Meet Khai Wu, Mark Zuckerberg’s MMA trainer [interview]

Of today’s most successful businesspeople, Mark Zuckerberg stands out as one who invests time, energy and resources to pursue a personal sport. In July, the chief executive of Meta earned his blue belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu, drawing celebration from fans who follow his journey as an athlete.

Wu recently sat down with NextShark to share a bit about himself, what training Zuckerberg is like and how he is prepping for the next chapter of his professional life — while looking back at those who have supported him in his journey as an Asian American fighter.

The making of a fighter

Wu’s brother-in-law, Dave Camarillo — who is also Zuckerberg’s coach — served as his first jiu-jitsu instructor. Wu briefly attended college before realizing that it was not for him.

“I envy a lot of people who are able to complete college, because it was tough for me,” he admits. “I wasn’t always book smart. It just wasn’t for me. Then I drifted into MMA somehow, some way.”

Wu’s professional career began in his ancestral home of Taiwan in 2014. He earned his nickname, “The Shadow,” from a spectator after his first Muay Thai fight.

“Someone came up to me and they’re like, ‘It’s like you’re there, but you’re not, and then every single thing your opponent does, you do it back to him, but he can’t hit you with it. It’s almost like you’re a…