Shaquille O'Neal almost got into street fight with UFC legend during bizarre mix-up

Shaquille O'Neal has revealed he was once almost involved in a street fight with former UFC champion Vitor Belfort many years ago.

One of the greatest basketball players in history, 'Shaq' was known for physically dominating his opponents during his professional career.

Standing at 7ft 1in tall and at one point weighing as much as 415 lbs, O'Neal was one of the most intimating players in the history of the NBA.

He is also known to be a huge MMA fan and started training in Brazilian jiu-jitsu and kickboxing back in 2000, regularly attending UFC events since.

So exactly the sort of man you'd want to be careful not to upset.

Well not if you're Brazilian MMA legend Belfort it seems, who once almost came to blows with O'Neal after squaring up to the former Los Angeles Lakers and Miami Heat star.

Earlier this year, on an episode of the Pound 4 Pound with Kamaru Usman and Henry Cejudo podcast, O'Neal recalled the time he almost fought the former UFC light heavyweight champion in the street.

"We're at training camp in Hawaii, and I'm walking down the street, and a motherf***** grabs me, and he's strong as f**k," O'Neal said.

"I'm thinking, 'Oh s***, it's about to go down.' And I turn around and we square up, and Vitor Belfort goes like this [raises hands] 'No, no, no, man! I'm a fan of yours.' I think this was UFC 1. Real talk.

"Motherf***** just grabs me so I'm getting ready to square up, 'No, no, no! I’m just a fan!' and he gave me tickets to his fight. And he beat some dude who had on some overalls.

O'Neal almost fought Belfort in the street (Image: Getty)

"The motherf***** grabbed me in the middle of the street. So in my mind, I'm about to f*** him up, because he's little. But he was nice. 'No, no, no. My friend, my friend. I fight in the UFC. We have a fight.' 'Motherf***** what time?'

"We didn't have s*** to do. He beat some 7ft dude in some overalls, and I had never seen a sport like that. So I've been a fan ever since."

O'Neal would become friends with Belfort after the incident and says the Brazilian once knocked out a man who was giving him verbal abuse.

"He knocked somebody out for me one time," O'Neal explained.

"Dude was talking crazy and Vitor just came out of nowhere, BING BING.

"I'm looking at the dude on the floor and I'm like, 'Vitor, go.' 'No man! Duh duh duh.' 'Motherf***** get out of here! Go. I got it.'

"Then the cops come. Yeah…"