A professional fighter is being hailed as a hero after stepping in to protect two young women during a road rage confrontation on Queensland's Sunshine Coast. 

Dashcam footage of the incident shows a van trying to merge into another lane of traffic on the Bruce Highway.

The van driver then stopped, left his vehicle and approached a car carrying two young women. 

He allegedly tried to open the driver's door - before Muay Thai champion Ryan McDonald intervened, confronting the man as other motorists gathered nearby. 

'It was just two girls on their own in the car,' he told Channel Seven on Monday.

'And I was thinking this would be a good opportunity to help and use what I know to protect these two girls, or de-escalate the situation.' 

McDonald and the van driver exchanged words before both men removed their shirts in the middle of the road.

However, the confrontation ended without a punch being thrown when the motorist learned that McDonald was, in fact, a professional fighter. 

McDonald has recorded eight victories during his fighting career, including four by knockout.

'He came back up to me and was like 'Are you sure you want this?' I was like, 'Yeah',' McDonald said.

The van driver returned to his vehicle and drove away.

McDonald said that preventing the confrontation from becoming violent was the ideal result.

'It was the best possible outcome, to de-escalate the [situation]... everybody got home safe that day,' he said.

Footage of the incident has since attracted more than three million views across social media, where McDonald was widely praised for helping the women. 

'What a legend to put himself in that position and defend those girls he didn't even know,' one social media user said.

Another person said: 'Glad he stepped in. I've got daughters and granddaughters and that man trying to open the car door isn't on.'

A third added: 'I cannot quite believe this man stepped in to help two vulnerable women, and most of you only want to make comments on his appearance!

'Good on you mate, I'd be glad to have you there if this happened to me or my daughter.'

Some social media users said the incident would have been a 'scary experience' for the women. 

'Only a complete loser of a man would try to intimidate or threaten young women. Thankfully there are still decent men around prepared to step in,' a commenter said.

Other Australians compared McDonald's distinctive bleached blonde haircut and muscular appearance to the character Guile from the Street Fighter video game series.

'Why does he look like Guile from StreetFighter?' one user asked, to which a second said: 'Because he IS Guile from Street Fighter!'

Another person said: 'Why ask that question when you and I both know that is Guile? Living breathing legend.'

The comparison comes ahead of the new live-action Street Fighter movie, which is scheduled to reach Australian cinemas on October 15.

WWE superstar Cody Rhodes, known to wrestling fans as the 'American Nightmare' and also sporting bleached hair, will play Guile in the upcoming film.