Lance Stephenson and Michael Beasley haven’t had the most bitter rivalry in the NBA. In fact, they shared the floor as the Los Angeles Lakers players in the 2018-19 season. Yet, both stars have taken a very competitive turn away from the court. And on Saturday night, Stephenson just needed 65 seconds to prove that.

It was supposed to be a fun celebrity showdown at Brand Risk 14 inside the UFC Apex in Las Vegas. However, it turned chaotic as Stephenson and Beasley crashed to the mat. Now, Michael Beasley opened with surprising confidence and actually looked comfortable on his feet. The former No. 2 overall pick used his reach smartly, snapped a clean jab from distance, and briefly made the whole thing resemble a real boxing match.

However, the mood inside the UFC Apex shifted fast once Lance Stephenson bulldozed forward and wrapped up a body lock. Seconds later, Beasley crashed onto the canvas, and the fight instantly turned into a wild scramble filled with panic, bad decisions, and pure adrenaline. Trying to save himself, Beasley reached for a guillotine choke off his back. However, the technique quickly fell apart as his arms burned out.

Meanwhile, Stephenson escaped. He circled behind him during the chaos and grabbed a rear-naked choke while his rival exposed his back mid-roll. Nothing about the finish looked polished, yet Stephenson squeezed with everything he had. Beasley tapped with both hands only 1:04 into Round 1, and the bizarre clip exploded across social media within minutes.

Yet after the matchup, Lance Stephenson and Michael Beasley appeared friendly. “Practicing getting choked and getting choked ain’t the same!” Beasley admitted. He also said that he’ll box out, but never play “that choking sh**” again. Meanwhile, Stephenson joked that he’s from the hood. Interestingly so, Lance admitted Beasley got the better of him in their 1-on-1 matchup. However, he reminded everyone he still walked away with the win inside the cage before adding, “Next time we’ll do something he wants to do.”

Now, of course, the fans reacted to the viral moment, as it felt like Lance Stephenson took his revenge on Michael Beasley for last year’s defeat.

Internet goes into a frenzy after Lance Stephenson takes down Michael Beasley

“Lance Stephenson just made Michael Beasley tap in the 1st round of their MMA fight 😭😭😭,” someone commented. And well, you could say that the NBA veteran got his sweet revenge.

Back in 2025, Michael Beasley settled the debate the way he always preferred by grabbing a basketball and putting on a show. He outplayed Lance Stephenson 31-21 during their heated 1-on-1 battle at TNC 02, walking away with both bragging rights and a massive $100,000 payday. Therefore, another fan wrote, “Bro got his get back for losing the ones 😭.”

Meanwhile, a fan pointed out, “Basketball careers turning into UFC arcs was not on the 2026 bingo card 😭🥊.” To be fair, Lance Stephenson and Michael Beasley aren’t the only hoopers stepping into the world of MMA. Previously, Royce White declared he was preparing for a career in mixed martial arts in 2019.

Another fan joked, “It’s 1-1 now, next they gotta settle it with a rap battle.” Well, that doesn’t sound like a bad idea. The NBA’s close association with pop culture, with stars like Allen Iverson, Shaquille O’Neal, and Damian Lillard exploring that world. Therefore, maybe Lance Stephenson and Michael Beasley could take up a rap battle next time and set the records straight!

Lastly, keeping up with the shock and jokes, a fan said, “To think they both played on the Lakers together as teammates😂.” As surprising as it might sound, it’s true. Stephenson played 68 games for LA during the 2018-19 season, starting only 3 games. Meanwhile, Beasley played 26 games, starting in only 2.

So now, Lance Stephenson and Michael Beasley share a 1-1 record. They got feisty on Saturday, and the former took the win home. Well, what will be their next matchup? What do you think?