Watch Barefoot MMA Fighter Wrestle Alligator Along FL Interstate

JACKSONVILLE, FL — A barefoot MMA fighter helped authorities wrangle a giant alligator in the median of Interstate 95/Interstate 295 on Sunday, the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office wrote in a Facebook post. (Watch a video of the alligator being wrestled and captured below.)

“Nope, your eyes weren’t playing tricks on you. That really happened,” the agency wrote.

Mike Dragich, a former U.S. Marine and “local gator-wrangling legend” known as the Blue Collar Brawler, jumped in to assist deputies, the Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission and the Florida Highway Patrol.

The team effort helped “wrangle this beast off the road and keep everyone safe,” according to the sheriff's office. “Just another totally normal day in the Sunshine State.”

• Also Read: MMA Fighter Wrestled 10-Foot Gator Outside FL School

Dragich, who is also a licensed Florida alligator trapper, made headlines in 2023 after wrestling a 10-foot-long gator outside a Jacksonville elementary school.

Alligators are becoming more active across Florida, according to the Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission.

After being dormant throughout the winter, gator courtship begins in early April, with mating taking place in May or June, the agency said.

In late June or early July, female alligators build their nests and deposit anywhere from 32 to 46 eggs, which incubate and hatch from mid-August through early September.

Gators are found in the marshes, swamps, rivers and lakes of all 67 Florida counties, FWC said.

With the state’s human population growth in recent years, there’s been an increase in alligator-human interactions, according to the agency.

It’s possible for people and alligators to coexist and serious injuries caused by the reptile are rare in Florida, the FWC said.

Anyone concerned about an alligator should call FWC’s toll-free Nuisance Alligator Hotline at 866-392-4286. The FWC will dispatch one of its contracted nuisance alligator trappers to resolve the situation.

Those who see a gator should remember not to feed the animal and keep their distance. Also, people should only swim in designated swimming areas during daylight hours. Pets should also be kept on a leash and away from water, FWC said.

Watch Dragich help contain the gator along the interstate on Sunday: