In a moving moment, fans and fighters felt Jalin Turner’s words. At 29, he said goodbye to mixed martial arts after losing at UFC 313. He went in the octagon to try to win back his place. But he lost to Ignacio Bahamondes by a triangle choke in the first round. That loss made him stop fighting for good.
Before this match, Turner was known as a strong fighter, ranked No. 13 in the world. The fight marked his second loss in a row and his fourth in five fights. In an honest talk with reporters, Turner shared his plan to leave MMA. He said, “I was already thinking of retiring after UFC 300.”
Turner looked back on twelve years of hard work. “Fighting is hard, and you have to be all in or not,” he told the media. He spoke of the strain from training and the toll of the fights. With his kids growing up, he did not want to risk more harm. “My kids are getting older; I don’t want to keep taking hits,” he said, noting a clear point in his life.
Turner also spoke of how the old pressure from a changing sport had set in. “The competition keeps getting better, and I keep getting older,” he said. He felt that his clear mind was what he needed in the fight. His words showed how a fighter’s mind can shape their performance.
Turner remains known in UFC circles. With 14 wins and 9 losses, he reached great heights. A win over King Green once brought him to No. 9 in the rankings. But after close split decisions and a loss by TKO to Renato Moicano, his recent fights led him to this moment.
In an interview with Sportsnet’s Aaron Bronsteter, Turner shared his deep feelings about retiring. “It’s emotional right now, but I’ve been thinking about this for the last eleven months,” he said. His loss to Bahamondes brought his inner thoughts to the front and made his decision clear.
As the UFC community hears Turner’s news, many remember that fighters also face their own battles. Jalin Turner leaves a mark of strength and hard work. With his new start, the MMA world says goodbye, and we honor the journey of a fighter who chose his well-being above all.