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Time of India

Shaquille O'Neal turns heads with cryptic birthday post for underground wrestling star

Shaquille O'Neal turns heads with cryptic birthday post for underground wrestling star (Image Source: Instagram Story) NBA legend Shaquille O'Neal took to his Instagram story to post a lighthearted and unexpected birthday shoutout. It wasn't to a fellow athlete or celebrity from the basketball world - but to someone from the wrestling ring. Shaquille O'Neal reposted a funny birthday story for ZTheTallNomad, also known as Painful Paul, a performer known in the independent wrestling scene. Let's take a closer look at the birthday post and what made fans react. Shaquille O'Neal Celebrates The Undertaker-Inspired Wrestler On Tuesday morning, Shaquille O'Neal, who is known not just for his NBA career but also his love for professional wrestling, shared a birthday post for ZTheTallNomad on his Instagram story. The story was originally posted by the official page of Juggalo Championship Wrestling (IG: @juggalochampionshipwrestling). View this post on Instagram A post shared by ColorsTV (@colorstv) The post featured a playful birthday message: 'Happy birthday Painful Paul... the man whose choke slams are so devastating, even the cake tapped out.' Shaquille O'Neal reposted the message showing love and humor toward Painful Paul, who goes by @zthetallnomad on Instagram. Despite being considered a modern version of The Undertaker by many fans, Paul has established himself as an essentially independent indie wrestler. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like 2025 Top Trending local enterprise accounting software [Click Here] Esseps Learn More Undo Shaquille O'Neal turns heads with cryptic birthday post for underground wrestling star Shaquille O'Neal's gesture was not just amusing; it also brought viewers back to Shaquille O'Neal's decades-long friendship with the wrestling industry. Years have seen him at WWE events; in 2016, he even faced The Big Show at WrestleMania 32. Shaquille O'Neal's Unexpected Shoutout Sparks Reactions Shaquille O'Neal, who is now more known for his TV work and humor, surprised fans by shouting out a relatively underground wrestler like ZTheTallNomad. This post made many wrestling fans happy and a few confused. One user commented, 'Shaq shouting out Painful Paul?! That's wild but awesome.' Another user posted, 'Never thought I'd see Shaq and Juggalo Wrestling on the same screen.' Sports blogs quickly picked up the story. Some rival media platforms debated whether it was a random post or a hint at a future collab between Shaq and the independent wrestling world. Nevertheless, for many, it was simply the classic Shaq - unexpected, humorous, and full of character. Shaquille O'Neal's involvement in pop culture has been unexpected, even in ways no one sees coming. Also Read: NBA star enters WWE 2K25 ring as part of Dunk & Destruction pack