Walt Weiss’s martial arts background resurfaces in City of Angels chaos

ATLANTA, Ga. (Atlanta News First) - Tempers flared and punches were thrown during Wednesday night’s game between the Atlanta Braves and Los Angeles Angels, a benches-clearing confrontation that quickly became one of the most chaotic moments of the Braves’ early season.

The incident erupted after tensions built over the course of the night, drawing players, coaches and bullpen personnel onto the field.

As the scrum expanded, Braves manager Walt Weiss got involved in separating players and helping restore order, a scene that immediately reignited chatter around the longtime baseball man’s lesser-known background outside the diamond.

Weiss, 62, has been described in multiple profiles as a martial-arts devotee who earned a black belt in taekwondo and later trained in mixed martial arts.

An ESPN profile from 2013 noted Weiss’s black belt in taekwondo, while other accounts — including a feature cited in biographical writeups — describe Weiss training at 3D Martial Arts in Commerce City, Colorado, with Clarence Thatch, a prominent early MMA fighter, and even trying cage fighting before the sport’s modern mainstream explosion.

The altercation began after on-field tensions boiled over, leading to a benches-clearing brawl that included shoving and punches. Players from both sides converged near the infield as umpires and staff attempted to separate the groups.

Officials eventually restored order.

MLB is expected to review video of the incident and determine whether additional suspensions or fines are warranted beyond any in-game ejections.

Atlanta News First podcasts are available now on: Spotify | Apple Podcasts | Amazon Music | YouTube

Download our Atlanta News First app for your latest news and information.