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The ongoing rivalry between NBA legends Shaquille O’Neal and Dwight Howard has taken an unexpected turn, with former UFC star Derek Brunson stepping into the mix. As the war of words escalates, Brunson has humorously proposed organizing a fight between the two—whether in MMA or boxing.
O’Neal has been a vocal critic of Howard, frequently questioning his playing style and accomplishments. This tension resurfaced when Howard, during an appearance on The Gauds Show, addressed O’Neal’s remarks and expressed interest in having a sit-down conversation to resolve their differences.
Instead of accepting the olive branch, O’Neal fired back on X (formerly Twitter) with a scathing post, dismissing Howard’s criticisms and declaring he would never mention him again. The post read:
“@DwightHoward the fact u think I care about u is funny, but I won’t ever bring your name up again sensitive big man, a jokester that can’t take a joke. Won’t ever say your name again ever again. Have a great day and now u have been deleted. Have a great day. #inevercared #trustme #dontneedvalidationyoudo #stayoffpodcasts #thefactyouthinkicareisfunny #yougottashowrespecttogetrespect #nowyouredeadtome.”
In response, Howard took to social media to label O’Neal as insecure and accused him of being jealous of other great NBA players.
As the online drama unfolded, Brunson joined the conversation with a tongue-in-cheek suggestion that caught fans' attention. Taking to social media, Brunson quipped:
“I can line this up. MMA or boxing. What do you guys prefer?”
While the idea of a physical showdown between the two basketball icons remains unlikely, Brunson’s humorous intervention adds an entertaining twist to the ongoing saga.
Fans on social media have been divided, with some supporting Howard’s call for reconciliation and others backing O’Neal’s no-holds-barred response. Meanwhile, Brunson’s offer has sparked conversations about how such a matchup could play out in combat sports.
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