UFC fan favorite Jalin Turner’s comeback fight takes place before UFC 323 against one of the legends of the lightweight division.
UFC star Jalin Turner surprised fans, pundits and fellow fighters when he announced his retirement at the age of 29 following a loss at UFC 313 earlier this year. Turner acknowledged that his passion for fighting had waned due to his recent losing skid, which included recent defeats to Dan Hooker and Renato Moicano.
After weeks of speculation about a comeback with viral training footage, Turner said he was “waiting for the call” from the UFC matchmakers for his planned return to the lightweight division. Turner is still in the physical prime of his career and has plenty of time to get back into the title mix.
While Turner seems positive for his comeback fight, he faces a big challenge in his return to the Octagon.
Jalin Turner vs. Edson Barboza added to stacked UFC 323 card
As announced by the UFC on Wednesday, Turner will face Edson Barboza on the UFC 323 undercard in a lightweight matchup.
Turner’s most recent win came by knockout against Bobby Green at UFC Austin in December 2023. He has slumped in recent years, losing four of his last five fights and falling out of the lightweight Top 15.
Before his ongoing losing skid, Turner won five consecutive bouts, including brutal wins over Brad Riddell and Jamie Mullarkey. The former Contender series by Dana White highlight was on the verge of a potential title contender before his recent troubles.
Barboza returns to the lightweight division after recent losses to Drakkar Klose and Lerone Murphy. He had an up and down tenure at featherweight with wins over Shane Burgos, Billy Quarantillo and Sodiq Yusuff.
UFC 323 is headlined by a UFC bantamweight title clash between Merab Dvalishvili and Petr Yan. The co-main event is a UFC flyweight bout between the champion, Alexandre Pantoja, and top contender Joshua Van.
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