When you hear about someone wrestling an alligator, you might expect it to be another outrageous “Florida Man” story. However, this one takes place in Missouri City, Texas, and is indirectly inspired by none other than the late Steve Irwin, the beloved “Crocodile Hunter.”
Mike Trinh was preparing for his youngest daughter's first day of middle school when she ran to him in a panic, yelling that an alligator was at their front door. Initially thinking it was just an excuse to skip school, Trinh didn’t take it seriously—until he saw the reptile for himself.
Fortunately, Trinh knew exactly what to do, thanks to the wildlife legend. As he explained in a Facebook post, “All my years watching Steve Irwin, I figured I can deal with any wildlife as long as it ain’t a stingray.” Irwin had been one of his heroes, and Trinh had been watching his shows since childhood.
Drawing from the “Steve Irwin tactics” he'd picked up over the years, including covering the alligator’s eyes and pinning its mouth shut, Trinh added his own twist using his Brazilian jiu-jitsu skills. “Once I got closer, I put my knee on it. In jiu-jitsu, it’s called ‘knee in belly.’ I had a knee on it, spun to the back, sat on it, and then grabbed the mouth,” Trinh explained to ABC 13.
Trinh remembered Irwin’s advice: “Once you grab the mouth, that's it. It’s done.” And, based on the footage, Trinh's technique seemed to work just as well.
Comparing Trinh's move to Irwin’s methods, both involved securing the alligator’s eyes and mouth. However, in the video, Irwin needed the help of two full-grown men to assist with holding the crocodile. Irwin was a seasoned professional, having been rescuing crocodiles since he was nine years old, and had rescued hundreds over the years. He always worked with great respect for the animals, even putting his own life at risk during wildlife rescues.
That said, Trinh’s story is an example of how valuable Irwin's techniques and respect for animals can be. While it may not be wise for everyone to try this at home, it was certainly a memorable moment for Trinh, who even involved his daughter in the process, teaching her how to “tie up the mouth” of the alligator—a lesson that would make Irwin proud.
In the end, Trinh was able to relocate the alligator to a nearby pond, giving the reptile a peaceful new home. It’s amazing how the lessons from “The Crocodile Hunter” continue to inspire and help in the most unexpected ways. And for Trinh, it was a real-life situation where his love for wildlife and admiration for Steve Irwin led to a successful rescue—a moment that might just make anyone say, “Crikey!”