Conor McGregor has been expected to reclaim his world title as he prepares to return to the Octagon against Michael Chandler.
NBA legend Shaquille O’Neal believes Conor McGregor has got what it takes to be a UFC champion again as he insists that ‘he’s going to come back with vengeance’.
Earlier this month, it was confirmed that the former UFC double champion will make his highly-anticipated return against Michael Chandler, which will likely take place at welterweight.
The pair will serve as coaches in the next season of ‘The Ultimate Fighter’ before facing each other in the Octagon later this year.
McGregor, 34, has not fought since breaking his leg in his trilogy fight against Dustin Poirier in July 2021.
But despite having not fought for nearly two years, O’Neal believes the Irishman will be determined to prove a point as he returns to welterweight.
And, the retired basketball player turned NBA analyst thinks McGregor is also capable of replicating his previous success at featherweight and lightweight respectively.
What has Shaquille O’Neal said about Conor McGregor?
“I expect a great show,” O’Neal told Inside Fighting.
“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.”
Asked if he can become a champion again, he replied: “Of course, I know he will.”
This isn’t the first time that Shaq has spoken about McGregor, having previously offered him advice following his rematch defeat to Poirier two years ago.
Speaking to ESPN in 2021, he said: “It is hard to be on top forever, you know what I am saying?
“He took a leave of absence for a while and he has been doing his thing. He became quite the businessman, but it’s hard to be on top all the time.
“When you are on top, a lot of people want your position so… like, they know you are training two hours a day, well, they want your spot so they will train four hours a day. It happens to the best of us.
“Look, there’s only one guy out there that has not ever taken defeat, and that’s the great Floyd Mayweather. Everybody else: we won, we lost, we come back, we lost again. We fell off, and we come back again.
“There is only one guy who can say, ‘I have never lost to anyone. I don’t know how that feels like.’ And that’s the great Floyd Mayweather.”
