On Saturday, NBA legend Shaquille O’Neal came face-to-face with President Donald Trump at UFC 314 in Miami’s Kaseya Center, sharing a respectful handshake that quickly went viral. The interaction, met with roaring cheers, highlighted the mutual admiration between two iconic figures.
The moment was captured in a video shared on X by White House communications advisor Margo Martin, showing O’Neal leaning in to meet Trump eye-to-eye before extending a hand in respect.
Watch the clip below to see the crowd erupt as the two legends connected:
President Trump 🤝 Shaq pic.twitter.com/cTnQzUJ41l
— Margo Martin (@MargoMartin47) April 13, 2025
O’Neal, a four-time NBA champion and listed at over 7-feet tall, towered over Trump, a two-time U.S. general election winner and listed at roughly 6-foot-3, as they exchanged words, their smiles reflecting genuine respect. For fans, it was a thrilling collision of sports and cultural giants.
X users buzzed with excitement, with all manner of positive comments under Martin’s post capturing the sentiment. The respectful exchange resonated deeply with those who admire both men — which is apparently quite a large Venn diagram overlap.
UFC 314 wasn’t lacking for star power inside the octagon, either. The card was headlined by a UFC Featherweight Championship bout between Alexander Volkanovski and Diego Lopes.
Volkanovski won the vacant title in a thrilling five-round battle, reclaiming his spot as featherweight king. The crowd cheered wildly as he celebrated his victory.
The co-main event featured a lightweight clash between Michael Chandler and Paddy Pimblett. Pimblett secured a TKO win in the third round, a career-defining moment for the rising star.
WARNING: The following clip contains violent imagery that some viewers may find disturbing.
THE KING OF THE NORTH 👑
Paddy Pimblett earns the Round 3 TKO for the biggest win in his career!
[ #UFC314 | LIVE NOW on @ESPNPlus PPV ] pic.twitter.com/2vC9ygf7Nv
— UFC (@ufc) April 13, 2025
Trump’s presence at UFC 314 added extra excitement on top of the electric card. According to the New York Post, he arrived with FBI Director Kash Patel, Texas GOP Sen. Ted Cruz, and Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard — among others — underscoring the event’s high profile.
Trump didn’t stop at greeting O’Neal. He also mingled with other celebrities, making the night a genuinely star-studded affair.
Barstool Sports founder Dave Portnoy shared a handshake with Trump. UFC commentator and podcast titan Joe Rogan also received a warm embrace from the president.
Elon Musk was another big name present. Despite some ongoing backlash related to the Department of Government Efficiency he heads, fans cheered the tech mogul’s attendance.
The Shaq-Trump moment, however, stole the show. As Athlon Sports noted, their respectful handshake especially turned heads, showcasing the admiration between the two.
Are you a Shaquille O’Neal fan?
(Athlon also noted that this handshake came after a separate O’Neal incident in which he seemed to threaten an online streamer/content creator, Adin Ross.)
For O’Neal fans, seeing him show respect to Trump highlighted his ability to connect across spheres. Shaq has always been a unifying figure in a generally polarizing world.
Trump, a longtime UFC fan and standing WWE Hall of Famer (both UFC and WWE are owned by the same mega-entity), thrived in the energetic environment. His face-to-face moment with O’Neal drew massive attention from the crowd, if only for the rare visual of the president being dwarfed.
The event delivered for fight fans, as well, with Volkanovski’s title win and Pimblett’s upset over Chandler providing thrilling moments.
Fans of both Shaq and Trump saw the night as a perfect blend of sports and star power. Their respectful exchange was truly epic — just look at how viral Martin’s X post has gone.
UFC 314 will be remembered for its fights, but O’Neal and Trump’s face-to-face moment will live on as a particular highlight.
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