Former WWE Heavyweight Champion Daniel Bryan Scores Takedown Of Suspected Burglar In Phoenix
(Reuters) -- A hapless burglar in Arizona learned a hard lesson when he broke into the Phoenix home of former World Wrestling Entertainment heavyweight champion Daniel Bryan, police said Friday.
Bryan, 33, was returning home with his wife late Thursday when he saw two suspects running out of a rear door, authorities said. The ex-professional grappler gave chase and was able to catch Cesar Sosa, 22.
Sgt. Tommy Thompson, a representative of the Phoenix Police Department, said a struggle ensued and that Bryan, whose real name is Bryan Danielson, was able to detain the suspect until police officers could take him into custody. The second suspect managed to get away, Thompson said.
The former champ said he was angry when he realized that someone had broken into the home they had moved into only 10 days earlier and that he was worried about their 2-year-old French bulldog, Josie.
Bryan said he chased Sosa about 400 feet before grabbing him and shouting some “bad words.” And he said he used a rear naked chokehold to subdue him, rather than his trademark “Yes!” lock.
“He was very, very tired, and it literally took zero effort to take him down,” Bryan said at a news conference at police headquarters, seated next to his wife with the dog in her lap. “He put up very little resistance.”
Bryan said he felt “borderline ashamed” for taking matters into his own hands, and that he was glad nothing bad happened.
Sosa was booked into jail on suspicion of one count of burglary. He also had an outstanding felony warrant for kidnapping and burglary.
At 5 feet 10 inches and 210 pounds, Bryan has held several other titles in addition to the WWE heavyweight belt. He is originally from Aberdeen, Wash.
(Reporting by David Schwartz; Editing by Daniel Wallis and Sandra Maler.)
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