Javier Baez, a former professional mixed martial arts (MMA) fighter, utilized his combat skills to subdue a man who attempted to stab him in Cutler Bay.
The incident unfolded early Wednesday morning when Baez, returning home around 4 a.m. after Halloween celebrations, noticed Omar Marrero, 50, carrying a 14-inch knife and causing a commotion in a parking lot.
According to the arrest report, Marrero began assaulting Baez’s vehicle with the knife, even opening the driver’s door in an attempt to slash at him. Baez, in an effort to de-escalate the situation, exited his car, only to be met with Marrero’s attacks.
The confrontation escalated when Marrero retrieved a second knife from his vehicle and lunged at Baez multiple times.
Surveillance footage revealed the critical moment when Baez used his grappling experience to close the distance, take down Marrero, and then Arm Triangle him:
Here’s what Baez said about the incident and how training helped him:
You train so many times that it becomes just a reflex.
Once I started putting the choke in, he kind of just let it go because no one is worried about anything else but breathing when you’re losing air.
I was able to hold him down with my knee and call the cops, and he woke up, cops came, and it was good, easy peasy!
He added:
Once it came to that, it’s all instincts. I couldn’t do much but just react.
I’ve been training my whole life — black belt Jiu-Jitsu, wrestled in college, I’ve got eight pro fights, MMA masters.
I’ve got great training partners.
