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Report: UFC legend Randy Couture airlifted to hospital after suffering serious injuries in Kansas City NHRA practice

Brian Jones Profile Picby: Brian Jones07/09/25brianjones_93
Randy Couture
Feb 7, 2014; Pomona, CA, USA; UFC fighter Randy Couture visits some of the NHRA racers during qualifying for the Winternationals at Auto Club Raceway at Pomona. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

UFC legend Randy Couture was airlifted to a hospital after suffering serious injuries during NHRA practice runs in Kansas City. According to TMZ Sports, Couture was involved in an accident on Tuesday and suffered second-degree burns, trauma injuries and smoke inhalation.

TMZ Sports said the cause of the accident was not clear, but Couture was rushed to a nearby burn center for treatment, which is where he remains as of this writing. The good news is Randy Couture is expected to recover from his injuries.

Back in April, Scag Racing announced an expansion of their involvement with the NHRA with the addition of a Pro Mod program that would be driven by Couture. At the time of his accident, the 62-year-old was preparing for an upcoming race.

Randy Couture makes the jump to the NHRA

“I met Randy [Gloede] from Scag in Pomona and started to develop a rapport and a relationship. I expressed some interest in becoming a driver and stepping my toe in the water here as a drag racer,” Couture said in April. “I’m excited because we share a lot of the same values, and I think this is going to be a very, very good relationship. I’m excited to jump in with both feet. It’s not something I ever saw myself doing, but neither was fighting, and neither was acting, and those things turned out pretty well.

“This is a new way to tickle that competitive spirit that I’ve had most of my life; a new place for me to get competitive and make a mark in racing. I’ll bring all the things I developed as a wrestler and martial artist into this realm and see what we can do. I have no idea how it’s going to go, but I’m excited about the opportunities,” Couture continued. “To be a Scag guy and involved with Scag is huge to me. I think we’re going to make a mark in the sport, reach new eyes, potentially from the MMA world and the rest of the world that are going to be interested in this world simply because of this relationship, and that’s what it’s all about.”

Couture has a 19-11 career record in mixed martial arts. During his time in UFC, he won the UFC Heavyweight Championship three times and the UFC Light Heavyweight Championship twice. Couture was also a wrestler at Oklahoma State and was named an All-American in 1990, 1991 and 1992.