Not all heroes wear capes — some wear “satin jammies”. That was the case in Phoenix, Arizona, where a quiet Friday night in the neighborhood of former UFC two-division champion Henry Cejudo quickly spiraled into chaos. ‘Triple C’, who was outside his home with his producer, witnessed a shocking scene unfold right before his eyes. A group of intoxicated teenagers sped through the neighborhood in a car, estimated to be going between 80 to 100 mph, before crashing into the backyard of his neighbor’s house.

The impact was intense — but the chaos didn’t stop there. The teens immediately tried to flee the scene. As the homeowner attempted to intervene and stop them, the group scattered. In the commotion, one suspect allegedly assaulted a homeless person, while another struck Cejudo’s neighbor — a man who had tried to give chase. That’s when the former double champ stepped in. In a video from the scene, Cejudo can be heard saying, “Alright man… he’s in his 60s.” Nearby residents, including the Olympic gold medalist, brought the situation under control before the authorities arrived.

Later, in an interview with news outlets, Henry Cejudo reflected on how close the incident came to being truly tragic. “You can see inside this room, if someone was standing in there, they would be dead. All these kids are lucky to be alive… Pretty much all my neighbors came in to fight the situation. I ended up lifting him, dropping him, slapped him around a little, and just pretty much controlled him… If it was a couple of hours earlier, someone would be seriously injured.”

This close call sheds light on a growing crisis across the U.S.—the alarming rise in pedestrian fatalities. In early 2024, data revealed a staggering 48% increase in pedestrian deaths compared to a decade ago. The latest report from the Governors Highway Safety Association (GHSA) highlighted a grim reality! 3,304 pedestrians were killed by drivers in just the first half of the year alone. That number represents nearly half the total pedestrian deaths reported in all of 2014.

Incidents involving suspects fleeing crash scenes have become all too common, and Americans are no strangers to the dangers they pose. That’s why Henry Cejudo’s decisive intervention stood out. Without a second thought, he took charge of a chaotic situation—earning widespread respect from both his neighbors and the MMA community. It’s no wonder he’s become the talk of the town. Let’s find out what fight fans on Reddit had to say.

Fans erupted as Henry Cejudo came “back in the win column”

According to a study by the Law Offices of Christopher Chaney, a hit-and-run occurs every 43 seconds in the United States, with the majority of incidents taking place at night. St. Louis, Missouri currently leads the nation in fatal hit-and-run cases, while Phoenix, Arizona—home to Henry Cejudo—ranks 43rd on the list. In light of this, some fans raised concerns about Cejudo’s use of force on the group of teenagers involved in the crash.

However, Arizona law clearly states that any driver involved in a hit-and-run resulting in death or serious injury who flees the scene faces charges of a Class 5 felony. The legal consequences include up to two years in prison, a $750 fine, and a three-year suspension of the offender’s driver’s license. If the suspect flees after causing death or significant injury, the penalties can become even more severe.

With that context, many fans felt that Cejudo might have actually prevented the teens from committing a serious felony. One fan even praised the former champ for being in the neighborhood, writing, “Yeah having a MMA trained neighbor at any age is a great way to keep your suburb safe for sure lol.” Another echoed the sentiment, adding a cheeky compliment: “The satin jammies are a big W..” Still, not all fan reactions were entirely supportive. Some took the opportunity to poke fun at Cejudo’s recent MMA record.

After retiring in 2020 on a six-fight win streak, Cejudo returned in 2023 to reclaim his dominance—but has since suffered three straight losses. One fan quipped, “First win Henry got in a hot minute, I’m very happy for him,” while another chimed in, “Back in the win column,” mixing admiration with a subtle jab. Cejudo has just one fight remaining on his UFC contract and has hinted at retirement once again. At the NCAA finals last month—where Wyatt Hendrickson shocked the wrestling world by defeating fan-favorite Gable Steveson—Cejudo met with President Donald Trump. During their conversation, Cejudo reportedly told him, “Got one more.”

His most recent UFC bout ended in a loss to Song Yadong this past February at UFC Seattle. Reacting to his involvement in the neighborhood incident, one fan joked, “Nicely done Henry. This is your biggest accomplishment since 2018.” In true MMA fashion, fans didn’t miss the chance to bring up Sean Strickland—arguably the sport’s most outspoken vigilante. Known for confronting intruders and trespassers, ‘Tarzan’ has gained a reputation for taking justice into his own hands.

In 2023, the former 185lbs champ made headlines after detaining a suspect until police arrived, with viral CCTV footage circulating across social media. Comparing the two, one fan commented, “Strickland would have taken the guy to decision,” while another added, “He’s lucky it wasn’t Strickland. Otherwise they’d still be point fighting.” Now, with Cejudo once again stepping into the spotlight—this time outside the Octagon—it’ll be interesting to see if the former two-division champ can carry that same fire into what could be his next, and possibly final, UFC fight. Stay tuned for more updates.