Former UFC star Jalin Turner has ended his retirement and is targeting a return to the Octagon in 2026.
Fans, pundits, and fellow fighters were stunned when then-UFC lightweight Jalin Turner announced his retirement from fighting following a loss to Ignacio Bahamondes at UFC 313. Turner, then just 29 years old, cited a lack of passion for training and the sport as a whole as significant reasons for his decision to walk away.
Turner was once considered a potential future UFC champion by the likes of Joe Rogan and other experts. But a recent losing skid thwarted Turner’s title ambitions and knocked him out of the Top 15 lightweight rankings.
Just months after his UFC 313 announcement, Turner has pivoted on his earlier retirement stance and is targeting a return to the cage.
Jalin Turner returns to the UFC lightweight mix after a surprising retirement at UFC 313
Turner has shared impressive training session clips in recent days on his Instagram page. After one follower asked if he was plotting a comeback, Turner responded he was ‘waiting on the call’ from matchmakers for a lightweight bout.
Turner seems to be in a great space mentally, physically, and emotionally in this new chapter of his life. During his previous losing skid, Turner endured several visibly brutal weight cuts, including a botched cut ahead of his fight with Dan Hooker at UFC 290.
Turner hasn’t won since a knockout victory over Bobby Green in December 2023 in Austin. He’s defeated the likes of Brad Riddell, Jamie Mullarkey, and Uros Medic during his UFC tenure.
Amid Turner’s comeback teases, several online sleuths discovered that Turner’s fighting profile was reactivated on the UFC’s official website. He could potentially return by the end of the year at either UFC 322 or UFC 323 if a short-notice opportunity comes to fruition.
This is a developing story, and we’ll continue to update you on Turner’s comeback as details become available.