Athletes
Jalin Turner Sees Things Lining Up
UFC Lightweight Contender Jalin Turner Feels Like He Can Take A Big Step Forward With A Great Performance Versus Dan Hooker At UFC 290: Volkanovski vs Rodriguez
Before the dreams of world title fights and main events start to show up on the radar, the first goal of most UFC fighters is to get on a pay-per-view card.
That’s a big deal. For Jalin Turner, who has appeared on a numbered event in seven of his nine trips to the Octagon, it’s business as usual. On Saturday, it’s UFC 290 and a main card meeting with Dan Hooker. Could Turner possibly go back to the UFC APEX again?
“It's my job, so if they ask me to, I could,” he laughs. “But, for the most part, I like the big cards and I completely prefer it. Big crowds, big cards, please. All day, every day.”
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Having “The Tarantula” on pay-per-view cards is practically a no-brainer these days. He’s won six of his nine UFC bouts, with all victories ending via knockout or submission, he’s ranked 11th in a stacked lightweight division, and he always shows up looking for a finish. Yes, a lot of fighters say that, but Turner means it. So much so that when talking about his split decision loss to Mateusz Gamrot in March, he was more concerned that if he did win, he was going to see his finish streak snapped.
“Part of this game is being entertaining,” said Turner. “You have to win, of course, but if you're entertaining, people are going to want to watch you fight more and more. And that's what I like to go do. I like to go and not just entertain, but I like to entertain and win. I like to try to finish these fights, and, at the end of that fight, I was so frustrated that I didn't knock him out. That's what really bothered me. Even if I got my hand raised, I'd be like, ‘Man, there goes my hundred percent finish rate.’ I was more upset about that than anything. Some people just want to win, and it’s about winning, too, but some people only want to win and don't care if it's boring. I think that takes away a lot of the credit and credibility for me.”
It was the kind of defeat that didn’t set Turner back too far. He fought a legit contender, was largely outgrappled, but still found himself in Las Vegas for a big fight on a big card. And in New Zealand’s Hooker, the odds of a wrestling match breaking out are slim and none, especially since the two prepped for each other for that March event before a hand injury scrapped “The Hangman” from the bout.
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“It helps with the mental aspect,” said Turner when asked if preparing for Hooker earlier this year helped out during this camp. “It gives me a little bit more clarity. I’m just excited to share the Octagon with him. It's going to be an honor and I can't wait to do it.”
Even if fans down under may not appreciate him facing one of their guys for the fifth time.
Jalin Turner Fight Week Interview | UFC 290
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Jalin Turner Fight Week Interview | UFC 290
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“They love me out there,” corrects Turner, who is 4-0 in the UFC against fighters from New Zealand or Australia. “I keep fighting their countrymen, but they love me.”
It’s hard not to root for the 28-year-old, who doesn’t get involved in any pre-fight gamesmanship, choosing instead to leave his fighting for the Octagon. And when he’s in there, he’s willing to chase after the highlight reel finish. Yet according to him, it’s not about taking risks to get the knockout or submission but doing his homework long before the gloves are on.
“I just see the things line up that I've been training in camp or I see the openings we've been capitalizing on, getting this opportunity, and then I see it line up and I just seize the moment right then and there. So it's not putting myself in the fire; it's more that I did my homework really well and I got to expose it right away.”
If he hits his mark again on Saturday, that could mean a move into the Top 10, more big fights, and soon, title contention.
“I definitely feel that way,” he said. “There’s no denying me after I win this one, get another big win, and then see where we go from there. Probably do a main event, do a five rounder if they want me to do that, or I'm right there in title contention.”
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Not bad for the kid who was 4-3 as a pro at one point.
“It's all been a dream,” Turner said. “I looked back and I never lost sight of that, never had doubts about being where I am. And being here literally fulfills the dream. After visualizing being here so many times and thinking about fighting all these guys so many times, I find comfort in it, and I continue to feel like I'm definitely destined to become a champion in this division. Everything's been lining up perfectly and I really feel like it's just part of the process that's going to happen.”
UFC 290: Volkanovski vs Rodriguez took place live from T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada on July 8, 2023. See the Final Results, Official Scorecards and Who Won Bonuses - and relive the action on UFC Fight Pass!
