Turner Reveals How He Overcame Fear Of Hurting Opponents

Jalin Turner no longer loses sleep over the damage he inflicts inside the Octagon.

The lightweight contender, who briefly retired last year citing mental strain from hurting opponents, told Full Send MMA he has made peace with the violence of his profession. Turner said he was particularly haunted by his knockout of Bobby Green and his war with Dan Hooker, but a shift in perspective has eased that weight.

Turner's New Mindset After UFC 330 Finish

"The [Bobby Green] and Dan fights got to me," Turner said in the interview. "All those fights got to me. But now I know that I'm here and it's not because of me. It's so much more past than just I'm trying to hurt people; I'm trying to beat people up… Now, the person across the Octagon from me loves what they do as much as I do. When I started thinking about it like that, that makes it a little bit more peaceful."

Turner stopped Kaue Fernandes with a first-round left hook at UFC 330, his second straight knockout since returning from a brief retirement following a submission loss to Ignacio Bahamondes. The 31-year-old American had ridden a five-fight finishing streak in 2022 before dropping four of his next five, including a loss to Renato Carneiro in which he walked off prematurely after scoring a knockdown.

Sherdog reports that Turner's recent performances have reminded fans of the finishing threat he poses at lightweight. He faces a critical stretch as he looks to regain momentum in one of the UFC's deepest divisions.

Reported via:

• Sherdog — Jalin Turner explains how he handled the burden of hurting his opponents