Read how a NYC BJJ black belt took down an assault suspect to save more people from getting sucker-punched

Location: Orlando, FL.

Estimated reading time: 2 minutes

Photo by: rotheshow

Ro Malabanan, a New York City-based Black Belt in Jiu-Jitsu, said he was enjoying a typical day when his training leaped into action when he took an assault suspect’s back and secured a seatbelt grip to subdue him until the police could finally apprehend the suspect.

Malabanan witnessed the suspect completely sucker-punch a construction worker and asked the worker if he was okay from the jolt of the punch. After realizing the likelihood for this cheap-shot thug to hurt someone else on his rampage, Malabanan sprang into action to ensure it didn’t happen. 

He had the fowling to say about the ordeal:

“I walked up to the guy that got hit and checked to see if he was okay. He said he wasn’t okay… Immediately, my martial arts side kicks in, and I’m like, let’s go stop this guy… Who knows what he’s capable of? This guy may hurt another person or worse… My Jiu-Jitsu training kicked in, and I immediately just jumped on his back; he tried to fling me off of him. I had what’s called the seatbelt position, which helped me actually to drag him down to the ground.”

From there, Malabanan, completely controlled the man on the ground until police arrived to take him into custody.

Malabanan is from the Philippines, being born there but grew up in the Big Apple. In addition to Jiu-Jitsu, he also teaches boxing and some self-defend. He’s very thankful his training “kicked in” at the right time to end the man’s sucker punch craze^[1].

“I don’t think I’m a hero, just doing my part for New York … We New Yorkers are willing to help strangers out because that’s what New York is all about,” Malabanan said. “I’m just really grateful I was able to stop someone and put my martial arts to use. Being able to help people, to do it in the real world, is incredible.”^[1]

Thankfully video of the event was captured, so there is no hearsay as to what happened, and New York’s NBC4 covered the full story and interviewed Malabanan.

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P.S. Check ABC’s Updated Rules For Knee/Ankle Sleeves In MMA and also Highlights Eye Pokes… READ HERE.

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^[1] https://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/good-news/video-shows-martial-arts-expert-take-down-man-wanted-for-attacks-on-nyc-sidewalks/3801816/