Henry Cejudo Joins MMA World in Awe as Ex-UFC Champ’s Friend Stops Alleged ‘Deadly’ Shooter

Anderson Silva and Chris Weidman appear set for a long-awaited trilogy bout, only this time, inside the boxing ring. Nearly 12 years after Silva’s back-to-back defeats in 2013, the two former UFC champions are reportedly preparing to settle unfinished business under a different set of rules. While no official announcement has been made, speculation heated up after a report from Main Event TV revealed that Weidman hinted at the matchup during a wrestling tournament in Atlanta.

According to the outlet, “A credible source who spoke directly with Chris Weidman at a wrestling tournament in Atlanta last week confirmed to Maurits School (@MauritsSchool) that the trilogy fight with Anderson Silva is happening, and it will be under Boxing rules.” So, while fans had been waiting for the 4x UFC World Champion to provide updates on his next fight, he dropped unexpected news that even caught the attention of Henry Cejudo just hours ago.

Chris Weidman highlights heroic act by MMA prospect

Chris Weidman took to Instagram to detail how his young friend and training partner, Sam Van Wynen, allegedly stopped a potential mass shooting earlier this week. According to the former UFC middleweight champion, Sam intervened during a heated confrontation in a parking lot and managed to choke and subdue the suspect before police arrived and made the arrest. Sharing the story with his followers, Weidman wrote in the caption: “My friend/training partner Sam Van Wynen prevented a bad situation from becoming a deadly shooting earlier this week 👏🏻.”

Weidman then broke down the incident further, explaining how it all began. A DoorDash driver had parked in a handicapped spot outside Sam’s workplace. When Sam’s father, who serves as head of security, told the driver he couldn’t park there, the situation quickly grew tense. Sam’s brother stepped in, attempting to calm things down by reminding the driver that he could face a ticket or even have his car towed. Instead of easing tensions, the driver began cursing at everyone, escalating the exchange further. At that point, Sam tried to intervene and defuse the argument. That’s when, according to Weidman, the driver ran to his car, opened the trunk, and reached for a fully loaded revolver. It was then that Sam acted.

Using his martial arts background, he grabbed hold of the driver and restrained him until police arrived. In the clip that surfaced online, the driver could be heard pleading with Sam during the chokehold: “I can’t breathe man… I didn’t open the trunk. Y’all opened my trunk.” He went on to insist, “I didn’t even know that was in the trunk bro. Let me go man.” Despite the man’s protests, Sam tightened his grip. The 27-year-old fighter can be heard saying, “You’re getting aggressive.” Then, choking him harder, he warned, “You wanna go to sleep? You wanna go to sleep?”

The CCTV footage added more context. When Sam’s father initially told the driver, “Get out of the handicapped spot man,” the DoorDash driver responded, “I’m just door-dashing. Let me just finish my order man real quick.” Sam’s brother, meanwhile, tried to reason with him, telling the driver, “Sir, you can get towed. I’m an attorney. Calm down buddy.” But moments later, the man moved toward his vehicle, popped open the trunk, and that’s when Sam immediately stepped in and stopped him from reaching inside.

So far, no official report on the incident has been released, leaving many to debate what really happened. Some commenters praised Sam for acting quickly and preventing what could have been a deadly situation. Others, however, claimed the incident might not have been as severe as it appeared, especially given the driver’s pleas that he didn’t know about the revolver. Even so, the story has drawn widespread attention online. Among those reacting was former UFC champion Henry Cejudo, who couldn’t resist chiming in on the controversial situation.

Fans call for UFC contract for Sam Van Wynen

“Love how he showed control and didn’t brutally hurt him like he easily could have,” one user wrote, praising Sam Van Wynen’s restraint. Another echoed the sentiment with excitement, writing, “You go boy! Saved at least 3 lives right there.”

Henry Cejudo also weighed in, showing his support with a simple but telling reaction: “👏👏👏.” 

Others praised Sam Van Wynen’s actions in a more celebratory tone. One user dubbed him, “Not just an MMA Fighter, A Crime Fighter 🔥.” Another fan even went a step further, suggesting Van Wynen should be signed by the UFC, noting his undefeated 3-0 record and first-round victory over Liam Gray on July 26. “Get this man signed @danawhite,” the user urged, calling for bigger opportunities for the 27-year-old fighter.

Still, not all the reactions were purely supportive. Some users expressed skepticism, downplaying the drama surrounding the incident. “Lol y’all harassing that man over a DoorDash. I’m glad nobody got k-lled though,” one wrote. Another chimed in sarcastically with, “Nothing like shooting someone over a parking space.” These comments reflected a divided response, with some questioning whether the confrontation was as dangerous as it was portrayed.

At this stage, the full details remain unclear. No official prosecution report has been released, leaving speculation to swirl online. What is certain, however, is that the DoorDash driver’s decision to park in a handicapped spot set the entire chain of events in motion. Whether the incident was truly an averted tragedy or an overblown altercation remains to be seen. That said, what are your thoughts on the situation?