In the afternoon on New Year’s Day in Campinas, São Paulo, Brazil, a convicted criminal armed with a knife assaulted an elderly, 64-year-old woman, fleeing with her purse. In good news, the crime was witnessed by a BJJ and Muay Thai fighter, who determined to do something about it.

Hugo Gervais, 26, chased after the perpetrator, took him down, and immobilized him with a rear naked choke for some 20 minutes for the police to arrive. He also regained the woman’s purse, and returned it to her.

I was driving and saw him assaulting a lady in the corner,” said Gervais to the Brazilian language media giant Globo. “He threw the woman on the floor, grabbed her purse and ran. I went into action. I have been through many situations like this where I could not do anything. I know what I’m doing here.

The suspect was identified as Cacielino Rocha, 25. He has been previously arrested for drug trafficking but was released. Rocha declined to give a comment about the incident to the media. He did however confess at the police station.

The elderly women is okay, with only a bruise on her arm.