Marshall Meets Short-Notice Hope on Halloween Card After Bolanos Cut

The UFC's Halloween card needed a patch-up before it was even official. Gaston Bolanos withdrew from UFC Fight Night 292 on Thursday after suffering a cut in training, and the promotion has lined up Dakota Hope to step in against Francis Marshall on Oct. 31 at the Meta APEX in Las Vegas, according to a person with knowledge of the booking. The UFC has not formally announced the change.

Hope, an 11-2 featherweight out of the 4oz Fight Club under coach Daniel Pineda, takes his second UFC appearance in search of his first promotional win. He trains alongside flyweight champion Joshua Van in Houston and gets the call at short notice — exactly the kind of opportunity that can define a young career. Marshall (10-3 MMA, 4-3 UFC) will be the favorite. The 27-year-old stumbled to a 1-3 start in the octagon but has steadied himself with consecutive wins over Erik Silva and Lucas Brennan, and a victory on the holiday card would keep him climbing in a crowded division.

The Oct. 31 event, also known as UFC Vegas 123, is headlined by Renato Moicano against Tom Nolan, with the all-Santos sisters clash of Luana and Yana among the featured bouts. Marshall-Hope joins the undercard as the latest shuffle of a busy fall schedule.