Former MMA fighter repeatedly stabs apartment neighbor, killing him, TX cops say

A former MMA fighter accused of fatally stabbing his neighbor said his actions were done in self defense, Texas authorities say.

But Artur Rofi, also known as The Albanian Nightmare during his career as a mixed martial arts fighter, is now charged with murder following the May 10 incident in Houston, according to court documents.

When a neighbor of Rofi and the victim woke up to sounds of screaming, the neighbor opened their door to find a man on the ground in the hallway with Rofi “holding his hands down (and) stomping on his stomach area,” charging documents said.

The neighbor called 911, but when they went back out to the hallway, both the victim and Rofi were gone, according to court records. In their place was a “large pool of blood” in front of the victim’s door.

Authorities found the 61-year-old victim lying on the couch in his own apartment, suffering from at least six stab wounds, according to the court documents. Authorities said he had been killed.

Rofi admitted to stabbing his neighbor, but he said he did it only after the man stabbed him in the head, according to court records.

When the the victim stabbed Rofi, the former MMA fighter turned the knife toward him and “stabbed him repeatedly,” he told authorities, according to the court documents.

Rofi, who only lived in the apartment for four months, was already accused of having violent run-ins with other neighbors, court records said.

An apartment manger told officers they were in the process of evicting Rofi because of threats and alleged assaults against other tenants, according to court records.

Rofi, 41, is charged with murder and was jailed on a $500,000 bond, jail records show.

Rofi fought in the featherweight class and held a 7-1 record. His last fight was in 2016.

This story was originally published May 13, 2025 at 11:25 AM with the headline "Former MMA fighter repeatedly stabs apartment neighbor, killing him, TX cops say."