A British fighter tipped as the 'next Paddy Pimblett' has been handed a UFC contract by Dana White.
Since making his UFC debut in September 2021, Pimblett has quickly established himself as one of the biggest names in mixed martial arts.
The Liverpudlian has an unbeaten record in the UFC, notching up high-profile victories over some of the biggest stars, such as Tony Ferguson and Michael Chandler. There is also speculation he could face Ilia Topuria in what would be a hugely exciting fight.
Now, UFC fans are excited by the emergence of another potential star from Liverpool in Kurtis Campbell. Dubbed 'The Pink Panther', the 23-year-old has impressed so far in his career, boasting an undefeated 8-0 record.
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His latest victory came in the opening round of Dana White's Contender Series, a performance that appears to have caught the attention of the UFC president. White was full of praise for Campbell following the win.
He said: "Kurtis, incredible performance. Unlike the first fight, you actually lived up to being a 5/1 favourite.
"I didn't get to see a lot of the action, but what I did see was damn good. Get over here."
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Campbell leapt up from his seat in celebration, letting out a huge cheer and shouting: "Let's go" as he jumped around in delight.
Who is Kurtis Campbell?
Campbell is an exciting young talent emerging within MMA. After his latest fight, he spoke to the press about his appearance.
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He said: “Everyone sees the glasses, everyone sees the top knot. I just didn’t get my pink shorts tonight, so hopefully I get that in the future. As much as I was the favourite tonight, everyone’s always thought I was the underdog.
“I’m always on top at the end.”
Given his connection to Liverpool, he will inevitably draw comparisons with Pimblett. Campbell also spoke highly of Pimblett's team following his success in the Contender Series.
He said: “They’re all quality lads.
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“I have nothing but respect for all them lads over there.
"We’re all from one city, you know what I mean and at the end of the day, Liverpool stand up.
"That’s what we’re doing. We’re only a small fighting city, and we’re coming and we’re putting ourselves on the map.”
Although Campbell did not confirm his debut date nor location, he suggested that he would like to compete in London, giving British fans a chance to see him in action.
Topics: UFC, MMA, Paddy Pimblett, Dana White, Liverpool
James Taylor