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Easily the greatest thing about the mass popularization of MMA in the past decade has been the doors it has opened in the world of self-defense. It’s easy to look at the Tapout-sporting dude-bros among us and think that the sport only caters to society’s lowest and most rambunctious members, but the truth is that MMA has been used to provide many a good service in this world, especially when it comes to thwarting crime. Remember that amateur fighter who took out two thieves attempting to rob a gas station, or that time when former UFC/PRIDE star Guy Mezger saved a woman from a knife-wielding scumbag? Thank Phoenix Jones the teachings of MMA, folks.
Most recently, security cameras captured yet another instance of MMA being used for good in York, England. Though nearly a year old, the footage was released just yesterday by the SWNS and the City of York Council and shows Andy Haigh, a Muay Thai and BJJ practitioner and MMA judge in Leeds, helping an officer apprehend a criminal who happened to be wielding a 12-inch butcher’s knife. BloodyElbow has some of the details (via The Daily Star):
The grainy footage shows Dean Edwards, 28, riding a bicycle at approximately 10:50pm. CCTV cameras monitored Edwards, whose behaviour was deemed unusual enough for the local police to be called…Police Constable Rich Farrar arrived on the scene to question Edwards.
As he was being frisked, Edwards jumped back – suddenly, prompting PC Farrar to tackle him to the ground. While on the concrete, Edwards managed to roll PC Farrar and during the process, a 12-inch butcher knife, that had been fashioned around his waist, dropped to the ground. With his weapon resting by the curb, Edwards attempted to flee, but PC Farrar grabbed a hold of him again. The pair then fell to the ground and wrestled in the middle of the road.
It was at this point that Haigh entered the fray and subdued Edwards using a rear-naked choke, allowing Farrar to regain his bearings and properly cuff the crazed suspect without any further incident.
In a follow-up interview with The Daily Star, Haigh stated that “I couldn’t see him struggle on his own. He was a lone police officer trying to make an arrest and I just helped him out. Someone was going to get hurt.” The Telegraph later reported that Edwards was sentenced to 30 months in prison for the scuffle, but lost a clear 10-8 round to Haigh that night.
Your move, Miesha Tate.
