Joseph Bennett, 21, was repeatedly bitten and had his bicep torn out by the supersized ‘double’ XL Bully dog called Hunter while dog-sitting for a friend in Sussex
An amateur MMA fighter was forced to use his skills to ‘”miraculously” survive a horrific 20-minute attack from a “supersized” XL Bully. Joseph Bennett, 21, was thrown around “like a rag-doll”, repeatedly bitten and had his bicep ripped out by the supersized ‘”double” XL dog while he was looking after it for a mate.
The police later put down the 65kg dog named Hunter after it also attacked an officer. Joseph insists he doesn’t hold a grudge against the XL Bully for the assault as he believes it was merely acting on its breeding instincts.
He credits his fight training for helping him endure such a prolonged onslaught. Joseph, from Peacehaven, Sussex, said: “I just went into survival mode and my MMA training kicked in. You don’t have to be big, just know what to do. I treated it like a fight.
“I knew if it got my throat, I was done for. So every time he lunged for my throat, I just sacrificed every other body part to stay alive. I don’t know anyone else who managed to survive a 20-minute fight with a Bully. The dog transformed in the blink of an eye into a killing machine. These dogs are so powerful, but it’s how they are bred. It’s not their fault.
“If you’re in a life and death situation like me with a Bully or similar dog you need to be prepared to sacrifice other body parts just to stay alive like I did. I can still live with a damaged arm and am still here. It’s a miracle that I am here today though, I am lucky to survive. I should be dead.”
At the time, gifted artist Joseph was pursuing computer game art at college whilst relishing rugby and casual MMA training with mates. He explained: “I was really fit and enjoyed doing grappling for fun with my friends at gyms with MMA equipment and those skills probably saved my life.”
Joseph revealed he had agreed to look after Hunter – a powerfully built double XL – at his former residence in February 2024 as a favour to a mate. He continued: “I had known Hunter for a year and never seen him be violent before. Every time I had been with him before I would stroke him and play and we got on well and he had a great character so I assumed this would be the same but it wasn’t.”
Joseph had been in his garden having a kickabout with Hunter using an old football when its muzzle slipped off. What followed was a horrifying battle for survival. He dropped his phone and instinctively raised his arm to shield his neck and face as the massive dog locked its jaws onto his arm and hurled him to the ground.
Hunter fled the garden and following an attack on a police officer, was subsequently put down. Joseph was rushed to Brighton’s Royal Sussex County Hospital where he underwent the first of three operations to reattach his bicep and blood vessels and stitch up his torn arms, shoulders and chest.
“The pain was awful as my body had been shredded by his teeth and claws and it had chewed out my bicep but it was still better than being dead. You can live with dodgy arms.” Following the incident, he spent several months undergoing skin grafts and rehabilitation, but the trauma continues to haunt him in the form of nightmares and panic attacks.
Joseph, who has since relocated to Seaford, shared: “The nightmares are horrific and I have to do things more slowly. He said: “I also have flashbacks as whenever I have shooting pains it takes me back there . I can no longer draw the same now due to my damaged arm so my dream career as a video game artist is over which makes me sad.”
His injuries have forced him to abandon sports and playing guitar, and he now works part-time in hospitality. Joseph added: “Sometimes I just don’t want to leave the house. Whereas before I was always keeping fit or out doing something now I am limited to what I can do. I do used to enjoy playing the guitar but now I can’t even pick it up without it hurting.”
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