twitter, the clip has been viewed over 12 million times and sparked tens of thousands of comments.
Many Twitter users made fun of Zuckerberg’s unusual facial expressions and awkward body language. “This man has never interacted with a human before,” one user wrote. Others likened his mannerisms to being an alien or robot trying to imitate human behavior.
The memes riffed on Zuckerberg’s $10 billion push into the metaverse, with jokes that he was experiencing a “glitch in the Matrix.” Other memes inserted the clip into scenes from movies and TV shows like The Office and Predator.
Some of the most popular memes included:
- An image of the alien character Alf with Zuckerberg’s face poorly photoshopped on. The text above the image reads “When you’re a human and not an alien.”
- A meme framing the clip as an entry in the “NPC dialog tree,” suggesting Zuckerberg was reacting with preset responses like a nonplayer character in a video game.
- A viral TikTok video with over 4 million views that edited the clip into the infamously cringeworthy Microsoft Surface launch event.
- A meme video that inserted Zuckerberg into the audience of Oprah’s famous “You get a car!” giveaway episode, where he mimics Oprah’s gestures and jumps up to wave his arms.
While Zuckerberg is no stranger to being the subject of memes and ridicule online, the UFC clip struck a particular nerve across social media. Many joked the video encapsulated how awkward and socially unaware Zuckerberg can come across in public appearances.
Others argued the mocking of Zuckerberg had gone too far. “It was just a human moment of awkwardness,” tech analyst Carmi Levy said. “Zuckerberg has always been an introvert dealing with the spotlight. Making memes targeting his discomfort seems like punching down.”
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But Zuckerberg himself did not seem bothered by going viral. On his Facebook page on Sunday morning, he shared one of the meme videos editing him into Oprah’s giveaway episode.
“One of my favorite memes so far,” Zuckerberg wrote, adding a laughing emoji.
Some marketing experts said going along with the jokes was a smart PR strategy. “Mark is trying to show he can take a joke instead of lashing out over the unflattering attention,” brand strategist Karen Freberg said. “In the world of tech founders, that makes him relatable.”
This isn’t the first time Zuckerberg has incorporated viral memes into his public persona. Last year, he shared videos of himself surfing with the caption “Making fun of Mark Zuckerberg surfing is my favorite new meme.”
As online culture moves faster, more public figures and companies are choosing to embrace meme treatment rather than fight it. “Memes are the lingua franca of the digital age,” Freberg said. “Leaning into viral jokes can humanize your reputation.”
But not all publicity is good publicity. Critics said Zuckerberg’s attempt to own the awkward moment fell flat. “You can tell he’s straining,” marketing executive Ross Kimbarovsky said. “It comes across as inauthentic. I think most people see through the facade.”
While the UFC incident may blow over quickly, some said the unflattering attention spoke to growing doubts over Zuckerberg’s leadership as Meta struggles with slowing revenue and plummeting stock value.
“As Meta stumbles, more people are questioning Zuckerberg’s decision-making,” said NYU business professor Scott Galloway. “The memes capture the growing perception of Zuckerberg as an out-of-touch founder clinging to a vision no one else believes in.”
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Whether the awkward moment will have any lasting impact on public opinion remains to be seen. But for now, the UFC clip provided some viral comic relief from harsher criticisms facing Meta and its founder.
“This man has never interacted with a human before.” – Twitter user @johnknowsball commenting on the video clip.
“It was just a human moment of awkwardness. Zuckerberg has always been an introvert dealing with the spotlight. Making memes targeting his discomfort seems like punching down.” – Tech analyst Carmi Levy
“One of my favorite memes so far.” – Mark Zuckerberg commenting on a meme video of the incident he shared on his Facebook page.
“Mark is trying to show he can take a joke instead of lashing out over the unflattering attention. In the world of tech founders, that makes him relatable.” – Brand strategist Karen Freberg
“As Meta stumbles, more people are questioning Zuckerberg’s decision-making. The memes capture the growing perception of Zuckerberg as an out-of-touch founder clinging to a vision no one else believes in.” – NYU business professor Scott Galloway
