Bobby Green is the UFC Austin fighter to watch
The UFC is back after a Thanksgiving break as the first of three events in December will take place in Texas to start wrapping up the year. The card will feature a pivotal lightweight matchup between contenders Beneil Dariush and Arman Tsarukyan. The co-main event will feature veteran lightweights Bobby "King" Green and Jalin Turner. Green was originally scheduled to face Dan Hooker, but an injury forced Hooker out of the bout and Turner stepped up on short notice.
The newly ranked lightweight at No. 13, Green has been on a roll in 2023, though his first fight of the year ended with a no-contest. Green has been with the UFC for 10 years, coming over from the Strikeforce merger, and has 23 fights with a 12-9-1 record. Green started off his UFC tenure 4-0 but would then go 1-5-1.
Since then, Green has alternated win streaks and losses, going 7-4 with three different win streaks which include wins over Clay Guida, Al Iaquinta, former interim champion Tony Ferguson, and most recently Grant Dawson at UFC Vegas 80. Green is currently on a two-fight win streak and starched Dawson in under a minute after the latter had been on a 12-fight unbeaten streak.
Bobby Green faces Jalin Turner on short-notice, who is looking to get back on the winning track
The No. 12-ranked lightweight Turner had failed to earn a contract while appearing on Dana White's Contender Series, as his fight was ended by a doctor stoppage, but would wind up joining the UFC three months later. Compiling a 3-0 record with rival promotions World Series of Fighting (now the PFL) and Bellator (who was just purchased by the PFL), Turner competed on DWCS with a 6-3 record, with all his wins coming by way of finish.
Turner is 6-4 with the UFC (all wins also coming by way of finish) but is on a two-fight skid. Turner had won five straight before losing his next two by split decision, his last loss being to Green's original opponent, Hooker at UFC 290.
Green has entered the rankings late in his career and is only looking to go up, while Turner is looking to get back on track, so this matchup is a great co-main event. Turner will hold a big advantage over Green with a 6" reach, but that won't matter to Green. Green and Turner both have a background in wrestling, with purple and brown belts in Brazilian jiu-jitsu, but Green's boxing is one of the best in the sport, making this matchup one of the best of the night.
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