Early this month, BJJ black belt Haisam Rida prevented a robbery of his car using his martial arts skills. Reports indicate Rida was asleep at his academy in Texas when he was alerted to someone rummaging through his vehicle. Upon checking the security cameras, Rida saw an intruder going through his belongings in the backseat where his passport was stored.
Rida chased after the robber, knowing his passport was at risk. He utilized deashi barai, a forward foot sweep technique common in judo, to off-balance the intruder and make him fall to the ground. As the intruder attempted to flee, Rida choked him from behind to subdue him until police arrived.
Surveillance footage corroborated Rida’s account, relieving any potential legal issues. Fortunately, no one was injured and the police arrested the thief while assuring Rida he did nothing wrong.
Rida is a skilled black belt from Ghana who trained in Tokyo as a child. He recently joined B Team and has made a name for himself competing at the highest levels of BJJ, submitting notable names like Roberto Cyborg Abreu at ADCC 2022. Rida’s quick thinking and martial arts skills helped him prevent the theft and regain his passport without serious incident.
See footage of the incident from 10:14
