Kurtis Campbell, a 24-year-old fighter from Liverpool, has spoken about how being bullied as a child led him into martial arts and, eventually, a career in the UFC. His parents enrolled him in Muay Thai classes aged seven to help him cope with bullying at primary school, and he went on to dedicate his teenage years almost entirely to the sport, prioritising training over academic study.

Campbell won five titles across three weight classes with the Full Contact Contender promotion and earned his UFC contract via Dana White's Contender Series in September 2025. He suffered his first defeat in nearly seven and a half years on his UFC debut in March, losing by TKO to Danny Silva, and now faces American Trevor Peek at UFC Paris this Saturday as he looks to bounce back.