9. Turner VS Moicano
Jalin Turner vs Renato Moicano is a fun fight, as all lightweight contender fights are, but it is also quite binary on paper. Jalin Turner, currently ranked tenth, is a dynamic offensive arsenal of heavy artillery in a human body, a 6’3″, absolutely ripped human body which somehow makes 155-lbs; sometimes, at least. His weaknesses come on the mat; his wrestling and grappling defense have been exposed multiple times now, mainly by Mateusz Gamrot and Matt Frevola, and that is exactly where Moicano can win this fight. It could turn quite boring if that happens, as the Brazilian is content to smother an opponent on the mat for three rounds, like he did to Drew Dober two months ago, even though he has a dynamic submission game.
Moicano can be in quite exciting fights, but if this one is exciting it could be quite bad for him. His striking has always been inconsistent at best. Although he can outbox genuinely good opponents at times like Brad Riddell, Alexander Hernandez, and even a young version of Calvin Kattar at 145-lbs, he is plagued by a middling chin, porous defense, and a bad feel for timing in his last fight. Dober boxed his head off easily whenever he was not stuck on his back, and though Drew is one of the more dangerous strikers in the division, Turner is even more dangerous due to his superior youth, size, and diversity of weapons. The way Jalin strikes is surprisingly nuanced for such an athletic freak, his combination striking often sets up one final shot in the combo which comes from an unexpected angle, disguised by the rest. Whether a headkick like that which he caught Dan Hooker with – which ‘Hangman’ somehow ate – or the left hook which he hurt many opponents with, Turner’s shots deal insane damage, especially when not seen coming. His mixing up of those weapons and the level, from body to head to legs, serves to maximize the tools in that vast arsenal of his which has earned him seven finishes in seven UFC wins.
To sum up, each man possesses the key to unlock the other’s fatal flaw. If Turner is the one opening that door it could be a violent finish or extended beating, but if Moicano double legs him through the door then the Vegas crowd may be booing for fifteen minutes, which should be rare on this UFC 300 card. It is still a great fight, especially for MMA fans who appreciate all martial arts, but it is not quite up to the highs of the best fights on this stacked event.
Fight Rating: 7/10
