Viral video captures MMA fighter restraining plane passenger as he ‘tries to open plane door’

In a viral video that is spreading across Twitter, former MMA fighter Josh Longood restrained a fellow plane passenger who attempted to open the door mid-flight.

The former professional fighter, who is also a Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt, was on a plane from San Juan, Puerto Rico, to Chicago when the incident occurred. The plane was forced to ditch its original destination of O’Hare International Airport, instead touching down in Miami due to the “passenger disturbance.”

The man in question, who has since been identified as 51-year-old Juan Reyes, had allegedly choked an off-duty flight attendant, tried to open an exit door on the plane, tried to break into the cockpit and attempted to urinate on the floor.

“Law enforcement boarded the aircraft in Miami and removed the passenger and the flight subsequently continued on to Chicago a few hours later,” the airline said in a statement, confirming that Juan Reyes was arrested.

During the commotion, passengers moved away from Juan Reyes as his behaviour grew more erratic. But not Josh Longood; he took matters into his own hands.

Josh Longood restrained the man mid-flight

Credit: Instagram

In the viral clip, whilst chewing gum casually, Josh could be seen on top of Juan Reyes as staff and passengers wrangled him with plastic hand restraints.

Speaking to CBS after touching down, Josh said: “I just didn’t want anyone to get hurt. So, you know, it was my duty to do that. I could tell he was heavily intoxicated, and who knows what else.

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“I just grabbed him, restrained him as safely as possible, kind of just really put him in his row, and laid him down, kind of framed against him, controlled his hands and his feet.”

Gökyüzünde dehşeti, uçakta bulunan profesyonel MMA dövüşçüsü engelledi.

Porto Riko’dan Chicago’ya gerçekleşen uçuş sırasında bir adam uçağın kapısını açmaya çalıştı.

Durumu dark etti eden 37 yaşındaki eski profesyonel MMA dövüşçüsü Josh Longood, adamı iki kez etkisiz hale… pic.twitter.com/9Y6sXM52IJ

— Serkan Tanyildizi (@srkntnyldz) June 2, 2026

Comparing it to a “kid throwing a tantrum”, Josh continued to add: “I was joking with him. I was like, ‘We are going to be best friends after this, bro’. “Absolutely. I know I’m capable of doing something like that. I know that I can do that and help people be safe.”

Though the commotion undoubtedly caused stress and worry on the flight, CBS’ transport expert noted how it’s practically impossible to open a plane’s door mid-flight.

“We all know that airplanes are pressurized, and because of the pressure inside of the airplane itself, it is pushing against the doors and the windows and the latching mechanisms to make it physically impossible to open the door or a window in flight,” he said.

The FBI is now investigating, and Juan Reyes has since been charged with one misdemeanour count of battery.