Since his early life, Shaquille O’Neal has exceeded all expectations in both height and athletic prowess. The man stands at 7-foot-1 with over 300 pounds of body mass and continuously ruled over every aspect in his way since birth. Playing in the NBA he illustrates dominant skills by dunking over peers while overpowering defense in the paint area and performing as a wrestler through throwing other athletes around.
But now? He’s got his sights set on something even crazier. Shaq wants to step into the UFC Octagon. Yeah, you read that right. Shaq wants to fight. And not just anyone—he’s aiming for Tank Abbott, the 255-pound, old-school MMA brawler who made his name by straight-up knocking dudes out back in the day.
For years, Shaq has been obsessed with MMA. In fact, he’s trained in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, sparred with legends, and even grappled with former UFC champ Forrest Griffin just for fun. On top of that, Dana White himself has admitted that Shaq used to blow up his phone with texts saying, “I’m telling you, Dana, I’m gonna fight in the UFC!”
Most people just laughed it off. After all, it’s Shaq—he’s always cracking jokes, always larger than life. But now? Now it seems like he’s actually serious.
In a recent interview, Shaq didn’t even hesitate when he was asked if there was one UFC legend he’d want to fight. “I would have liked to fight… What’s his name? Tank. I would have liked to fight Tank, yeah.”
A brief background introduction about Tank Abbott helps to understand his context. History shows that people considered this individual to be dangerous during the 1990s period. His dismal knockout capacity combined with street fighting expertise along with an immediate response approach made him a dangerous fighter. Shaq might find his match in terms of pure size and strength abilities from Tank according to recent reports. The specific reason why Shaq filed for a boxing license is what truly captured his interest.
The thing is, this isn’t just some random fantasy. Shaq actually has some combat sports experience. For example, he once fought Forrest Griffin in a friendly UFC bout. Not only that, but he also bet Claudia Gadelha $10,000 that she couldn’t submit him. Spoiler alert: She did.
The point is that Shaq has been in the fight game for a while. And if he’s actually pushing for a fight with Abbott? You know he’s not playing around.
Could Dana White make a Shaquille O’Neal vs. Tank Abbott fight happen?
On one hand, we’re talking about the guy who loves a spectacle. This is the same Dana White who gave us McGregor vs. Mayweather, so yeah, he’s definitely open to crazy ideas. And Shaq vs. Tank Abbott? That would break the internet.
Fans would lose their minds over it. After all, the sheer size, the personalities, and the absolute mayhem that would unfold? It would be a must-see TV.
But… then there’s that little issue of weight classes. Tank, at his peak, fought at 255 pounds. Shaq? He’s out here walking around at 325+ on a good day. That’s a massive difference, even in a sport where size doesn’t always mean skill.
Would it be a competitive fight? Eh… probably not. Would it be wild entertainment? Absolutely. Even if it’s just an exhibition, Shaq stepping into the Octagon would be one of the biggest crossover events of the decade. Here’s the thing—Shaq is 51 years old now, so it’s not like he’s in his prime. But let’s be honest… when has that ever stopped him?
The man is a walking tank (pun absolutely intended), and is there anyone who could actually pull off something this outrageous? It’s Shaq. For years, he’s been flirting with this idea, but will he actually follow through? Who knows. Maybe Dana White will make it happen. Maybe Tank Abbott is down for one last fight. Or maybe—just maybe—Shaq finally gets this idea out of his system and sticks to dunking on people at celebrity basketball games.
Either way, the fact that this is even a real conversation? That’s why we love Shaq.
The post Shaquille O’Neal Ready to Fight 250lbs UFC Legend Tempting Potential Dana White Collab appeared first on EssentiallySports.
