We all know Shaquille O’Neal is a man of many talents. The 4x NBA champion not only was one of the most dominant players to ever exist but a multi-talent person who has done a lot outside the basketball court.
Besides being a cop, a doctor, a TV analyst, and many more things, Shaq has had a couple of fights in the wrestling world. Being a strong 7-footer, the Big Diesel fits the mold of those stars we saw in the 80s and 90s. That opened a lot of doors for him, who had experiences in WWE and more recently, AEW.
Shaq has faced big rivals during his bouts, which has boosted his confidence to the point of stating he’ll beat one of the greatest legends of the sport, André The Giant. André René Roussimoff was a high-profile name in the golden era of wrestling, taking the sport to new heights alongside Hulk Hogan.
Despite being really heavy and tall, he was pretty agile, which earned him the respect of both fans and colleagues.
Recently, Shaq made a bold claim, saying he would have taken on Andre and beaten him like he beat former nemesis, Charles Barkley. Talking on The Dan Patrick Show, O’Neal revealed his favorite wrestlers of all time:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=47HGWftuV9E
“Well, I had a lot of them. Andre The Giant, of course,” he said. “Hulk Hogan, Big Show, Matilda The Hun, Junkyard Dog, Tony Atlas, Kabuki, The Rock, Brock Lesnar. Guys that displayed nothing but power.”
When asked what would have happened if he went at it against Andre, Shaq didn’t even hesitate.
“I would have beat him like I beat Charles Barkley.”
Shaq has always boasted incredible confidence, but this might be one of his hottest takes. André was one of the biggest legends of his sport, and somebody who inflicted fear in his rivals. Perhaps Shaq wouldn’t have broken down in front of that, but this time, I got André winning the match.
A couple of months ago, he was KO’d by Cody Rhodes during an appearance on AEW, so it seems like he’s losing his touch on the ring.
