Turner broadcasting already nixed the imaginary scrap between former NBA stars Shaquille O’Neal and Charles Barkley, but somebody should tell Jose Canseco to keep his head on a swivel.
A cageside regular at UFC events, O’Neal recently told Ariel Helwani he’s ready to put his hobbyist martial arts training to use.
“I’m pretty good,” O’Neal told Helwani. “I could probably beat the hell out of Jose Canseco.”
“I don’t like him.”
Canseco has been incessantly trolling O’Neal for years, hounding the Phoenix Suns great over Twitter since 2011.
“I’ll probably knock him out in 42 seconds,” said O’Neal. “I need to just play with him a little bit. Give the fans their money’s worth and then knock him out.”
While correctly assuming UFC president Dana White would want no part in this farce, Shaq is open to not fighting Jose Canseco in various ways.
“UFC, street fight, laser tag. It doesn’t matter.”
In the face of mounting evidence to the contrary, O’Neal says the fantasy matchup with the ‘Juiced’ slugger isn’t personal.
@JoseCanseco ill beat your ass rat boy the whole world saw u run from hung man Choy. Set it up ill break your jaw #snitchesgetstitches
— SHAQ (@SHAQ) May 5, 2013
“There is no beef, just me wanting to be like a UFC fighter. A lot of people ask me who I would like to fight and that’s who I want to fight. I don’t have beef with earthlings.”
In 2010 O’Neal had also stated an interest in some sort of exhibition match with former DREAM veteran Hong-man Choi, teasing the emergence of ‘Shaq Fu.’
“He never responded so after I beat the crap out of Jose Canseco then I’ll come after Hong-man Choi.”
Canseco famously suffered a 2009 loss to Hong-man Choi at DREAM 9, tapping to strikes just 77 seconds into the first round.
5 MUST-READ STORIES
‘Dirty.’ Bas Rutten took to Facebook to try to clarify his statements regarding Jon Jones.
Predictions. Luke Thomas breaks down Bellator 120 and gives his picks.
Make it happen. Matt Brown is interested in ‘war’ with Nick Diaz. ‘He likes to come forward, I like to come forward … I can see that being a legendary fight, for sure.’
100% Money. Daniel Cormier says Jon Jones needs to embrace the hate and do his best Floyd Mayweather Jr. impersonation.
Old school. Pillars of the sport like Brazilian Top Team and Chute Boxe are working to evolve with the times. ‘We were the generation that built this market; we were fighting before the UFC was even created.’
MEDIA STEW
Make sure to check out Luke’s video interviews with Bjorn, Rampage, Mo, Tito and others ahead of Bellator 120.
Jake Ellenberger & Melisk Bagdasaryan beating the crap out of a sports science machine.
T.J. Dillashaw talks title shot revenge.
Tommy Toe Hold interviews our own Ariel Helwani.
Ready for some Michael Page on Saturday.
Kim Winslow’s anti highlight.
The shill-tastic UFC 173 promo you deserve.
Long watches.
MMA 3-way: Bellator 120 PPV discussion
TWEETS
Looks fun.
Back at SSL Center training today with Gavin MacMillan for the first time in 3 years. I’m sore as hell… http://t.co/4BgWWc2hzF
— Georges St-Pierre (@GeorgesStPierre) May 16, 2014
Please.
@nickdiaz209 please un-retire and fight Anderson Silva. I’ll buy you a beer and take you shooting!
— Tim Kennedy (@TimKennedyMMA) May 16, 2014
Chin, too.
BELIEVE…in HENDO
— Dan Henderson (@danhendo) May 15, 2014
Donald Cerrone answers your questions.
“@p_rose81: @Cowboycerrone what happened when you fought Nate Diaz cause since then you look way better” No excuses for that fight
— Cowboy Cerrone (@Cowboycerrone) May 15, 2014
“@AngelxAlvarez: @Cowboycerrone how many days a week do u train for fights” Depends if it summer and if im near a lake
— Cowboy Cerrone (@Cowboycerrone) May 15, 2014
“@olydempster: @Cowboycerrone would you rather fight 1000 chicken size horses or 1 horse size chicken?” One horse chicken
— Cowboy Cerrone (@Cowboycerrone) May 15, 2014
“@WalkTall20: @Cowboycerrone favorite kick?” Right to the balls
— Cowboy Cerrone (@Cowboycerrone) May 15, 2014
“@justinker: @Cowboycerrone im getting married Sunday. Any advice?” Run
— Cowboy Cerrone (@Cowboycerrone) May 15, 2014
Harsh.
Offered Dana bet that UFC1 PPV buys beat Bellator1. He said “Me shaving my head sells more PPV’s” LOL #originalUFC pic.twitter.com/0TVvJbv5I2
— Campbell McLaren (@campbellcombate) May 15, 2014
That’s a big welterweight.
As im weight cutting, I had the privilege to get my sweat on in the gym alongside a great fight @KingMoFH yesterday pic.twitter.com/TVHrhCJVuA
— Michael Venom Page (@Michaelpage247) May 15, 2014
New normal.
Spent some time yesterday @oxygenheals at bag area hyperbarics. What a difference in a day. I love this place. DC pic.twitter.com/cavwnTMsGp
— Daniel Cormier (@dc_mma) May 15, 2014
Congrats.
Biggest day in my life, jaiden Scott siler is finally here @themarywilliams @ufc pic.twitter.com/3m60fnaS9o
— Steven Siler (@Stevesiler) May 15, 2014
Waxy.
I’m too handsome to fight champ!;) RT: @gloverteixeira: Vai encarar . Face Off w/ The Rock! http://t.co/SvpPOmkn8S @ufc
— Dwayne Johnson (@TheRock) May 16, 2014
TBT.
Costa Rica 2010 when I almost killed myself jumping in the ring with a big ass bull with a full set of… http://t.co/081jRhtjnI
— Luke Rockhold (@LukeRockhold) May 16, 2014
More imaginary fights.
Cigano vs Hulk Meu amiguinho Enrico que fez pra mim e eu adorei demais. So pra vocês saberem, eu… http://t.co/0nIiyUl0wf
— Junior Dos Santos (@junior_cigano) May 15, 2014
Make you a believer?
Fight shape. This Saturday May 17th live on PPV. @bellatormma punishment99 http://t.co/2aHN3Fw0Aq
— Tito Ortiz (@titoortiz) May 16, 2014
Still at it.
@jessicaevileye @davinalexmma @CamYallits what’s a snag?
— Sarah Kaufman (@mmasarah) May 16, 2014
@jessicaevileye @mmagenius05 346?
— Sarah Kaufman (@mmasarah) May 16, 2014
TUF 20 preview.
#tbt talking to my daddy on thre set of #fightgirls before my fight http://t.co/cqOZ6o65u9
— Felice Herrig (@feliceherrig) May 15, 2014
But will it blend?
Me, a cake and a #proventough #Duralast battery from @AutoZone. What could go wrong? https://t.co/hJ5yRQ3VyH
— Chuck Liddell (@ChuckLiddell) May 15, 2014
FIGHT ANNOUNCEMENTS
Announced yesterday (May 15 2014)
Noad Lahat vs. Steven Siler at UFC on FOX 12
Viscardi Andrade meets Andreas Stahl at UFC on FOX 12
Jason Saggo vs. Josh Shockley at UFC 174
Bruno Santos out, Chris Camozzi vs. Trevor Smith at UFC 175
Claudio Henrique da Silva vs. Neil Magny at UFC Fight Night: Te Huna vs. Marquardt
FANPOST OF THE DAY
Today’s Fanpost of the Day comes via 15Minutes2ADream.
The Belligerent, Wonderful Masses: My First Experience With UFC Live.
Now almost a week removed from my very first time cage side, I have had the time to give my perspective unbiased from the after fight hype that I would have had writing this hours after coming back from the event (Ok, actually I just got kinda lazy about it and came up with a good excuse, but you don’t mind right?). I can say without reservation that UFC Fight Night: Brown vs Silva was easily the most fun I have had at a live event in years. It had it’s quirks mind (We’ll get to that in a bit..) but by the end of it all, as me and my newly minted fan of MMA cousin walked out of the U.S. Bank Arena into a dark May night (and got shouted at thanks to being mistaken for two bottle tossing lowlife drunkards, thanks guys~). We knew we had witnessed something special.
…
Check out the rest of the post here.
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