'Reacher' Star Alan Ritchson Did Not Instigate Fight With Neighbor: Sources

"Reacher" star Alan Ritchson did not instigate the fight with his neighbor in Tennessee, and was pushed off his bike twice by the man before the video-recorded beatdown, according to sources close to the actor.

Our sources tell us ... witnesses saw Alan riding his motorcycle down the street in Brentwood, TN, ahead of his two kids on their mini-bikes Sunday afternoon. We're told their neighbor, Ronnie Taylor, bolted into the street to try to stop Alan's bike in a "really aggressive" manner.

As a result, Alan crashed, falling off his motorcycle and suffering cuts and bruises, as well as a minor injury to his finger, our sources say. 

We're told Ronnie dared Alan to hit him while yelling at the actor, who was still on the ground. But our sources say Alan did not take the bait and tried to defuse the situation by jumping on his bike to leave.

However, Ronnie shoved Alan to the ground, prompting Alan to beat the crap out of his neighbor, which was caught on camera. TMZ published the dramatic video showing Alan pulverizing Ronnie on the street before Alan got back on his bike and took off with his two kids.

Ronnie told us Alan was riding his motorcycle through the neighborhood at excessive speeds for two days straight. He said he finally confronted Alan about his dangerous motorcycle habits Sunday, sparking their violent altercation.