Published 18:05 IST, April 16th 2020

NBA legend Shaquille O'Neal reveals the UFC fighter that made him fall in love with MMA

NBA Hall of Famer Shaquille O'Neal revealed that UFC fighter Vitor Belfort got his attention and made him a UFC fan before being friends with Dana White.

Reported by: Raj Sarkar
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NBA Hall of Famer Shaquille O’Neal is a self-proclaimed MMA fan who is often spotted at several UFC events. UFC president Dana White and Shaquille O’Neal reportedly share a healthy relationship with each or. However, Shaquille O’Neal’s interest in MMA developed due to one particular UFC fighter, as NBA legend explained in his latest interaction with ESPN. According to Shaquille O'Neal, he fell in love with sport of MMA after witnessing Vitor Belfort on his pro-MMA debut in 1996.

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UFC: NBA legend Shaquille O’Neal reveals how Vitor Belfort me him fall in love with MMA

Shaquille O’Neal revealed that he was a part of an MMA campaign in 1996 which was organised in Hawaii. According to Shaquille O'Neal, he saw Vitor Belfort’s fight for first time and instantly fell in love with sport. Vitor Belfort took just five odd seconds to kck out his opponent in fight at Hawaii, and Shaquille O’Neal experienced entire incident live from audience. Since n, Shaquille O’Neal has been an active fan of UFC and is often spotted at several UFC events. President Dana White and Shaquille O’Neal also share a healthy relationship as NBA legend proudly claimed in interview. 

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UFC: Shaquille O’Neal reacts to Jon Jones’ arrest

During interview, Shaquille O'Neal highlighted Jon Jones’ arrest in New Mexico and said that he is rey to help UFC champion any day. According to Shaquille O’Neal, he does t want to kick a man when he is down. While a number of UFC superstars have taken to social media to condemn Jon Jones following his arrest, Shaquille O'Neal has seemingly taken a different approach by offering  UFC Light Heavyweight Champion a helping hand.

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Also Re | UFC: NBA Legend Shaquille O'Neal Opens Up About His Relationship With Jon Jones

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(Im courtesy: NBA.com and UFC.com)

18:05 IST, April 16th 2020