Jalin Turner returned to the Octagon in spectacular fashion at UFC 323, stopping Edson Barboza with a brutal first-round knockout before collapsing to his knees in tears. The victory marked a powerful comeback for Turner, who briefly retired earlier this year at age 29 after consecutive stoppage losses to Ignacio Bahamondes and Renato Moicano.
Turner immediately made his presence felt in the lightweight clash, slicing Barboza open with a perfectly timed elbow that triggered a violent finishing sequence. He dropped Barboza, unleashed heavy ground-and-pound, and continued to punish the veteran when he stood back up. The barrage was too much in the end, and referee Herb Dean waved off the fight at 2:24 of round one.
When the result was confirmed, Turner broke down in the center of the cage, overwhelmed by emotion. Speaking to Joe Rogan afterward, he revealed how close he was to walking away from the sport for good.
“I almost quit,” he said. “I almost gave up on my dreams. I stopped chasing, I stopped seeking. It was so hard to go through that. I’m back right now, and it feels so good.”
Turner’s performance not only reignites his career but also delivers one of the most memorable moments of UFC 323 — a raw display of relief, resilience and redemption.
