Tarzan influencer Mike Holston wrestles nearly six-meter-long python in Indonesia

US animal influencer Mike Holston, known online as "The Real Tarzann," has published a video in which he wrestles a reticulated python on the ground in Indonesia. According to the Italian news broadcaster Tg1, the snake is 19 feet long, or about 5.8 meters, and weighs just over 90 kilograms. According to the broadcaster 75 Secondes, Holston is followed by millions of subscribers.

Snake wraps around arm and legs

As Frontera Info reports, the reticulated python wrapped itself around one of the influencer's arms and both of his legs. Holston reportedly said it was the first time he had encountered a snake he could not defeat. He was then able to free himself, however.

According to 75 Secondes, Holston said he had only narrowly escaped being strangled by the "king of the jungle." The Ecuadorian broadcaster 24/7 Noticias describes how the animal wrapped itself around the influencer's body during the struggle.

"Blue belt in jiu-jitsu, snake a black belt in the jungle"

In the video, Holston referred to his experience in martial arts. According to HCH Televisión Digital, he admitted that he only holds a blue belt in jiu-jitsu, while the snake is a "black belt in the jungle." más+noticias also quotes this statement.

Despite his martial arts experience, the python almost defeated him, Holston said, according to several media outlets. With his blue belt, he has basic training in ground fighting, which, in his own words, he relied on in the situation.

Relocation away from farmland as the goal

According to Holston, the purpose of the operation was to relocate the animal. HCH Televisión Digital reports that the influencer said he wanted to take the python to another location. According to 24/7 Noticias, the snake was to be removed from farmland.

There are differing accounts of the exact location of the footage. Tg1 reports that the video was shot on Sumatra. 24/7 Noticias, on the other hand, places the events in Sulawesi near Makassar. Both sources name Indonesia as the country.

Video sparks criticism on social media

According to más+noticias, the footage has sparked criticism on social media. The outlet did not provide further details about the content of the criticism.

Reports on the video appeared on October 14 and 15, 2026, including on Tg1, 75 Secondes, HCH Televisión Digital, 24/7 Noticias, Frontera Info and más+noticias. According to the reports, reticulated pythons are among the longest snakes and kill their prey by coiling around and constricting it, something Holston himself alluded to in the video.