A GANG of eight knife-wielding thugs picked the wrong target when they tried to rob a martial arts instructor.

Louis Nicholson, 22, was walking down a street alone at 4pm last Tuesday when a group demanded he hand over his phone.

6 Louis Nicholson, 22, was walking down a street alone 4pm last Tuesday when a gang of thugs approached him demanding his phone Credit: SWNS:South West News Service

However the mixed martial arts coach refused to hand anything over, and they began to attack.

He managed to fight them off until they pulled out knives and stabbed him multiple times in Grays, Essex.

Louis was knifed under the armpit, and received a large gash to his arm which he has received stitches for.

He 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.

6 Brave Louis, who is trained in mixed martial arts and coaches sessions, refused to hand anything over Credit: SWNS:South West News Service

"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.

"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.

6 Louis was knifed under the armpit, and received a large gash to his arm which he has received stitches for Credit: SWNS:South West News Service

6 Credit: SWNS:South West News Service

He claims the fight lasted for two minutes"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 claims the fight lasted for two minutes as he tried to move the fight closer to a site where more members of the public were.

He added: "I had to fight them all the way down the road about 100m to get to the metal works (a building site)."

6 He said: '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' Credit: SWNS:South West News Service

The gang eventually ended up fleeing from the scene as Louis managed to clear space around him and run into a building site near by.

Louis said: "I got away with all of my stuff.

"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.

6 Louis, teaches MMA fighting at Thurrock TSG MMA fight school in Corringham, Essex Credit: SWNS:South West News Service

"And the funny thing this all happened at four o'clock in the afternoon in broad daylight.

"I have to say though that with zero shadow of a doubt martial arts saved my life.

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"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."

Louis Nicholson teaches MMA fighting at Thurrock TSG MMA fight school in Corringham, Essex.

Essex police confirmed Louis was taken to hospital for injuries described as serious, but not life threatening, and they are investigating the incident.