Demetrious Johnson, an American professional mixed martial artist, is currently active in ONE Championship as the reigning ONE Flyweight Champion (135 lbs). He was also the first-ever UFC Flyweight Champion (125 lbs). Widely regarded as one of the greatest pound-for-pound mixed martial artists in history, Johnson’s impressive track record speaks for itself.
While he acknowledged that he would face challenges in a hand-to-hand fight against the four-time NBA champion, O’Neal, Johnson expressed confidence in his elite grappling abilities if the fight were to take place under MMA rules.
Demetrious Johnson Shares Insights on Defeating Prime Shaquille O’Neal
During an interview with DAZN MMA, Demetrious Johnson, the 37-year-old American MMA legend, addressed the question of whether he could defeat NBA icon Shaquille O’Neal in combat sports. Johnson acknowledged facing challenges in hand-to-hand combat against the four-time NBA champion. However, he expressed confidence that he would effectively employ his exceptional grappling skills if the fight occurred under MMA rules. This response came in a recent Instagram post by DAZN MMA.
“The thing is, is that Shaq is a specimen, right? He’s big, he’s strong. And I’ve competed against guys who were 250lbs. Could I beat Shaq in like a hand-to-hand combat [situation]? That would be very hard, right?”
Johnson continued: “I would have to rely back on my jiu-jitsu and grappling to take him down, pass his guard, and look to submit him. Would it be hard? Absolutely. I believe in myself. I believe in my skill set and yeah, I think I could take Shaq.”
O’Neal, being 7ft 1″ tall and possessing exceptional abilities, would likely be favored in a match against Mighty Mouse. However, Mighty Mouse would command O’Neal’s respect, and the admiration would be mutual.
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