Tony Khan has once again expressed his interest in bringing an undefeated icon back to AEW for another match. If this becomes a reality, it would mark their first match in over four years.
NBA Hall of Famer Shaquille O’Neal previously competed for AEW in March 2021, teaming up with Jade Cargill to face Cody Rhodes and Red Velvet. During the match, Rhodes and Shaq crashed through a table, leaving Cargill and Red Velvet isolated in the ring. Cargill capitalized on the situation and secured the victory for her team after hitting her finisher.
Speaking to Sportico, Tony Khan reflected on the best non-wrestlers who have appeared in AEW and named Shaq as the best. He highlighted Shaquille O’Neal’s undefeated record in AEW and expressed his desire to see him return for another match.
> “For me, the best person we had and I would love for him to come back anytime would be Shaquille O’Neal. Shaq’s 1-0, but then he’s been away from AEW. He disappeared out of the ambulance in 2021, and we haven’t seen him since. So I would love to get Shaq back in the ring. He’s got to be one of the all-time greatest stars ever in basketball, and he’s undefeated in AEW.”
> — Tony Khan [H/T RSN]
Khan has previously mentioned how, similar to Big Boom AJ’s current involvement, Shaq had a significant impact on the promotion during his stint.
Shaquille O’Neal and Paul Wight Feud
Even before his time in AEW, Shaq had an interesting rivalry with the Big Show in WWE, given their imposing stature as giants in the wrestling world. In 2023, Shaq invited celebrity jeweler Diamond Sheik to his house and presented him with a custom-made belt made entirely of diamonds, dubbed the Billion Dollar Championship.
In a playful challenge, Shaq proposed a tag team match against Paul Wight, joking that he and Diamond Sheik would face Wight and a partner of his choice.
> “Cody, whoever else wants it, Big Show,” O’Neal said. “As a matter of fact, oh no, he’s in LA. Tell you what, Diamond Sheik and Shaq vs Big Show and whoever else you want. Let’s go, AEW.”
While this match has yet to materialize, the possibility remains. Despite not being in peak condition, Paul Wight has not officially retired and could still compete in one of his final matches, possibly squaring off against Shaq to settle their longstanding feud.
With Tony Khan’s enthusiasm for bringing Shaquille O’Neal back, AEW fans may soon have the chance to see this unique matchup come to life.
https://www.sportskeeda.com/aew/news-tony-khan-willing-bring-back-undefeated-star-aew-4-years
