Contender Series standout Kurtis Campbell made his debut on the UFC London main card on Saturday, paired up with Brazilian Danny Silva.
Known as “The Pink Panther” after fighting in pink fight shorts on the regional scene (he’d get them again on Saturday), Campbell was an unassuming figure outside the cage, but a perfect 8-0 inside it. Silva, 2-1 in the UFC to date, had lost to rising star Kevin Vallejos in his last fight.
The fight opened with Campbell immediately going to his kicks, throwing a variety of looks to keep Silva at range and disrupt his rhythm. Silva pressed forward aggressively but was a bit sloppy on the entry, allowing Campbell to secure an early takedown. Campbell looked to transition to the back and, after a brief scramble, managed to get there. Silva responded well, picking an ankle to reverse position and working his way back to his feet.
Back at distance, Campbell pushed Silva to the cage again, but Silva showed strong takedown defense and avoided being grounded. The round closed on the feet, with both fighters having their moments and likely feeling confident heading into the second.
Round two flipped the fight instantly. Silva dropped Campbell with a big right hook. Campbell got back up, but Silva stayed on him, landing two more right hands that put him down multiple times, forcing the TKO stoppage. That spoiled the debut of Campbell, and marked the best Silva had looked in the UFC.
Official Result: Danny Silva def. Kurtis Campbell by KO (right hands), Round 2, 0:31
