Former MMA Fighter Subdues Knife-Wielding Attacker in Viral Video

Whoa JavierBaez in Miami got attacked by some random with a knife but shows why wrestling is important to know pic.twitter.com/zxVcE2T3AW

— TerranceMcKinney (@twrecks155) November 3, 2023

Retired MMA fighter Javier Baez recently stopped a knife attack with his bare hands—and made it look effortless.

Baez was attacked by a knife-wielding stranger in the parking lot of his apartment complex in Cutler Bay, Fla., last Wednesday. The 34-year-old deftly avoided an attack before slamming his attacker to the pavement and locking in an arm-triangle choke. The knife can then be seen falling out of the hands of the assailant, identified as 50-year-old Omar Marrero.

Miami-Dade police subsequently arrested Marrero who now faces two felony charges. Baez told multiple news outlets that the attacker had aggressively approached his car with a 14-inch knife before brandishing another foot-long knife to attack him. From there it was all reflexes for the former bantamweight from MMA Masters gym in Florida. Baez told CBS Miami:

“Guy was out there screaming on the phone, literally was fighting for a while with some woman. He tapped on my door window. I told him to leave me alone, and then he came at me with a knife. I told him to leave me alone. I’m calling the cops. I hope he doesn’t break my window. That’s all I cared about.”

About the ease with which he subdued Marrero, Baez said, “Second nature. When you practice every day, you don’t think about it. Put his belly to the floor, put my knee in his back, and called the cops.”

However, Baez wouldn’t suggest that an untrained person try the same thing. His advice: “Stay in the car and call the cops... or drive away.”

Baez started his pro MMA career in 2011, going 5-0 in his first five outings with all wins by stoppage. He then went to a split draw followed by two losses, the most recent coming in 2018 against future Legacy Fighting Alliance and Cage Warriors Fighting Championship slugger Diego Silva.