Shaquille O’Neal is known for the physical aspect he brought into the game. And that’s because of his god-gifted stature. He is 7-foot-1 inches tall and weighs around 325 pounds. 

There are only a handful of people who can dominate Shaq in terms of physicality. One of them was the Chinese professional player Yao Ming, and another was Francis Ngannou. The current UFC heavyweight champion went viral in 2020 after a video. In the video, Francis lifts the then 385-pound heavy Shaq with ease.

After the video of Ngannou lifting Shaq was released, the NBA legend gave his thoughts regarding the same. According to O’Neal, the UFC champion made him feel like a child.

Shaquille O’Neal reflects on the viral video

It is safe to say Shaq is a big man. He was one of the toughest players to guard during his days in the NBA. Although most of us might look at Shaquille O’Neal with awe, it is not the same case for everyone. And the UFC heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou is one of them.

Talking to the UFC President Dana White, Shaq mentioned, “The football players that I fought always tried to pick me up, but this guy picked me up with ease, and I was trying to resist.“

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He added, “He just picked me up and held me up there with ease and then dropped me gently, like I was the kid. I was like– ‘felt like a kid again.’ I’m 385.”

Shaq is present in top UFC fights and is a big fan of the sport.

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Shaq talks about how Mixed Martial Arts helped him

With games all around the year, basketball players need to stay in top shape. And Shaq credited his success in the NBA to his mixed martial arts training.

Shaq was already a star when he entered the league in 1992. He upped his game with the Los Angeles Lakers as he won his first title in 2000, and MMA is the reason behind that.

Talking to ESPN, he said, “MMA is the reason I became a champion. I always used to practice basketball. It wasn’t enough. Because when I played basketball, it was more wrestling. So when I trained MMA with Jon Burke, a friend of mine down in Orlando, I came back in the best shape of my life. That was in 2000. Won. Dominated.”

Shaq’s love for MMA is not a secret. He can be often seen cage-side whenever a big match is going on. And he further expresses his love for the fighting sport by crediting his NBA success to it.

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What is your favorite memory of Shaquille O’Neal? Let us know in the comments below.