There are multiple celebrities who are deeply into the sport of MMA. Noted personalities like Mötley Crüe drummer Tommy Lee and Hollywood star Mark Wahlberg have become familiar faces at UFC events. However, fans have also witnessed famous personalities from other sports showcasing their love for martial arts. The famed NBA legend Shaquille O’Neal also comes under the list of such celebrities.

O’Neal takes a lot more interest in martial arts than just being a fan of them. There are several videos out on the web that show him training in various forms of martial arts. A three-year-old video also showcased him training at the UFC Performance Institute as well. But the noted former UFC heavyweight king, Francis Ngannou interrupted him. After a few greetings, one of Ngannou’s actions fired up O’Neal. He described what would’ve happened if ‘The Predator’ performed the same move on him during a fight.

Things got unruly during the photo session involving Shaquille O’Neal and Francis Ngannou

Ngannou shot up during ‘Shaq’s’ training session at UFC PI, stating, “You’re taking up the whole building”. The two then proceeded to have a warm hug. The MMA world has often talked about O’Neal’s’ willingness to compete in various forms of martial arts. A few snippets from his training sessions may be enough to convince a large chunk of fans that he actually has what it takes to compete in martial arts.

‘The humongous stature of ‘Shaq’ took aback ‘the Predator”. He exclaimed, “You make me look little”. His next words, “Let’s take some pictures”, signified that he wanted to retain the memories of this meetup with the NBA legend. However, a mischievous idea struck Ngannou right after their photo session. He lifted up the 7’1″ man with rather ease.

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But ‘Shaq’ probably didn’t like Ngannou’s act too much. After ‘The Predator’ left the scene, O’Neal revealed what would’ve happened if Ngannou tried to execute the same move on him during a real fight.

Now, after watching how O’Neal planned to counter Ngannou’s move, do you think his strikes would’ve done enough to free him from ‘The Predator’s’ hold? Fans need to consider two situations here. Firstly, Ngannou won’t be holding onto his lifting position for long if this happens during a real fight.

Most probably, he will go for a crushing slam right after he manages to lift ‘Shaq’ and get in a favorable position. But the fans also need to notice that ‘Shaq’ must pack some formidable power in his strikes due to his weight. However, nobody can document if they would suffice to free him from Ngannou’s lift and slam maneuver.

Will the MMA world ever witness Shaquille O’Neal competing in the sport?

Most fans are well aware of the fact that ‘Shaq’ has bagged the NBA championship title four times in his entire career. But what they might not know is that he gives a lot of credit to his MMA training for his NBA achievements.

Why Is Francis Ngannou Called ‘The Predator’? Everything You Need to Know About Ex-UFC Star’s Moniker?

Even ‘ESPN’ highlighted the NBA legend’s words about MMA in one of their 2020 reports. ‘Shaq’ said, “MMA is the reason I became a champion” while being interviewed by the noted MMA coverage personality, Ariel Helwani. However, he is currently 51 years old and there’s hardly anyone in this entire world who has made a pro-MMA debut at 51 years of age.

But anything can happen since MMA is one of the most unpredictable sports in the entire world. Also, the person we’re talking about is nowhere near an ordinary one. What is your take on the issue?

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