Best in the World: Charlie Campbell's Ascent

Campbell was born on June 3, 1995 in East Rockaway, New York, and started wrestling at age six. With no high school wrestling program available, he transitioned to jiu-jitsu and Muay Thai/boxing at 13, training because he 'had a lot of aggression at a young age' and got hooked watching UFC 62 as a kid. He worked as a personal trainer before fighting.

He is a blue belt in BJJ under Matt Serra — the ultimate credential for a Long Island fighter, from the gym that produced champions.

After a first-round KO loss on DWCS Season 6 in August 2022, Campbell was given a replacement-fighter spot in the UFC in September 2023 for Noche UFC. He stopped Alex Reyes via strikes in the first round, earned a Performance of the Night bonus, and delivered one of the Octagon's most entertaining post-fight interviews — quoting The Rock and declaring himself 'the best in the world.'

'Originally I wanted to be the most successful fighter to win on the contender series. Now I want to be the most successful guy to lose on the contender series and still make a comeback.'

Campbell went 2-0 in the UFC with a decision win over Trevor Peek at UFC Vegas 90 in April 2024, before suffering a submission loss to Tom Nolan (rear-naked choke, R1) at UFC Perth in September 2025. As of mid-2026 he remains with the UFC and Serra-Longo, preparing for his return — brash, confident, and ready to be surprised by nothing.

Campbell is a relentless pressure striker who leads with heavy leg kicks, chases the body, and dips side-to-side while throwing bombs. He has a 'controlled chaos' style — wild enough to be exciting but with real technical intent. He is primarily a striker (no submission wins) and is vulnerable to being taken down, but his power and forward pressure make him a nightmare for stand-up fighters. The spinning back fist is his signature.

Campbell was openly enthusiastic about appearing in the WWE after his viral Rock impression post-fight at Noche UFC. When he is done fighting, he wants an American Barbell gym of his own — a Long Island institution. He is a personal trainer by background, an entertainer by nature, and a fighter by everything else.