Martial arts expert casually walks by London street-then sees something that makes him take down a man with one sweep

Ju-Jitsu champion Ivan Skoko, widely nicknamed “London’s Batman,” stepped in to stop an alleged sex attacker in Moorgate on Friday night, using nothing more than a perfectly timed single-leg sweep. The 29-year-old martial arts expert restrained the suspect on the ground and held him there until officers from the Metropolitan Police arrived.

The incident unfolded at around 9 PM as Skoko was heading home after finishing a training session at his gym. While walking toward the station, he noticed a crowd gathered around a man, with several people shouting and appearing visibly distressed.

According to The Sun, a 14-year-old girl had told bystanders that the man tried to assault her while she was on her way home, claiming he attempted to grab her. When two teenage boys stepped in to help, the suspect allegedly tried to punch them, causing even more chaos in the street. That’s when Skoko intervened, using his martial arts training to quickly and safely take the man down before pinning him to the ground. His decisive action likely prevented the situation from escalating further.

The martial artist knew exactly what to do

Skoko saw the situation turning violent and decided to act. He took off his headphones and moved toward the man. Using a leg sweep, he dropped the suspect to the ground in one smooth move.

Skoko teaches Brazilian jiu-jitsu classes at Fight City Gym in Elephant and Castle. This year, he won the black belt adult division at the British Open 2025, NAGA London 2025, and IBJJF London Fall Open 2025. He’s now offering new classes to teach people self-defense skills.

This isn’t the first time Skoko has helped stop a crime. About a month earlier, he caught a suspected pickpocket at Borough Station. The alleged thief had a hammer and tried to steal a woman’s phone as train doors were closing.

Skoko posted a video on Instagram showing him holding the man down at the station. He heard the woman scream and opened the train doors to grab the suspect. He used a foot sweep to take him down and waited for police to arrive.

The Institute of Licensing and The Police Foundation have said that vigilantism in the UK is generally illegal. Taking the law into your own hands can lead to serious legal problems, including assault or false imprisonment charges. City of London Police were contacted for comment about the Moorgate incident, and London courts continue handling various cases.