Tag: Shaquille O'Neal

Shaquille O’Neal backs Conor McGregor to win another UFC title: ‘He’s going to come with a vengeance’

Shaquille O'Neal Conor McGregor UFCFormer LA Lakers and NBA superstar, Shaquille O’Neal has backed former two-weight UFC champion to strike gold under the promotion’s banner before he calls time on his career, touting the Dubliner to return with “a vengeance” ahead of his comeback fight against Michael Chandler later this year. McGregor, 34, a former undisputed lightweight and featherweight […]

Shaquille O'Neal Conor McGregor UFC

Former LA Lakers and NBA superstar, Shaquille O’Neal has backed former two-weight UFC champion to strike gold under the promotion’s banner before he calls time on his career, touting the Dubliner to return with “a vengeance” ahead of his comeback fight against Michael Chandler later this year.

McGregor, 34, a former undisputed lightweight and featherweight champion under the banner of the UFC, most recently featured back in July 2021 against former interim champion, Dustin Poirier, suffering a fractured left tibia and fibula in the first round, resulting in a doctor’s stoppage TKO loss.

Yet to return to active competition since, Conor McGregor has since been booked to coach on The Ultimate Fighter 31 against the aforenoted Missouri veteran, Chandler, with a September showdown between the duo inside the Octagon floated at the time of publication.

Shaquille O’Neal backs Conor McGregor to land another UFC championship

Despite his two-fight losing skid at the lightweight limit – paired with the fact the Dubliner is without a victory at 155lbs since November 2016, the aforenoted Shaq claimed McGregor will return to the Octagon in search of gold, before eventually landing a championship.

“I expect a great show,” Shaquille O’Neal said of Conor McGregor’s return during an interview with Inside Fighting. “He’s always been a great showman. He’s always been a great competitor. Me and him have a similar type of blood. When you doubt us, that’s when we rise. They doubted him, he went to the top, took a couple of bumps, he went away for a while. He’s looking real good. I know he’s going to come back with vengeance.” (Transcribed by MMA Junkie) 

Without a professional victory since January 2020, Conor McGregor’s most recent win came back at the welterweight limit in the form of a 40-second high kick and strikes stoppage win over over one-time title challenger, Donald Cerrone.

Watch: Hasbulla puts Shaquille O’Neal in his place with a lightning fast right hook

HasbullaHasbulla Magomedov, the pint-sized social media star has become an internet sensation over the last few years, racking up millions of followers on TikTok and Instagram. The Russian social media star rose to fame at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic for his hilarious call-outs of UFC stars Conor McGregor and Khabib Nurmagomedov. Since then, […]

Hasbulla

Hasbulla Magomedov, the pint-sized social media star has become an internet sensation over the last few years, racking up millions of followers on TikTok and Instagram.

The Russian social media star rose to fame at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic for his hilarious call-outs of UFC stars Conor McGregor and Khabib Nurmagomedov. Since then, the world has come down with Hasbulla fever including four-time NBA world champion Shaquille O’Neal. In a short video clip uploaded by @HasbullaHive on Twitter, the small-scale star lands a solid jab on the 7’1″ tall NBA icon in playful collaboration.

Who Exactly is Hasbulla Magomedov?

If you use any type of social media, chances are you have come across a video clip of Hasbulla at some point. Born in Makhachkala, Dagestan in 2003. The internet was diagnosed with Growth Hormone Deficiency (GHD) or ‘Dwarfism’. It’s a rare genetic condition that affects roughly 2.3% of the world’s population. Other famous individuals who have been diagnosed with dwarfism include actors Peter Dinklage and Warwick Davis.

One of his more popular acts is his portrayal of former UFC lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov. Adopting the moniker of ‘Mini Khabib,’ he famously mimicked the Russian star’s iconic UFC 229 weigh-in. Since then, Hasbulla has appeared at UFC events, taking pictures with the UFC Hall of Famer and other MMA stars.

After meeting UFC President Dana White at UFC 261 in Abu Dhabi, many were convinced that a fight between the pint-sized star and his social media rival Abu Rozik would be featured inside the Octagon. Especially after their near brawl that took place at UFC 267. While White has joked about making the fight happen under the bright lights of the UFC, neither party has seriously considered making it a reality.