BASKETBALL icon Shaquille O’Neal believes Conor McGregor will once again hold UFC gold.
The ex-basketball player, and four-time NBA champion has no doubt that the Dubliner can reach the top of MMA once again.
Shaquille O’Neal performs during Shaq’s Fun House Super Bowl event last Friday at Talking Stick Resort in Scottsdale, Ariz.
Conor McGregor at the Black Forge before jetiing off to Las Vegas today
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The former two-division champion is set to coach opposite Michael Chandler on ‘The Ultimate Fighter’ before throwing down against the American on a date TBC.
‘Notorious’ hasn’t fought since breaking his leg in the Trilogy fight against Dustin Poirier in 2021.
And Shaq has predicted that ‘The Notorious’ will once again be cream of the crop.
Speaking with Inside Fighting the 50-year-old says he’s a lot like in common with Irishman in terms how they respond as competitors.
He said: “I expect a great show.
“He’s always been a great showman. He’s always been a great competitor. Me and him have a similar type of blood.
“When you doubt us, that’s when we rise. They doubted him, he went to the top, took a couple of bumps, he went away for a while.
“He’s looking real good. I know he’s going to come back with vengeance.”
It remains to be seen if the Crumlin star can ever recapture his title winning form, he has not won at lightweight since 2016.
But Many think the Dublin star will be granted a title shot if he can beat Michael Chandler, and Shaq agrees.
He added: “Of course, I know he will.”
A date for McGregor’s clash with Chandler will be decided when the Irishman re-enters the United States Anti-Doping Agency’s testing pool – which he’s been out of for the last year.
The Dubliner must be enrolled in the pool for a minimum of six months and provide two negative tests before he can compete again.
McGregor left Dublin for Las Vegas today as filming on TUF is set to begin.
He left the Irish capital as he issued a warning for his future opponent.
The Dubliner revealed his leg is throwing faster than his hands, he said: “I’m throwing out my high kicks faster than I’m throwing out my jab. I’m every excited.”