Home

UFC

“Lucky It Was Fight Week or…”: After Giving TikTok Prankster a Vicious Shake-Up, Jalin Turner Opens Up on Failed Stunt Right Ahead of UFC 290

Published 07/06/2023, 4:04 AM EDT

Follow Us

UFC star Jalin Turner is all set for his main card bout at UFC 290. The #11 ranked lightweight will face #12 ranked Dan Hooker at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas this weekend. Ahead of this pivotal clash, the 28-year-old is making headlines thanks to his appearance in a prank video. To be more accurate, it has all the makings of a prank video gone wrong and fans have been celebrating that fact. Now, ‘The Tarantula’ himself has commented on the viral clip and the altercation it showcased.

Jalin Turner was scheduled to fight Dan Hooker at UFC 285. Unfortunately, a hand injury forced the Kiwi out of the fight. Now Turner has the chance to face the veteran again and make a name for himself in the division. Surprisingly, Turner’s actions in the prank clip are getting more spotlight than the stakes of his fight during fight week. During the media scrum for UFC 290, the 28-year-old addressed the incident and gave his thoughts on it.

Jalin Turner comments on viral prank clip

ADVERTISEMENT

Article continues below this ad

In the prank clip that surfaced online, Jalin Turner can be seen getting physical with a man who tried to stir things up. The prankster was on his phone along with Turner and his team on an escalator when he tried talking smack to the UFC star’s face. That proved to be a bad idea as Turner grabbed the TikTok personality. The individual confessed it was a prank immediately and Turner’s teammates deescalated the situation.

Trending

Get instantly notified of the hottest UFC stories via Google! Click on Follow Us and Tap the Blue Star.

Follow Us

The media asked Turner about this incident that took place on the Las Vegas Strip. The UFC 290 star did not agree to their description of it as a prank gone wrong. He said, “I wouldn’t say it went wrong. I would have said it went exactly how it was supposed to go.”

Read More“That Sparked Me”: Alexander Volkanovski’s Teammate Recalls Getting “Fu**ing Offended” When Offered a Fight Against Tony Ferguson

Turner continued, “He said something and I grabbed him. Lucky it was fight week or I probably would have threw some hands. But, you know, it’s okay.”

While this incident is getting attention, Jalin Turner has more important things to worry about this week than a prankster.

ADVERTISEMENT

Article continues below this ad

What does UFC 290 mean for Turner?

At UFC 285, Jalin Turner lost a close decision to late replacement Mateusz Gamrot. Now Turner has the chance to redeem himself by beating Hooker. A win over the veteran would improve his prospects in the division and help him climb the rankings.

After the latest UFC rankings update, Turner fell from #10 to #11 as UFC Vegas 76 star Grant Dawson jumped five spots and took his place. Dawson beat Damir Ismagulov this past weekend in dominant fashion to earn this jump.

ADVERTISEMENT

Article continues below this ad

Watch This StoryDana White makes a massive revelation of Kobe Bryant’s investment

With his 6’3″ figure, Turner is one of the biggest and most promising lightweights in the rankings. Do you think he can get his hand raised this weekend at UFC 290? And what do you make of his response to the issue? Give us your thoughts in the comments below.

SHARE THIS ARTICLE :

Written by:

Yeswanth Praveen

928Articles

One take at a time

Yeswanth Praveen is a UFC writer at EssentiallySports, having written over 500 articles on the sport. With a Master’s degree in English Literature, Yeswanth expertly combines his writing and storytelling skills with his passion for MMA. He was initially drawn to the sport after the intense rivalry between Conor McGregor and Khabib Nurmagomedov captured his attention.
Show More>