On April 21, Mike Dragich was called to the rescue to control an alligator, which was wandering in a neighborhood of Jacksonville, Florida.
The US army veteran, a mixed martial arts enthusiast, overpowered the 2.40 meter animal with his bare hands, under the stunned gaze of passers-by.
Not all heroes wear a cape. A US Army veteran, Mike Dragich is a celebrity in the state of Florida. Known on Instagram under the nickname “Bluecollar Brawler” (“the Blue Collar Brawler”, in French), the 34-year-old former marine with a body-built body carries out an activity in his free time that is as dangerous as it is atypical: alligator hunter sworn. This mixed martial arts (MMA) enthusiast is regularly called to the rescue by local authorities to dislodge these reptiles.
On Sunday, April 21, the man was approached by the Jacksonville sheriff while an alligator more than 8 feet long was wandering in a downtown neighborhood, reported Florida media News4JAX. Coming out of a hockey match, which he was attending nearby with his family, Mike Dragich immediately intervened, without taking the time to go back to his house to collect his equipment.
Armed with his courage, this Crocodile Dundee of modern times only needed a few seconds to control the beast, under the incredulous gaze of local residents. The MMA fighter, dressed simply in shorts, a tank top shirt and a cap aimed at his head, captured the animal with his bare hands, with a submission hold.
“I was at a hockey game with my family and I received an emergency call about an alligator”told Fox News the one who claims to be “a real Florida man.” “I saw the alligator signal above the city (a reference to Batman’s bat-signal, editor’s note) and I knew I was needed (laughs). (…) I didn’t I didn’t capture it in the most professional way, I didn’t have my gear with me, but I adapted and caught it with my bare hands.”he explained, assuring “not to have hurt” the animal.
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A surreal intervention for ordinary mortals, but which is almost routine for this father of four children, who created an association to prevent the suicide of army veterans. He posts videos at regular intervals showing him confronting reptiles. At the end of May 2023, this great hunting enthusiast made the headlines of the local press by capturing an alligator measuring more than 3 meters which had entered the courtyard of a primary school.
