An undefeated Liverpool MMA prospect says that he will be the best fighter on the planet ahead of his sixth pro fight this weekend.
Kurtis “The Pink Panther” Campbell from Melling, Sefton, has made a perfect 5-0 start to his professional mixed martial arts career.
He has goals of becoming the next big star of the sport from Merseyside, saying his name will sit top of all pound-for-pound lists in the future.
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The 22-year-old wants to add his name to the list of Liverpool-based fighters that have reached the highest level of martial arts like Paddy Pimblett, Molly McCann and Terry Etim.
He told Mersey Sport Live: “My name will be on the top of the pound-for-pound list. It will take a while for my long-term goals but I’ll definitely say that in 10 to 15 years I’ll be top with a few belts on that list.”
Campbell competes once again on Saturday night at FCC 40 in Liverpool, against Austrian Daniel Matusic,
He has the opportunity to defend the title he won by unanimous decision in his last outing.
His last appearance in the octagon was the most challenging fixture of his career to date, as he went all five rounds with an at the time undefeated Brazilian, Matheus Lima.
He also suffered a nasty cut to the side of his head in the process.
But Campbell insists he is now a better fighter for the experience. He said: “You don’t really know if you’ve got that deep grit in you until it’s put on you in the fight, so to get one of those fights early in my career gives me a bit more confidence.”
Known for his bright pink shorts and his range of striking abilities, Campbell highlighted his versatility in his last performance.
He explained: “Wrestling has been a massive part of my game since around 2019. I thought I could beat everyone up with my striking but it’s mixed martial arts and it’s not always the case.
“I’ve had to improve and work on my wrestling and my last opponent was a tricky fighter on the feet, so the game plan was to take him down and control him.”
Campbell trains at the Liverpool Combat Academy in New Hall and KC Fight Base in Kirkby.
With fight night approaching he said: “The training camp is never as easy as it looks, it’s a lot of physical and mental problems when you’re going at it for nine-12 weeks straight and you’re on a strict diet.
“I wake up, get to the gym, and go for a morning run. I go home make breakfast and then head back to the gym. Then I head back again for a heavier session at night.”
The Scouser has a 4kg weight cut between now and the fight, and a chance at taking another step towards his pound-for-pound goals.
