Axe-wielding burglar breaks into church, unaware pastor is an MMA fighter

(CONSERVATIVE U.S.) – In the pre-dawn hours in Antioch, California, a burglar armed with an axe smashed his way into First Family Church. What he didn’t know was that Pastor Nick Neves, a seasoned mixed martial artist, had rushed to the scene after the alarm went off.

Pastor Neves quickly confronted the intruder in the parking lot. “I shouted at him to stop and told him the police were on their way. He ran, and I grabbed him. We ended up wrestling in the parking lot,” Neves recounted.

Thanks to his background in jujitsu and kickboxing, the pastor managed to subdue the burglar without causing serious harm. “I pinned him to the ground, and he tried to get away several times, but I focused on wearing him out because I knew I could outlast him,” Neves explained.