Marine veteran, MMA fighter, and gator-wrangling legend Mike Dragich stuns the internet again in the most Florida way possible
Florida has officially out-Florida’d itself — again.
A barefoot man wrestling a giant alligator on the side of a busy interstate sounds like a deleted scene from Jackass, but it was all too real for Mike Dragich, the Marine veteran and licensed alligator trapper who’s become something of a local legend — and viral sensation.
Known online as the “Blue Collar Brawler,” Dragich was caught on camera last week fearlessly subduing a 6-foot gator on I-95 near Jacksonville. Clad in nothing but a camouflage muscle tee and shorts, the ex-Marine calmly maneuvered the massive reptile using a pole before leaping on its back and tying its powerful jaws shut — barefoot.
‘Just Another Day in the Sunshine State’
The wild clip, shared by the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office, shows Dragich sitting atop the gator like it’s second nature. “Just another totally normal day in the Sunshine State,” the department quipped, calling Dragich a “local gator-wrangling legend.”
The video ends with Dragich and a deputy lifting the now-subdued gator onto the back of a pickup truck. “Woooo!” he yells triumphantly — because of course he does.
Not Just a Viral Star — A Mission-Driven Marine
While many know him from his jaw-dropping wildlife videos — he has over 364,000 Instagram followers — Dragich is more than just a social media stuntman. He’s a mixed martial arts fighter and the founder of Project Savior Outdoors, a nonprofit dedicated to helping veterans combat PTSD and suicide through hunting, fishing, and outdoor retreats.
“I do this to show people — especially veterans — that there’s still purpose and fight left in you,” he’s said in past interviews.
Fans React: ‘Florida Armor Is Bare Feet’
Online reaction to the video was exactly what you’d expect from the internet:“This man just wrestled a dinosaur in shorts. Respect.”
“Barefoot??? That’s Florida armor.”
“I wouldn’t fight a gator with shoes on. This guy’s different.”