JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Drivers on Interstate 95 and Interstate 295 on Sunday were met by a strange sight— a barefoot man wrestling a giant alligator in the median.
The Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office and Florida Fish and Wildlife teamed up with local gator-wrangling legend, the Blue Collar Brawler, to get the gator off the road.
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Watch the encounter below:
🚨 Only in Florida… 🚨
— Jax Sheriff's Office (@JSOPIO) April 29, 2025
If you were cruising down I-95/I-295 on the Southside yesterday and thought you saw a barefoot man wrestling a giant alligator in the median—nope, your eyes weren’t playing tricks on you. That really happened. 🐊😳
Your #JSO joined forces with Florida… pic.twitter.com/NdpJUeno2L
The ‘Blue Collar Brawler’ A.K.A Mike Dragich is a licensed Florida alligator trapper, MMA artist, veteran, and nonprofit leader in Florida. He’s gained notoriety for past gator removals, including one he wrestled from a Jacksonville school campus.
He’s amassed tens of thousands of followers for his gator wrestling skills and his daringness. He’s used the fame to draw attention to his nonprofit, Project Savior Outdoors, which provides retreats for military veterans to prevent suicide.
Do not try this on your own. If you see an aggressive or nuisance alligator, call the FWC’s toll-free Nuisance Alligator Hotline at 866-FWC-GATOR (866-392-4286).
