Can The ‘Tarantula’ Get A Victory In His Return Fight?
Not too long ago, Jalin Turner was seen as a potential threat in the Lightweight Division. Standing at six-foot-three and having the reach that he does to go along with his dangerous and fast striking ability, he looked like a matchup nightmare for anyone. However, since 2022, he has lost four of his last five fights. He ended up hanging up his gloves in March of this year at UFC 313, but returns to face long-time veteran Edson Barboza. Can Turner make a statement against a pioneer like Edson, or will the vet prove to him that he should stay retired?
Fighters with long reaches and strikes have always excelled when they mixed their boxing with head kicks. Turner has done this better than anyone and has one of the fastest and snappiest head kicks you will find. He has nothing to lose here, and he’s fighting a pure striker, so he can let his hands go and showcase his entire arsenal. He will need to close the distance, but early on, he will have to stay on the outside and avoid leg kicks coming from Edson. His thin legs will be chewed up if he just stands there and tries to absorb them. If he can push Edson up against the fence, he will be able to throw long combinations and probably get him out of there. The longer this fight plays out, the better it will be for Turner because the 39-year-old will have the weaker cardio.
Edson Barboza has had a long and successful career both at Lightweight and at Featherweight. Even at his age, he fought against some of the best guys there are. He has competed with each one of them and has shown that his explosiveness isn’t going away anytime soon. A fight against a fighter who isn’t going to clinch and wear him could prove to be important, and he could be more aggressive. If he can stay away from the powerful left hand of Turner and chew up his lead leg, he will mess up his mobility and be able to throw long combinations without the same sting coming back in his direction. He may just have one more iconic knockout left in him.
This fight is a lot closer than the odds have seemed. Two prolific strikers going toe to toe, anything can happen, especially with how Turner's career has gone and how dynamic a striker Edson is. Whichever way this fight goes, you're not going to want to miss it and all the other exciting action next Saturday, December 6th, for UFC 323. The main card is set to kick off at 10:00 p.m. EST, promising a high-energy start to the night.
