UFC on ESPN 62’s Francis Marshall: Short-notice fight against Dennis Buzukja was a ‘life-or-death situation’

LAS VEGAS – UFC lightweight (autotag) Francis Marshall (/autotag) showed up on short notice a week earlier, but he felt his job was on the line.

Marshall (8-2 MMA, 2-2 UFC) signed up to fight Dennis Buzukja seven days before UFC on ESPN 62. After falling short in his second and third UFC appearances, Marshall needed to get back on track or perhaps find himself back on the regional scene.

Buzukja (12-5 MMA, 1-3 UFC) proved to be a tough opponent to beat, but Marshall came out on top via split decision. Now, he can rest a little easier on his work situation.

“It was definitely a life-or-death situation,” Marshall told reporters at a post-fight press conference. “But I was confident. I knew that if I lost this fight, my UFC career, at this point, was probably over. So I was going to have to fight my way back here, but with that pressure, I was focused. I was able to come here and perform at my best.”

Marshall credits his training partners at American Top Team for helping him prepare for short-notice opportunities and everything that comes with accepting a fight on a week’s notice.

After impressing in his debut with a knockout of Marcelo Rojo, Marshall lost a split decision to William Gomis and was then knocked out by Isaac Dulgarian. The Dana White’s Contender Series veteran bounced back in short order to get back to a .500 record in the UFC.

Watch the full post-fight interview with Marshall in the video above.

For more information on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC on ESPN 62.

This article originally appeared on MMA Junkie: UFC on ESPN 62’s Francis Marshall: Short-notice fight against Dennis Buzukja was a ‘life-or-death situation’