The kid from Liverpool with the Beatles haircut says the first impression he gave fans earlier this year was the wrong one.
Kurtis Campbell got into the UFC with an 80-second knockout win on DWCS about 13 months ago. But his UFC debut in front of his home-country fans in London in March went sideways. Danny Silva starched him with a right hand and put him out 31 seconds into the second round.
But Campbell hopes he can fade the memory of that loss for himself and everyone else when he returns this week at UFC Fight Night 287. The 24-year-old Campbell (8-1 MMA, 0-1 UFC) takes on Trevor Peek (9-3 MMA, 2-3 UFC) in a featherweight fight on the main card.
"I can't wait. It's going to be amazing to get that first (UFC) win under the belt, and from there
work toward continuing that streak and make waves in this sport," Campbell told the UFC this week. "I've got a lot to look forward to. At the end of day, this is my job and I thrive under that pressure. I can't wait to do it.
"Kurtis Campbell isn't just one fight. This is the next fight, and I'm going to show who I am. Just one little hiccup in the road means nothing to me."
Campbell is a heavy 4-1 betting favorite in the fight. Only French headliner Salahdine Parnasse is a bigger favorite at the window.
Peek has lost back-to-back fights and three of his past four, but all four of those fights have gone the distance. Still, the experts think the most likely way the fight ends is with a Campbell stoppage.
"If I need 15 minutes, it'll be there. But when that finish comes, I'll be taking it with both hands," Campbell said.
Campbell previews his fight with Peek below.
“I'm ready to show them improvements.”
— UFC News (@UFCNews) September 2, 2026
Kurtis Campbell (@KcampbellMMA) shook off his debut loss and is excited to make his second Octagon appearance on September 5. #UFCParis
Fight by Fight Preview ➡️: https://t.co/fbp0AErhpM pic.twitter.com/QIOWFVuYRC
This article originally appeared on MMA Junkie: Kurtis Campbell ready for a hard day's fight at UFC Paris
