Atlanta Braves fans certainly had an odd feeling on Tuesday night, when they watched their 2021 playoff hero charge the mound against the Braves. After Jorge Soler took exception to high fastball from Reynaldo Lopez, a brawl broke out in Anaheim.
While a few punches were thrown, things could have been a lot worse had it not been for new manager Walt Weiss, who shocked Braves Country and immediately won over any fan who was still on the fence about the new skipper.
Here’s what just took place in Anaheim: pic.twitter.com/hL1myd5PJd
— BravesVision (@BravesVisionTV) April 8, 2026
Walt Weiss takes down Angels slugger Jorge Soler and everyone loved it...including Soler
Since Walt Weiss was first hired, Braves fans have heard about the 62-year-old's resumé. Not only did he make headlines when his lifting abilities in the weight room, we also discovered that Weiss is a taekwondo black belt.
Of course, back in spring training, these stories seemed like fun nuggets, not something we've ever see used in action. But just 12 games into the season, Weiss's training was put to use, essentially single-handedly defusing a brawl just as it started.
Right as Jorge Soler was about to land a punch on Reynaldo Lopez, Weiss was able to make an athletic move to tackle the 6'3", 235-pound slugger before the brawl could get out of hand. Even more impressively, once he was able to get Soler to the ground, Weiss was able to quickly pull the former Braves World Series MVP away from the swarm and calm him down.
Soler even gave his former bench coach a nod of approval after the game, saying, "We have a good relationship... I think he was just trying to protect me." MLB managers have to find their own ways to command respect in the clubhouse, but Walt Weiss might have become the first to use fighting prowess to not only protect his team, but calm down the opposing team as well.
Braves fans across the world took note of Weiss's defense. One Japanese fan said, "Walt Weiss turns out to be way more intense than I expected -- lol. Braves reporter Grant McAuley noted that Weiss "now has a Titantron in time for WrestleMania." Other fans were calling for the Atlanta Falcons to sign Weiss.
Fans always want a manager who will have their players backs, but Walt Weiss showed on Tuesday he's able to take that to the next level.