QT Marshall trained Shaquille O'Neal for his match along with Jade Cargill against Cody Rhodes and Red Velvet earlier this year. Shaq and Cargill were victorious in the match that took place at "AEW Cross Rhodes" on March 3rd, 2021.
Marshall recently discussed training Shaq during an appearance on My Mom's Basement with Robbie Fox for Barstool Sports.
“I was like, I could teach you how to do this in 10 days," said Marshall. "For what I think we’re looking to do, 100%.’ He got in there and I suplexed him, right, with a crash pad. Then he was like, ‘Alright, let’s move the crash pads’ and I suplexed him again. He was saying, ‘That’s not too bad.’ He’s like, ‘It hurts, but it’s not that bad.’ I said, ‘When the adrenaline’s going, you don’t feel anything.’"
Marshall continued to say that they tried to hold off the match for as long as possible due to the pandemic. Eventually, the decision was made to go forward with it, however.
QT Marshall on Training Shaquille O'Neal
"We were trying to hold off as long as we could, because of, you know, the pandemic, and the crowd, all that stuff. But then one thing led to another, but like I said, he was there all the time and really paying attention to what I was saying. I mean, he powerbombed by me the first time and he dropped me right in my head. I was like, ‘Hey, you’re really tall. So if you don’t squat down with this, you’re gonna dump everyone on their head, and you can’t do that to Cody.’ So, yeah, he was really dedicated. Also, he was having fun.”
The match was officially the 2nd of Shaq's pro-wrestling career. In 2016, he also appeared in the Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal at WrestleMania 32.
His appearance in the match looked as though it was going to lead to a match against the Big Show (Paul Wight). The match never materialized, however.
The full interview with QT Marshall can be viewed in the player below:
H/T To Fightful for the transcriptions.