Francis Ngannou is one of the biggest men in the UFC. He stands at 6 ft 4 in and weighs in at 255 pounds. However, he was dwarfed by the sheer size and presence of the 7 foot 300-pounder Shaquille O’Neal. 

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The duo met last June. In his tweet at the time ‘The Predator’ remarked, “I think this is the very first time that somebody has made me look so little.” A few seconds later, though, the UFC Heavyweight showcased his immense strength.

Francis Ngannou stuns Shaquille O’Neal with his strength

Fans didn’t know what happened after they took the photo. The mystery has now been cleared by Francis Ngannou, who posted a photo of him lifting the Basketball legend.  

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‘The Predator’ carries ‘Shaq’ for a few seconds before putting him back on the ground. O’Neal was smiling wide while in the air, and even commented on ‘the Predator’ not having body fat. 

The NBA legend remarked, “yeah, that’s the first time I’ve ever been picked up.” Based on his reactions, Shaq seemingly enjoyed the moment, as there are not many other people who can lift him. He also wished ‘The Predator’ well in his next fight. 

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The Cameroonian beat Junior Dos Santos in just 71 seconds in the first round just 2 weeks later. He has been in imperious form with the win, extending his undefeated streak to 3. 

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The 2nd ranked UFC heavyweight rankings will fight Jairzinho Rozenstruik next. However, the fight has been moved twice. It was to headline the UFC Fight Night at Colombus. Later it was part of the UFC 249 event for this weekend at the Tachi Palace Casino Resort. 

‘The Predator’ has not fought in 10 months. Perhaps, he assumed that the video would serve as a reminder to fans about what he is capable of.

Will this fight be part of the UFC event on May 9th?

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Watch: What UFC Heavyweight Francis Ngannou Does to Strengthen His Core

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Reubyn Coutinho

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Reubyn Coutinho is the Head of Fact-Checking Initiatives and Content Quality Lead at EssentiallySports, where he oversees editorial quality across multiple sports verticals. A Communication graduate, he’s spent over five years shaping the site’s evolution from a niche sports blog into an all-in-one news platform, mentoring more than 110 journalists, introducing data-driven article improvements, and developing editorial guidelines for global audiences. Across his career at ES, Reubyn has worked as a writer, editor, and senior editor, covering everything from UFC, WWE, and boxing to F1, NFL, NBA, and tennis. His bylines include exclusive interviews with former UFC champions Demetrious Johnson and Miesha Tate, as well as combat sports stars Marcus Almeida and Sage Northcutt. Known for his meticulous eye, he regularly resolves headline debates, revisits trending pieces using live analytics, and sets the standard for high-quality sports reporting. Outside of sports media, Reubyn is an active film critic, contributing reviews and festival coverage to Netflix Junkie, where he’s covered events such as MAMI, Venice, and NYAFF. Whether he’s breaking down a championship fight or a Hitchcock classic, his work comes with deep research with a pure love for sport.

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