As Viana herself explained to MMA Junkie, she was waiting for an Uber outside of her apartment in Rio de Janeiro, when a man approached her and asked for the time.
After a short while the alarm bells began to ring, and she soon realized that the man had intentions other than simply finding out the time.
As per reports, Viana said: “When he saw I saw him, he sat next to me,” He asked me the time, I said it, and I saw he wasn’t going to leave. So I already moved to put my cell phone in my waist. And then he said, ‘Give me the phone. Don’t try to react, because I’m armed.’ Then he put his hand over (a gun), but I realized it was too soft.
He was really close to me. So I thought, ‘If it’s a gun, he won’t have time to draw it.’ So I stood up. I threw two punches and a kick. He fell, then I caught him in a rear-naked choke. Then I sat him down in the same place we were before and said, ‘Now we’ll wait for the police.’
Fortunately, Viana was able to hold the man until the police arrived, at which point it became apparent the ‘gun’ was no gun at all, but rather a cardboard cutout designed to intimidate.
UFC President Dana White took to Instagram to share a photo of the robber’s injuries.
Well, I suppose if you play with fire, you’re going to get burned.
Thank God Viana knew what she was doing and was in a position to adequately defend herself when the situation arose!