Curtis Blaydes recounted an unusual post-fight experience of riding in the same ambulance with his opponent Josh Howitt to the hospital. The heavyweight fighters were transported together on stretchers following their battle, with the journey taking approximately 30 minutes to the nearest medical facility. Blaydes explained that they were loaded into the ambulance on gurneys, with Howitt positioned behind him. Due to the positioning of the stretchers and their backrests, Blaydes couldn't turn around to see Howitt. However, he could hear Howitt speaking to him during the ride. The shared ambulance trip highlights the physical toll of their heavyweight contest.
Curtis Blaydes has opened up about a rarely discussed side of professional fighting, revealing that he and opponent Josh Howitt shared the same ambulance on the way to a hospital following their heavyweight bout.
Blaydes, known as "Razor," described being loaded onto gurneys alongside Howitt and transported together over a roughly 30-minute ride to the nearest medical facility. The two fighters were positioned on stretchers with their backrests preventing Blaydes from turning around to see his opponent — yet he could still hear Howitt speaking to him during the journey.
The 35-year-old American, who trains out of Elevation Fight Team, holds a professional record of 19-6-0 and sits at number four in the UFC heavyweight rankings. Standing six-foot-four with an 80-inch reach, Blaydes has built his reputation as one of the division's most persistent pressure fighters, averaging 5.38 takedowns per 15 minutes and landing significant strikes at a clip of 3.56 per minute with 50 percent accuracy.
Why it matters
- The anecdote underscores the brutal physical cost that heavyweight contests extract from both competitors
- Blaydes remains a significant figure in the heavyweight rankings at number four, meaning his health and recovery carry real divisional weight
- The shared ambulance moment offers an unusually human glimpse into the aftermath of elite-level combat sports
The account is a striking reminder that once the cage door opens, the animosity of competition gives way to something more grounded. Two large men, battered and bound for the same hospital, riding in silence and conversation somewhere between sport and survival.
