Former UFC fighter Terry Etim in the hospital after throwing himself into traffic

Former UFC and Bellator fighter Terry Etim was taken to the hospital in serious condition after running through traffic and jumping into several vehicles.

The Liverpool Echo reports that Etim, 31, was acting out of control as he ran through traffic around 2pm in the Old Swan area of Liverpool with several of his friends trying to restrain him. He bounced off at least three buses, leaving the windshield of one completely shattered. Police called to the scene restrained the mixed martial arts fighter and took him to the hospital.

Hairdresser Andrea McCullough said: “It was one of the worst things I’ve ever seen.

“His friends were running after him and trying to restrain him on the floor but he managed to break free and was running in and around all the cars.

“He wasn’t trying to harm anybody but himself. He was covered from head to toe in blood.

Unconfirmed reports said he had been travelling in a car with some friends but jumped out of the car, a Ford Focus, and ran towards oncoming traffic.

Etim fought for the UFC between 2007 and 2013, racking up a 6-5 record including wins over Sam Stout and Justin Buchholz. But he is best known for an infamous wheel kick loss to Edson Barboza in 2012 which has since become perhaps the most replayed knockout in UFC history.

Following his run in the UFC he fought once for Bellator before a knee injury took him out of active competition.

We'll have more on Etim's condition as the story develops.