Contender Series vet Francis Marshall aced his UFC debut with a brutal second-round knockout of Marcelo Rojo on UFC Orlando’s preliminary card.
Marshall handed Rojo his third straight loss with a short right hand in the clinch, and a follow-up right hammerfist shut off the lights at the 1:14 mark of the middle frame.
Check out the finish below.
Rojo hoped to shake off the doldrums of his previous two fights. Just being able to compete was a blessing after the UFC’s decision to bar fighters who train with James Krause from competing in the octagon during multiple government investigations. Because of the short notice of the decision, execs gave Rojo a pass.
Rojo came out swinging, trading inside with Marshall. He broke the rules to stay on his feet, stopping one takedown attempt with a pair of fence grabs. But Marshall redoubled his efforts and got the fight to the ground. Even there, Rojo proved a threat with reverse elbows that bounced Marshall’s head off his opponent’s back, though he shook off the visual.
Marshall took a few heavy shots from Rojo in the opening moments of the second, but he found the turning point in the clinch. It was the 23-year-old’s seventh straight victory in an unbeaten pro career.