Heading into his UFC debut last December, I wondered if Marshall was maybe getting stuck in a little too tough right out of the gate being paired off with Argentinian veteran Marcelo Rojo.
Midway through the first round, it was clear that the 24-year-old was certainly capable of holding his own against the more experienced “Pitbull” and 74 seconds into the middle stanza, he was 1-0 in the UFC, having stopped Rojo cold with a beautiful right hand as the two traded in the pocket. Saturday night, Marshall returns to the UFC APEX, where he earned his contract with a win on Dana White’s Contender Series, for a clash with fellow sophomore William Gomis.
Unbeaten in seven pro fights after a 5-0 amateur career, the 24-year-old Marshall has clearly been developed well by former UFC competitor Kurt Pellegrino, who serves as his head coach. He’s quick with his hands, sound with his fundamentals, and gritty enough to stand in there and trade with Rojo right out of the chute, even when things weren’t necessarily going his way. His contract-winning effort against Connor Matthews last summer showed his ability to go the distance while working at a good pace, as well as stay focused when he could have been discouraged by Matthews’ resilience, and both should come in handy as he continues to work forward in the featherweight division.
Gomis carried an eight-fight winning streak into his promotional debut last fall in Paris, where he earned a majority decision win over Jarno Errens. It was a slightly uneven effort from the MMA Factory representative, but between fighting on the big stage and fighting at home in front of a massive audience, it’s reasonable to cut the 25-year-old “Jaguar” some slack and expect him to be even better this time around.
This is a great opportunity for Marshall to test himself against a talented contemporary with a little more experience and who also comes from a quality team. It’s the kind of early matchup that will help clarify where he stands in his development, as well as the division, for the time being, and allow his team and fight observers to better chart a course for his future.
