Michael Bisping thought dealing with “The Spider” Anderson Silva would be difficult, so he enlisted the help of Jalin “The Tarantula” Turner.
Jalin Turner helped Michael Bisping prepare for his fight against Anderson Silva. This was before his main event fight with the future UFC middleweight champion in 2016. Despite being a lightweight who stands a rangy 6-foot-3, Turner shares some physical similarities with Silva, a competitor Turner idolises.
Turner is one of the most promising prospects in the UFC’s 155-pound division, and he just spoke on The MMA Hour to talk about what it’s like to be in the opposite camp to one of his idols.
“I was a hungry, young kid. I had to pay the bills,” Turner explained when asked why he accepted the opportunity.
“In the beginning, I was like, ‘Damn, I feel like I’m betraying my hero, my idol,’ you know?” Turner continued. “But at the same time I was like, ‘Bisping’s paying me, I can’t say no.’”
Turner won his debut UFC fight, a 53-second TKO of Callan Potter, in a show in Australia headlined by middleweight great Israel Adesanya. Bisping defeated Silva by decision in a tense fight. This paved the way for his controversial short-notice title match against Luke Rockhold. Turner had his run-in with Silva three years later.
Turner ran into Silva during fight week. He he didn’t want to approach him. However, Silva approached him and offered these simple words of wisdom: “The secret is love.”
Jalin Turner felt guilty for helping Michael Bisping prepare for “The Spider” Anderson Silva.
Jalin Turner, a former amateur wrestler who began his martial arts training in earnest in his backyard, said it was a bizarre moment. Turner improved his talents by studying videos online and mimicking Silva and others after putting himself to the test against a more experienced acquaintance.
“So I ended up training in my backyard,” Turner said. “I didn’t have a punching bag or anything. I had a couch. I stood my couch on end, I’d stand it up tall-wise and I’d use that as my punching bad. I’d watch videos of Anderson Silva, KwonKicker, Shane Fazen, and just learn techniques on my own. That’s how I developed my striking — on my own, for the most part.”
Turner, who turns 27 in May, is on a four-fight winning streak in one of the sport’s most competitive categories. He is 5-1 in the UFC and has won all 12 of his professional fights by knockout or submission.
He most recently defeated Jamie Mullarkey by TKO in the second round at UFC 272. The former amateur wrestler was listed as requiring further examination on his left foot and left knee on the list of medical suspensions following the event, with a potential six-month suspension looming in the worst-case scenario. However, he said on The MMA Hour that his injuries aren’t severe and that he doesn’t expect to be out for long.
“I just got some stuff checked out,” Turner said. “I thought I was more hurt than I actually am. I’m good, so just gonna take another week and heal up, and I want to get back in there. I’m thinking July.”
