WWE WrestleMania 33: Shaq vs. Big Show match likely back on

The highly-anticipated showdown between behemoths between The Big Show and Shaquille O'Neal is likely to take place at WWE WrestleMania 33, per reports. After Shaq expressed fears of the match getting cancelled on his podcast, talks between the WWE and the basketball legend have intensified in recent weeks.

While there's still no report of a possible pre-Mania confrontation between the two seven-footers, they have been throwing barbs at each other via social media, TMZ and other platforms. After Big Show posted pics of his impressive physique, Shaq responded with a video shot at a gymnasium in which he shows off his own abs, via TMZ Sports (See below). They also had a face-to-face confrontation at the ESPYs last year.

Shaq vs. Big Show: NBA legend in talks with WWE

On the Mar. 6 episode of The Big Podcast With Shaq, O'Neal revealed that the potential WrestleMania 33 match is gathering steam. "I talked to somebody high up in the organisation (in WWE), and we're back talking again. Talk of the match possibly being scrapped started in late February when The Big Show told WWE.com that Shaq was trying to back out of the match. Shaq reiterated that the hiccups in negotiations are not his fault. I just want people to know that it had nothing to do with me, despite what you hear," the four-time NBA champion said.

Meanwhile, the Big Show said in a recent interview that he's planning to walk away from the sports entertainment universe by February 2018. “I know I’m done February 2018. That’s when my contract ends as a full-time, live event guy. We’ll see what happens after that, whether I roll into an ambassador role or what WWE has for me," Paul Wight a.k.a. The Big Show told Yahoo Sports.

Big Show wants to retire in Feb. 2018

In the same interview, Wight questioned if Shaq was "chickening out" of the WWE WrestleMania 33 match. “Well, as far as I know on my end, I’m ready to go. It’s a situation that Shaq and the WWE have to work out. I don’t know if he chickened out, has other commitments … I don’t know." There's little doubt that Shaq and The Big Show are throwing shots at each other with the intention to hype their big match.

Shaq is no stranger to the world of sports entertainment. In 1994, he presented the WCW World Heavyweight championship belt to Hulk Hogan. Later, in 2009, he hosted an episode of WWE Monday Night Raw (watch videos below) and entertained fans with his charisma and humour. In 2012, he appeared in an episode of TNA Impact Wrestling to re-unite with Hogan.

Most recently, he entered the The Andre The Giant Memorial Battle Royal at last year's WrestleMania when he stared down with The Big Show, sowing the seeds for this year's match. WWE WrestleMania 33 would emanate from the Camping World Stadium in Orlando, Florida, on April 2