A drunk Florida man thought he could stumble into any house he wanted.
He picked the wrong door.
And this MMA fighter gave a home intruder one lesson he’ll never forget.
Austin Caresani learned the hard way what happens when you break into the wrong house
Saturday morning in Wilton Manors started like any other for Henny Rojas – until his teenage nephew frantically shook him awake with terrifying news.
"Uncle, wake up! There’s a man in the house!"
Most people would panic. Most people would grab a phone and call 911.
Henny Rojas isn’t like most people.
The mixed martial arts fighter has been training for three years, perfecting his boxing, wrestling, and kick techniques.
And when Austin Caresani, 31, stumbled through the front door thinking he was at his friend Paul’s house, he was about to get a very expensive education.
"I’m prepared. It’s not my first time; I don’t feel pain," Rojas told CBS Miami after the incident. "I don’t have guns; I wasn’t looking for a knife – just God and my hands, that’s it."
The confrontation was swift and decisive.
Rojas used every technique in his arsenal to subdue the intruder until police arrived.
By the time it was over, Caresani’s face looked like he’d gone ten rounds with a heavyweight champion.
Caresani’s mugshot tells the whole story
When Caresani appeared before a judge just hours later, his face was black and blue with cuts and welts covering his mouth and cheeks.
The booking photo from the Broward County Sheriff’s Office shows exactly what happens when you break into an MMA fighter’s home.
https://twitter.com/BreannaMorello/status/1973710327528235406
Caresani told police he’d been drinking at a nearby club and was trying to find his friend Paul’s house when he mistakenly entered the Rojas family home.
That’s his story, anyway.
But as Rojas pointed out, "I don’t know this guy, I’ve never seen him before."
The fighter’s neighbor, Andreas Gomez, witnessed the aftermath and described what he saw: "The guy was freezing and they started punching him in the face."
Rojas’ sister Patrizia and her husband were in Miami when they got the panicked phone call from their teenage son.
"He was screaming, ‘Mom, call police, someone has broken into the house,’" Patrizia recalled.
Here’s what this story really tells us
Look, there’s a reason the Second Amendment exists – so law-abiding Americans can protect their families and property from criminals who think they can take whatever they want.
But Henny Rojas proves you don’t always need a gun to defend your home effectively.
You need preparation, training, and the willingness to act when your family is threatened.
"We’re not scared, I’m not scared," Rojas explained. "It’s too fast, I don’t remember, I just protect my family and that’s it."
This is what real masculinity looks like – a man who takes responsibility for protecting his loved ones and has the skills to back it up.
For three years, Rojas dedicated himself to learning mixed martial arts. He put in the work, perfected his techniques, and stayed in fighting shape.
When the moment came to use those skills, he didn’t hesitate.
"Protect your family," Rojas said when asked if he’d do anything differently. "There are a lot of crazy people who don’t believe in God, who are only looking for damage."
Compare that to the average American male today, who spends more time playing video games than learning practical skills.
Rojas understood something fundamental – in a dangerous world, you better be prepared to handle danger yourself.
The police are great, but they can’t be everywhere at once.
When someone breaks into your home at 1 AM, you’re the first responder.
Caresani remains in Broward County Jail on a $20,000 bond, charged with home invasion without a firearm.
His face will eventually heal.
But the lesson he learned about picking the wrong house? That’s permanent.
And for every other criminal thinking about breaking into homes in Wilton Manors – they now know at least one house where the welcome mat comes with a serious beating.
The judge ordered Caresani to stay away from the home.
Given what happened to his face, that probably won’t be a problem.
¹ Joan Murray, "MMA fighter takes down intruder during South Florida home break-in," CBS Miami, October 1, 2025.
² Sophie Pendrill, "Intruder’s night out ends with bruises after wrong turn into MMA fighter’s Florida home," CBS12, October 1, 2025.
³ Colin Kalmbacher, "’God and my hands and that’s all’: Florida man ends up bruised and bloodied after breaking into MMA fighter’s house," Law&Crime, October 2, 2025.
⁴ Richard Pollina, "MMA fighter beats Florida home intruder to protect teen nephew," New York Post, October 2, 2025.
