Ryan Curtis wins Fighter of The Year award as he returns to the mats less than one year after being told he might 'never walk again'
Yesterday at 12:10 PM
Ryan Curtis walked back on to the mats less than a year after being told he might never walk again to pick up his Fighters’ Fighter of the Year award.
The Irish flyweight, who fought in Bellator and Cage Warriors during his career, suffered a broken neck, broken back and dislocated spine during a horror training incident in January. In hospital, he was warned that the injury might be such that he never walks again.
However, he has undergone an intensive rehabilitation programme and travelled the world to get treatment, and is now back on his feet. And on Saturday, he was rewarded with the Fight Academy Ireland Fighters’ Fighter of the Year award in the same gym where he suffered his injury.
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Ryan Curtis overcame the odds to walk again after horror injury
On January 11 of this year, while training for his return to the cage, 125lb prospect Ryan Curtis was injured in a freak accident in the gym. He suffered severe trauma to his spine, and was told by doctors that there was a real chance he might never walk again.
But after months of support from teammates, fans and old friends such as Conor McGregor, he overcame the odds and by the summertime was walking again. He has since been spotted at a number of fight events, and has made public appearances speaking about what he has been through.
And over the weekend he returned to Fight Academy Ireland, where he had trained alongside UFC star Rhys McKee and PFL title contender Paul Hughes. There, he walked on to the mats and was given the award of Fighters’ Fighter of the Year for 2024.
Ryan Curtis given emotional speech after winning Fighter of the Year award
Curtis was embraced fondly throughout the gym as he made his way to the mat, and accepted the award from coaches Liam Shannon and Patrick McAlister. His teammates, including McKee, applauded as he got the prize, after an emotional moment from his coach.
“I said to this guy in maybe the first week of February ‘you’re going to walk on these mats and win fighter’s fighter of the year’,” Shannon told the gathered team. “I said ‘you’re going to collect your award.
“He was in intensive care and there were people maybe looking and thinking ‘you shouldn’t be saying this to him, he might not walk again, he’s not even going to sit up again’. But I knew for a fact that he would be back on his feet.
“It’s hard to even put into words what he has overcome and what he continues to overcome. But I was phoning him in the darkest times during struggles and mental battles he had to overcome and still even in them moments he was positive.
“I honestly don’t think he realizes how inspirational he is to everybody. So it’s the biggest honor and the biggest privilege to say that the Fighters’ Fighter of the Year for 2024 is Ryan Curtis.”
Ryan Curtis sends inspirational message after winning award
After winning the prize, Curtis took to Instagram to express his gratitude to his team and everyone who has supported him throughout the past year. He is now back on his feet, but still undergoing thorough treatment in order to move comfortably.
“Loyalty isn't about being around when things are easy, it's about showing up when life gets hard,” he wrote. “I am beyond grateful for those who had my back when the weight of the world felt too heavy to carry. You are all the reason I'm here standing.
“It's easy to find people to celebrate with you when you're winning, but the ones who stick by your side when you're at your lowest, They are your people.
Scroll back I said at the beginning when I first got injured I was grateful for the opportunity to become the kind of person something like this can transform you into.
“If people only realised the hardships they are avoiding or the feelings they don't want to feel are the key to becoming the best version of themselves they would face them head on.
“A good life isn't a life that's easy, A good life is a life that makes you into a good person and the best way to make sure of that is not shying away from whatever difficulties life throws at you.
“Not even a year on and I am collecting the fighters favourite fighter award on my own 2 feet just like I said I would. They thought I was toast but I never forgot I was still the bread! We are Fight Academy Ireland!”
