The trend gained momentum after oen X user suggested that if all participants were dedicated, 100 people could overcome one gorilla. Since then, hundreds of users have posted their views, memes, and jokes on the improbable scenario, transforming a hypothetical battle into a viral sensation.
Although the idea gained fresh attention in April 2025, similar discussions reportedly first emerged in December 2022, when CBS News noted the Baltimore Ravens locker room was engaged in a similar debate after a win against the Pittsburgh Steelers. However, it remained a niche conversation until recently exploding into wider online culture.
Posts range from strategic humour, with users claiming, “The gorilla has to win 100 times, we only have to win once,” to tongue-in-cheek critiques linking the debate to broader discussions on human overconfidence and toxic masculinity.
When they keep sending 100 men to fight a gorilla and the male population decreases pic.twitter.com/34LC9Z5hbv
— maryama harris (@itsalwaysmaryam) April 27, 2025
would’ve been hilarious if gorillas had social media
— ᴷᴵᴸᴸ (@broztitute) April 27, 2025
The gorilla has to win 100 times. We only gotta win once
— ty (@WhySoSeriousTy) April 27, 2025
I see the 100 men vs 1 gorilla chat but imagine 100 women vs accountability
— Luu🇿🇦 (@sk1tguru) April 26, 2025
lmao i don’t mean to have discourse this early but this “100 men vs. a silverback gorilla” debate going around right now really highlights the hubris at the heart of toxic masculinity.
— bojack whoresman (@LebohangMosia_) April 27, 2025
Biologists often cite that adult male silverback gorillas can weigh up to 180 kilograms and possess immense physical power, suggesting that even 100 unarmed humans would face overwhelming odds. Nonetheless, the trend’s focus remains firmly on light-hearted entertainment rather than realistic analysis.