Nine months after saying he was done with the Octagon, Jalin Turner has come back in a big way, scoring a first-round finish of Edson Barboza at UFC 323.
Turner and Barboza did plenty of combination trading to start before Turner busted him opponent with an elbow. Turner would quickly drop Barboza and rain down some heavy ground-and-pound.
Barboza made his way back to his feet, but Turner did not let up on the pressure. Another flurry of shots saw Turner draw Barboza again, this time forcing Herb Dean to wave off the action.
Jalin Turner Stops Edson Barboza In One Round At UFC 323
This man retired because he did not feel like he could hurt people anymore and didn't feel like he was good enough.
Welcome back, Jalin Turner!!! Almost gave up on the dream, but proved he’s still got plenty left to offer. Respect!!! #UFC323pic.twitter.com/oySzh8XtZJ
Fireworks appear guaranteed when UFC featherweight veteran Edson Barboza collides with the always exciting Steve Garcia in 2025.
Barboza (24-12) reached 30 fights in the UFC this year, but he didn’t mark the occasion in the fashion he had hoped. After consecutive wins over Billy Quarantillo and Sodiq Yusuff, the Brazilian had his winning form snapped by the undefeated Lerone Murphy this past May.
While he fell short in that main event, Barboza did exit with Fight of the Night honors, marking his third straight bonus. And given who will be awaiting him inside the Octagon early next year, a fourth on the bounce could be on the way.
Per MMA Fighting’s Damon Martin, Barboza will begin his 2025 campaign with a showdown opposite Garcia (17-5) at the UFC Fight Night scheduled for February 22. A location and venue is yet to be announced.
New fight alert:
Edson Barboza vs. Steve Garcia booked for the UFC Fight Night event on February 22.
Garcia has been on a violent run as of late, racking up five straight knockouts since being slept himself down at bantamweight by Hayisaer Maheshate back in 2022. This year has seen “Mean Machine” move toward the rankings by dispatching both SeungWoo Choi and Kyle Nelson in one round.
Having earned his shot at a prominent name inside the top 15, the New Mexico native will hope to establish himself as a contender in the 145-pound division at the expense of Barboza.
And Garcia seemingly has the backing of plenty in the community, who reacted to the fight announcement with their support for the up-and-comer. Beyond predictions, though, the common theme on social media was one of excitement to see these two vicious strikers throwing down next year.
Wow. This is a very very big moment for Garcia. Barboza still has power to put him out but Garcia's aggressive style has brought him to the dance. Will adjustments be made? 🤔 https://t.co/58M9IMkz93
UFC featherweight contender Bryce Mitchell doesn’t care what you think of his recent rants about political issues.
Mitchell is set to face Edson Barboza on the UFC 272 main card this weekend. He’s looking forward to a triumphant return to the Octagon after nearly two years away from MMA action.
Mitchell has been in hot water in recent weeks following his viral interview with MMA journalist Ariel Helwani. Instead of it being a routine pre-fight interview, Mitchell used his time to criticize the U.S. Government and COVID-19 vaccines, among other issues.
Athletes speaking out on political issues has become more common during the current social climate. Mitchell isn’t alone in making his views readily available to the public. For instance, NBA superstar LeBron James began speaking out on issues regarding race and social justice just a few years back.
During his recent UFC 272 pre-fight press conference, Mitchell hit back at critics of his political views and him speaking out on civic issues.
“For me to be able to talk about something greater than fighting is more purposeful than anything I can talk about related to fighting,” Mitchell said. “And so I’m grateful to be able to do that. And a lot of people say, ‘Shut up and fight.’ Well, you know what? If you don’t want to hear that shit, turn off the TV and watch the fight. You don’t have to watch my interviews. Turn them off then.
“Instead of telling me to shut up, why don’t you just stop listening? Because there’s a lot of people that agree with what I’m saying about some of my political views, and I’m happy to talk about ’em and debate about ’em.”
James, like Mitchell, has been a target of some who feel athletes shouldn’t share their political and societal views on current issues. This comes after Fox News commentator Laura Ingraham scolded James to “shut up and dribble” back in 2018.
Mitchell has emerged as a polarizing figure in MMA and is allegedly not alone in his controversial views. Regardless, he’ll look to silence the critics and earn a big win over Barboza.
What are your opinions on Bryce Mitchell as a person and a fighter?
After two years of build-up, the “former friends turned bitter rivals” story starring Colby “Chaos” Covington and Jorge “Gamebred” Masvidal will reach its climax.
It’s fight week, and we now are limited to five more days of torrid trash talk between former chums Colby Covington and Jorge Masvidal. Both fighters are coming off a loss to Kamaru Usman in their latest fight and will be looking to reroute back to the top of the division, beginning with this grudge match.
In the co-main event, Rafael dos Anjos will be competing against Renato Moicano. And in another featured bout, rising featherweight Bryce Mitchell will be tested against proven vet Edson Barboza.
“This isn’t gonna be a baptism. This is gonna be Street Judas’ funeral.” – Colby Covington
Colby Covington, Getty Images
At UFC 272, Colby Covington will look to put an end to Jorge Masvidal as we know him. The Countdown video captures the intensity and the “Chaos” that Covington plans to bring with him into the Octagon when he seeks to close out this dramatic chapter of his career.
“I’m gonna look at him. You know what the [BLEEP] I’m talkin’ about, man. I brought you in, and I’m gonna take your ass out.” – Jorge masvidal
At UFC 272, Jorge Masvidal finally gets the opportunity he’s been craving: to be the man to silence Colby Covington. The Countdown video captures Masvidal explaining why he feels it’s his responsibility to wipe Covington off the MMA map.
Overall, the Countdown video does a thorough job of telling both sides of the story of how the two became friends, when and why things went sour, and just how eager they are to finally settle matters.
“In my mind, I want to do this forever because I’m a fighter. – Edson Barboza
Edson Barboza, Credit: USA TODAY Sports
UFC iron man Edson Barboza will be entering year 12 of his UFC tenure at UFC 272 when he takes on Bryce Mitchell. The Countdown video captures what makes Barboza such a thrilling, must-see staple of the UFC roster.
“When the fight first starts, it’s basically gonna be like a little simmer. When I get him down, it’s a boil. And when I get him in certain spots, it’s a pressure cook. If I can get him in certain spots where I can pressure-cook him, then that meat’s gonna fall off the bone.” – Bryce Mitchell
Bryce Mitchell (Image Credit: Douglas P. DeFelice/Getty Images)
At UFC 272, 27-year-old grappling maestro Bryce Mitchell will try to add the biggest feather in his fresh cap by defeating Edson Barboza. The Countdown video captures the “grappling vs. striker” dynamic of this fight in large part by highlighting Mitchell’s impressive submission skills.
The co-main event between Rafael dos Anjos and Renato Moicano is not featured in the Countdown video due to the last-minute nature of that booking.
UFC 272 takes place this Saturday, March 5, 2022, from the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Neva. You can find the full card and viewing information below followed by the UFC 272 Countdown video.
Main Card (Pay-Per-View, 8:00 PM ET)
Jorge Masvidal vs. Colby Covington
Rafael dos Anjos vs. Renato Moicano
Edson Barboza vs. Bryce Mitchell
Kevin Holland vs. Alex Oliveira
Sergey Spivak vs. Greg Hardy
Preliminary Card (ESPN/ESPN+, 6:00 PM ET)
Jamie Mullarkey vs. Jalin Turner
Yan Xiaonan vs. Marina Rodriguez
Nicolae Negumereanu vs. Kennedy Nzechukwu
Mariya Agapova vs. Maryna Moroz
Early Preliminary Card (ESPN+/UFC Fight Pass, 4:00 PM ET)
Brian Kelleher vs. Umar Nurmagomedov
Tim Elliott vs. Tagir Ulanbekov
Ludovit Klein vs. Devonte Smith
Dustin Jacoby vs. Michal Oleksiejczuk
Without further ado, you can check out the UFC 272 Countdown video below!
UFC featherweight contender Giga Chikadze is looking to prove that he’s not just an elite striker but also a well-rounded mixed martial artist.
Chikadze faces arguably the toughest test of his UFC career against Calvin Kattar at UFC Vegas 46. While Kattar is coming off of a tough loss to Max Holloway last year, he’s still regarded as one of the toughest brawlers in the featherweight division.
Chikadze knocked out the always-dangerous Edson Barboza in his last Octagon appearance but also showcased an improved grappling skillset in the win. He nearly had Barboza in trouble on the ground before transitioning back to his striking base.
“I feel like he’s going to mix it up with a bit of the wrestling,” Chikadze said. “I think that’s going to be his plan because he is from a wrestling background. Then he has some nice boxing techniques. Either he’s going to box with me, or he’s gonna wrestle with me.
“Honestly, I really want to show the people how great my ground game became. I want to submit people eventually, very soon, and start submitting people. But because Calvin Kattar has never been knocked out, it gives me a little bit more motivation to finish him with striking.”
Chikadze later explained why he moved away from his grappling in his last victory over Barboza.
“Last time I really had the chance to finish Edson with submission, but like I said, I had to prove that I’m the best striker and this was the reason why I let it go. This time? I said that I’m the best boxer in the UFC too, so probably I’m gonna still go more to the strikes. But if I get a chance like I did with Edson, this time I’m not going to let it go.”
Chikadze could be one win away from a featherweight title shot after going back-and-forth on social media with Alexander Volkanovski. If he’s able to continue to improve his overall game, he could be an unstoppable force at 145 pounds for years to come.
What is your prediction for Giga Chikadze vs. Calvin Kattar?
