Retired MMA fighter and former law-enforcement officer Brett Titus believes highly skilled MMA fighters have a civic duty to intervene and save lives when necessary.
Earlier this year, Kevin Holland made headlines for his heroic decision to step in and halt an active shooter in a Houston restaurant along with fellow MMA fighter Patrick Robinson. Holland’s brave decision was praised within and outside of the MMA community, as his quick-thinking and professional training no doubt saved many lives on that fateful night.
Brett Titus, an ex-MMA fighter who spent 30 years as a law enforcement officer, has apprehended many wrongdoers during his time on the force.
Speaking to The Denver Channel, Titus praised Holland and expressed how having the training at the level of “The Trailblazer” could make the ultimate difference, regardless of the hero’s specific line of work.
“If you’re skilled enough and you have that confidence and you’ve trained it, you may be able to take that adversary, that suspect in custody without having to go to that lethal force level,” Titus said.
“A guy like that is that skilled felt compelled to do it,” Titus said. “Of course, if you’re going to get to that level where he’s at in the mixed martial arts world, you’re a warrior and warriors protect.”
Although Kevin Holland has made it to the pinnacle of the sport as an established UFC fighter, Titus believes any professionally trained and high-level mixed martial artist could make the same difference. In fact, Titus argues that while sometimes it is best to let law enforcement handle these situations, it’s completely different when lives are at stake.
“It may be best just sometimes to just be a witness,” Titus said. “But if it gets to that level of actually saving lives and protecting people and you are that skilled, then in my opinion, yeah, you have to do something.”
Titus went 1-0 as an MMA pro, earning a victory via guillotine choke in 2013.
You can catch Titus in action in the video right here.
Do you agree with Brett Titus? Do MMA fighters have to intervene in a situation where lives are at risk?