It was late on Thursday night, and just a moment earlier Mr Kot had been happily focussed on the Socceroos as his taxi drove along Chandler Street, returning home from the qualifier against Kyrgyzstan at GIO Stadium.

The next thing he knew, he was watching a driver-less car rolling off the road toward the Belconnen Labor Club building.

Mr Kot didn't know it, but the car's driver had allegedly just had her throat cut by a machete before managing to fend off her attacker and abandon the vehicle.

In an instant, the armed man stopped their taxi and allegedly began smashing the bonnet.

He is accused of opening the door and swinging a knife at his driver.

"The taxi driver yelled 'he stabbed me, he stabbed me'," Mr Kot told Fairfax Media.

"That's when I looked over and I saw blood."

There was no time to think.

Mr Kot said he got out and ran to the driver side, grabbing the man's shoulder and wrestling him to the ground.

He said he disarmed him and restrained him from behind, with help from his other passenger and others who arrived at the scene a short time later.

"I'm just thankful to God that someone [came]. The police, the police response was so quick," he said.

"I'm shocked, I'm still in shock, thank God noone got hurt, I just didn't want anyone to get hurt."

Prosecutors told the ACT Magistrates Court that the actions of Mr Kot and other bystanders saved lives on Thursday night.

His bravery, and the bravery of others at the scene, received praise.

But, when asked what he thinks of being called a hero, Mr Kot said he just acted out of instinct.

"I'm not a hero man, I'm just a typical Aussie bloke," he said.

"You just do the right thing when you need to do the right thing."

"Leave the bravery awards for the guys who are fighting in Afghanistan, the guys who are getting shot at, not me."

Imran Hakimi, 32, has been charged with a string of offences after the attack. He has not entered pleas.

There are concerns about Hakimi's state of mind, and he is being assessed and treated behind bars at the Alexander Maconochie Centre.

Mr Kot said he is just glad noone got hurt, and hoped that Hakimi gets the help he needs.

"I just hope he gets some treatment," Mr Kot said.

Hakimi will appear back in court later this month.