Shaquille O’Neal was a man among boys during his days in the NBA. Standing at a towering height of 7’1” and over 360 pounds of muscle, O’Neal was in a league of his own. Few men could ever dream of holding down the monster. But Vitor Belfort, the MMA legend, made it a reality when he met O’Neal for the first time in 1996.

The 4x NBA champion, Shaquille O’Neal, was a force of nature, the likes of which the NBA has never seen before. His size and agility made him dominate the best centers in the league for over two decades.

However, the dominant big man was humbled when he encountered the MMA legend, Vitor Belfort, one night in Hawaii.

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After signing with the Los Angeles Lakers in the off-season, O’Neal made his way to Hawaii with his new team for a training camp. However, Shaq had an unusual encounter on the trip that sparked his interest in a new passion.

Shaquille O’Neal revealed how he once got ‘jumped’ by Vitor Belfort

One night when strolling through the streets, Shaquille O’Neal got “jumped” by a mysterious man. The man in question was Vitor Belfort who was barely 20 years old then. However, he managed to get behind the Big Diesel and put him in a waist lock.

O’Neal recalled, “A guy grabs me and puts me in a waist lock.” To his surprise, he couldn’t get loose from the hold as easily as he expected. He thought he was getting robbed at the time, but when he turned around to fight the man, it was Belfort.?

Belfort said to O’Neal, “No, no, no. I just love you. I’m a fan of yours.”?The Brazilian fighter admitted he was an avid fan of the NBA and loved watching the superstar. He offered him two tickets and invited him to a fight, which O’Neal accepted.?

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O’Neal revealed that he fell in love with MMA that night and became a fan after watching Belfort’s fight. It was Belfort’s first sanctioned mixed martial arts match, and he was up against Jon Hess. Hess had the advantage; he was over 7 inches taller and 100 pounds heavier than Belfort.

However, Belfort knocked him out in 12 seconds, giving the fans a glimpse of what was coming. Belfort marked his arrival. Moreover, he found a new fan in O’Neal.

Since that night in Hawaii in 1996, the former MVP has followed the sport religiously. He also shares a healthy relationship with UFC president Dana White. The Big Diesel has been spotted in several UFC events over the years.