Kevin Holland, Friend Disarms, Detains Active Shooter At Houston Restaurant

UFC welterweight Kevin Holland has used his MMA skills once again to stop a crime.

Holland and his friend, who is also a MMA fighter, Patrick Robinson, were reportedly eating out at RA Sushi late Monday night when Holland heard a loud bang and saw people fleeing in fear. Holland told ESPN he and Robinson tried wrestling the gun away from the shooter.

The two helped the man disarm and detain the shooter.

“I wouldn’t tell the next person to do it unless they’re seriously trained for that type of situation,” Holland told ESPN.

“Besides doing cage fighting, I train self-defense first and foremost. For me, that was the best way to defend myself at the moment. Plus, I like Batman.”

The suspect shot a gun into the air at the restaurant inside the Highland Village shopping center around 11:30 p.m. Monday, a Houston Police Department spokesman said. None of the estimated 40-50 other diners were injured.

The gunman was identified as 24-year-old Jesus Samaniego, police said. He faces charges of deadly conduct and unlawfully carrying a weapon. There was also a warrant for his arrest after failing to appear in court on a separate criminal charge.

Holland posted a reaction shortly after police officers arrived.

This was Kevin Holland’s reaction shortly after he and a friend took down a gunman Monday night at a restaurant in Houston.

Full story: https://t.co/OynF23aZqi

(🎥 @Trailblaze2top / @ko_reps) pic.twitter.com/YxN2WdtPXI

— MMA Junkie (@MMAJunkie) March 15, 2022

But Monday wasn’t the first time the welterweight used his training to stop a crime.

Last October, the Texas resident helped chase down a vehicle and detain and suspected robber.

Aside from literally fighting online trolls, Holland rose to fame in 2020 where he won five straight fights at middleweight. He went winless in three consecutive fights in 2021, but he debuted in welterweight this year and scored a TKO win against Alex Oliveira at UFC 272.