Hero Martial Artist

This is the scene as a champion martial artist bundles a suspected sex attacker who reportedly targeted a teenage girl to the ground.

Brazilian jiu-jitsu expert Ivan Skoko, 29, used a leg sweep before using his knees to restrain the man in busy Moorgate, central London.

Just moments before, the suspect – heard screaming in a foreign language – allegedly grabbed his victim’s behind as she travelled home.

Two teenage boys courageously challenged the man before he tried to swing a punch and chase them at about 9 pm on Friday.

The incident was swiftly brought to a close by quick-thinking Ivan, a 6ft 3in black belt who coaches clients in specialist self-defence.

The suspect, who was wearing a black hooded jacket, was captured on camera attempting to escape while being taken into custody by the City of London Police.

Ivan told the Daily Mail: ‘I had just finished training at the gym in Moorgate. There was a seminar with our head coach there.

‘I was walking towards the station, and I could see there was a big commotion. I could see young people screaming around a guy.

‘I could see something serious was happening, so I crossed the street and realised the girl, she was only 14, was saying “this man grabbed my ass”.

‘I decided to wait and see if I could help – and the guy started swinging at two young boys.

‘When I saw that, I took my headphones off and thought”, Let’s just take this guy down.”

The Croatian-born champion asked one of the onlookers to record him as he leapt into action and incapacitated the assailant.

He said, ‘I took him down with a leg sweep. It was very effective. He stopped resisting.

‘The police arrived very quickly, and they restrained him. He was resisting the arrest. I gave my details to them and left the scene.

‘The man had grabbed the behind of the young girl and had tried to punch another two kids. This is not the way people should be acting.’

Ivan, who runs Brazilian jiu-jitsu classes at Fight City Gym in Elephant and Castle, south London, added: ‘Things are getting terrible here. I don’t know how to sort this problem. I can’t deal with this every day.

‘I am starting an online course called Primitive Jiu-Jitsu. It will give people of any ability the methods of how to defend themselves safely.

‘Regular people will be able to defend themselves in the same way that I did. I’m launching it in seven days.’

Another clip shows the distressed victim discussing what occurred with the police, where she is heard saying: ‘He grabbed my ass. He then turned around and looked at me.’

It has been just over a month since Ivan tackled a suspected pickpocket armed with a hammer at a busy tube station, as revealed by the Daily Mail.

The 15-stone fighter grabbed the suspect and waited for police to arrest him after he targeted a woman at Borough Station, south London.

Police found two phones and a rusty hammer in shocking footage on the platform.

This year alone, Ivan has won the British Open 2025, NAGA London 2025 and IBJJF London Fall Open 2025 in the black belt adult division.

Nothing was actually said about the two lads who attempted to help, so well done to them as well. We all need an Ivan, so respect to him and the two lads who attempted to intervene – we need more courageous men like these. It’s also nice to see that there are men out there who are able to protect women.

Unfortunately, our police force lacks the necessary training and resources to effectively combat crime.

Since our streets are no longer safe, females should be taught self-defence in schools, and I dread to think what would have happened to the girl if the two lads and Ivan hadn’t stepped in to protect her.