Many MMA fighters face brutal tests inside the cage — but few can claim they once fought back against a notorious serial killer. Not a copycat. Not a rumor. The real thing. We’re talking about former UFC champion Michael Bisping, who — long before the octagon made him famous — fought for his life as a teenager. At 17, the Brit found himself targeted by the so-called ‘Hammer Killer,’ a figure who terrorized parts of England in the late 20th and early 21st centuries.

Between the late 20th and early 21st centuries, a string of unsolved murders shook Northern England, marked by a chilling pattern: forced entry, brutal hammer attacks, and crime scenes doused in petrol. Unbeknownst to ‘The Count’ at the time, he had faced down this monster. The truth emerged when serial killer Levi Bellfield confessed. Yet questions remain over whether Bellfield was truly the original “hammer killer” or if someone else carried out the earlier crimes.

Recent reports reveal that Bellfield admitted Michael Bisping was once on his hit list during an interview titled Face to Face with the Monster: My Exclusive Prison Interview with the Man Claiming to Be Northern England’s Elusive Hammer Killer. Bisping has since shared his side of the story. Back in 2021, he spoke about the terrifying incident but had no idea that the man who tried to set his house on fire was Bellfield.

Now that the killer’s statement is public, Michael Bisping released a 15-minute YouTube video revisiting his teenage years in the ’90s, created in collaboration with That Chapter, a crime-focused channel with over 2 million followers. Speaking to his fans, Bisping said, “I had a theory as to who I thought it was that came to my house on the night in question, but I never thought it was a notorious serial killer. Now, apparently, this came from someone. This is according to a Twitter account“

Fans quickly flooded the comments, reacting to the chilling night when Michael Bisping not only fought back but escaped death, as the serial killer was ready to hunt him down.

Fans reacts to Michael Bisping’s chilling encounter with a serial killer

England has long borne a grim reputation for producing notorious serial killers, with names like Jack the Ripper and Harold Shipman etched into history. As Joe Rogan’s guest, American author Caroline Fraser, recently explained, the Industrial Revolution and the peak of chimney fumes in England may have played a role in the Ripper’s era.

Now, the case of “Hammer Killer” Levi Bellfield, infamously known as the “Hammer Killer,” reinforces that dark legacy. Serving a whole life sentence for murder and sexual assault, Bellfield became infamous for luring young women before brutally attacking them. Convicted of multiple murders and assaults, he was finally arrested on November 22, 2004, bringing his string of horrific crimes into the public eye and exposing the full extent of his violence.

Meanwhile, Michael Bisping has long since moved past his own terrifying encounter with the serial killer. A fan commented on ‘The Count’s story: “The tapping on the glass with a hammer is straight out of a horror film. Crazy experience Bisping should go visit him in jail and record it.” Recalling that chilling night, Bisping explained that when the attacker came to his house, only a glass window separated them. “He gets real close and just goes ding ding ding with the hammer,” said Bisping. Bisping named That Chapter (the true-crime YouTube channel) and said public posts led him to re-examine the old case; he has asked fans for any information that might tie his 1990s intruder to Bellfield.

The encounter left him with a scar above his right eye and tested his courage. At just 17 years old, Michael Bisping struck back with a crushing blow that knocked Bellfield unconscious—a move fans have applauded. One fan even remarked, “I gave him a good goin, left him there unconscious and then I went about my business.” After his 2004 arrest, a court sentenced Bellfield in June 2011 to a whole life term without the possibility of parole, making him the first prisoner in the UK to receive two such orders.

Now 57 years old, he remains behind bars. One fan reacting to the UFC legend’s story said, “This is one of the most insane true stories I’ve ever heard on YouTube lmao.” Another praised Michael Bisping as a national hero for surviving the attack: “Great story. Michael is a National Treasure. I’m glad we never lost him.”

As a teenager, Michael Bisping was fortunate to make it out alive that night. Authority data shows most of Bellfield’s crimes took place between 2002 and 2004, sparking questions over whether it was indeed the same killer or someone imitating his modus operandi. The truth remains uncertain.