MMA Junkie has live coverage of UFC 323 with round-by-round analysis of every fight.
Jalin Turner is back like he never left.
On the prelims of UFC 323 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Turner (15-9 MMA, 8-6 UFC) returned from a brief retirement to take on Edson Barboza. It was a performance that reminded everyone, including himself, what he’s capable of inside the octagon, as he took out Barboza in just 2:24 by TKO.
Advertisement
The size difference was apparent early on as Turner patiently picked his shots from distance. A nasty elbow sliced open Barboza early, and from that point, Turner turned up the volume with his striking, but stayed calm in the process. The big shots accumulated, and eventually the bloodied Barboza went down. Referee Herb Dean was quick to step in to stop the action.
Check out video of the finish below (via X):
After the stoppage, Turner dropped to his knees and let the emotions flow. During his post-fight interview, he told Joe Rogan it was because he nearly quit on himself, and encouraged others to push through adversity to chase their dreams.
Advertisement
Turner retired in March after back-to-back losses. Now back in action, he returns to the win column to pick up his fifth first-round finish in the UFC. Barboza, who returned to lightweight in August, falls to a three-fight skid.
Up-to-the-minute UFC 323 results:
This article originally appeared on MMA Junkie: UFC 323 video: Jalin Turner returns for vicious first-round TKO
