Eight knife-wielding thugs learnt that you can never be too certain it's safe to be on either side of a mugging when they attacked an MMA coach and suffered the consequences.
How unlucky can you get?
Louis Nicholson was alone walking through a street at around 4pm when a gang of eight thugs came over to him and demanded he hand over his phone.
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After he refused they launched a brutal attack on the 22-year-old, stabbing him under his armpit and leaving him with a gash on his arm, which needed stitches.
MMA tutor Louis, of Grays, Essex said: "I'm walking through Seabrook Rise in Grays minding my business when eight people decide they wanted to liberate my hard-earned possessions from me.
"Long story short I said I was ready to fight them because I was not going to give them my things - it was probably a stupid move, I realise that now.
"So anyway, we start fighting - it was one person against eight, baring in mind.
"I was doing my best to keep them at bay even manage to punch two of them in the face so they dropped to the floor.
"Only after they had already attacked me though of course.
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"Anyway at this point the absolute cowards decide eight versus one isn't a big enough advantage for them.
"So they pull out there blades and start stabbing and slashing at me while I'm trying to fight off the others."
Louis says the fight lasted for about two minutes and he was forced to fend off his attackers until he could make it to a building site, 100 metres down the road.
He said: "I got away with all of my stuff.
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"I was fighting them and they had me circled then one of them broke the circle like a coward when I went to swing for him so I ran out of that gap he created.
"I ran in a building site that was open at the time and shouted for the blokes to call the police.
"And the funny thing this all happened at four o'clock in the afternoon in broad daylight.
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"I have to say though that with zero shadow of a doubt martial arts saved my life.
"I would not be here if not for being able to create space and get out of there.
"So honestly get your kids trained in martial arts, I can not stress it enough, it is literally a matter of life and death - stay safe everyone."
Police are appealing for information into the attack.
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A spokesperson for Essex police confirmed that Louis was taken to hospital for injuries described as serious, but not life threatening.
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