At a Chelsea martial arts facility, a 24-year-old mixed martial arts star was stabbed multiple times by a former gym member who had been previously banned from the establishment.
According to police, Caleb Perry, 23, entered Radical Mixed Martial Arts on West 29th at Seventh Avenue around 11 a.m. Saturday, seemingly in search of management staff. What transpired next was a harrowing confrontation that could have ended tragically if not for the target’s extensive combat training.
The target, identified as Sandro Kukhianidze, described the sudden nature of the attack in a social media video showing his injuries: “I get in at 11:50 and I put my shoes away… I turn around and all of a sudden I’m just getting stabbed.”
Sandro recounted how he immediately utilized his martial arts skills, taking his attacker to the ground after being stabbed in the back twice. “I dropped to guard, controlled the knife, controlled his wrist, his sleeve. I swept him, I got on top,” he explained. In a desperate move for self-preservation, Sandro bit the attacker’s hand, forcing him to release the weapon.
Police, who happened to be across the road, quickly responded to the scene. The target was transported to Bellevue Hospital in stable condition, where he received stitches for his wounds before being released.
A police source indicated that Perry had his gym membership revoked last year for undisclosed reasons. He now faces serious charges including attempted murder, assault, and burglary, and was awaiting arraignment as of Saturday.
Despite his injuries, Sandro expressed gratitude that he was the one attacked rather than someone less trained. “Good thing it wasn’t like anybody who was less trained than me. Good thing it wasn’t one of my female teammates,” he stated.
According to Sandro, the attacker’s motives may have been even more sinister: “He came to kill my coach. My coach wasn’t there yet.”
In a remarkable display of resilience, Sandro reportedly plans to defend his title in an upcoming competition on June 28th, refusing to postpone despite his injuries.
The incident has highlighted the potential life-saving value of self-defense training. “The whole thing just made me realize that you have to be grateful for life,” Sandro reflected. “I almost lost mine yesterday.”
