Kurtis Campbell, a British mixed martial arts (MMA) fighter competing in the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), credits his career in combat sports to experiences from his childhood, particularly bullying he faced during his time at primary school in Liverpool. His parents, Jay and Michelle, enrolled him in Muay Thai classes to help him defend himself. Now 24, Campbell is preparing for his second UFC fight against American Trevor Peek at UFC Paris. He acknowledges his parents for supporting his decision to pursue combat sports, which ultimately led him to the UFC. Campbell initially did not enjoy the fighting aspect of Muay Thai but became more involved after competing in amateur competitions. At age 15, he won his first international Muay Thai title. He described himself as not being the cleverest student and being in the lower ability groups at school. Despite this, he remained committed to combat sports, even running nearly five miles to and from school daily and missing school to attend a coaching seminar hosted by John Kavanagh, the coach of former UFC champion Conor McGregor. After completing his GCSE exams at 16, Campbell enrolled in a college course that combined sport studies and football. However, he primarily focused on combat sports, attending classes before leaving to train. He admitted that he did not enjoy school but made some friends there. Campbell suffered a TKO defeat by Danny Silva in his UFC debut in March, marking his first loss in nearly seven and a half years. He had previously won five titles across three weight classes with the Full Contact Contender (FCC) promotion before earning a UFC contract on Dana White's Contender Series in September 2025. He expressed pride in his journey, reflecting on the "fat kid" version of himself and the legacy he aims to build.