Watching young athletes in any sport is like leveling up in a video game. Even when they are winning, they do not start overpowered. It is a treat to watch the maturity and technical refinement unfold. The sport of mixed martial arts is not boxing. A perfect record is not required. If anything, it is sometimes more impressive to see a newer fighter rebound from setbacks and become better as a result. Atlanta’s Christian Turner certainly fits the criteria for what I am talking about. Making his professional debut in 2022, “The Titan” has amassed a resume of ten wins and two losses.
A unique conundrum to solve stylistically, Turner has fought under multiple umbrellas, currently finding himself training at the headquarters of American Top Team. His lone two losses came back-to-back in the LFA, but he has since surged back, riding a seven-fight win streak. Now 24 years old, he is a significantly different fighter, having been over three years removed from his last loss. We should not be too hard on prospects. Young martial artists like Turner still have developing bodies, and they are polishing themselves mentally as well as physically. The move from lightweight to welterweight, coupled with training under some of the best coaches in the sport, should skyrocket Turner’s status.
A titan he certainly was at lightweight, and even more so at 170 pounds. Turner has looked fantastic in his recent appearances, and hopefully, he can continue this momentum against tougher opponents in more advanced promotions. With a welterweight title challenge under the APFC on the horizon, if Turner puts on a clinic, he puts himself on the right track for the big leagues. The increase in weight class has, of course, lent a better frame and transitive power. For a lankier gentleman, he is a fantastic defensive wrestler, excellent at redirecting opponents’ shots and preventing them from entering the hips. Dangerous everywhere, he has tallied five knockout/technical knockout wins, two submission wins, and three decision wins. As always, let’s delve into the meat and potatoes of what this week’s fighter does well.
I will be focusing on Turner’s last three performances, as they are most relevant and build upon each other. In order from least to most recent, Turner has fought David Robins, Joey Hart, and Devin Corson.
What started to stand out to me starting with his fight against Robins, was positioning. Turner was both offensively and defensively responsible. His hands were high, and his usual forward pressure was measured. Turner was markedly technical, getting the better of the exchanges. When Turner throws a strike, he is always keeping his head off the centerline and remaining a moving target. On one exchange, he slipped a left hand to land his own left, disengaging with a high right guard as insurance. You can tell that proper form has been ingrained into him. Additionally, like I said in prior articles, a cornerstone jab is surprisingly rare in MMA. This is not the case for this fighter. In this particular fight, I saw what makes Turner such a menace to tackle. He pokes and prods relentlessly with long range weapons like high kicks, jabs, and low kicks.
Turner’s biggest asset on the feet is his low kicks. During every single recent fight, he has crippled his opponent with these, making Corson verbally quit as a result. Turner is reminiscent of Justin Gaethje by the frequency and discretion with which he uses low kicks. He will attempt to negate forward pressure by punting out the leg as an opponent either moves closer or throws a strike. Alternatively, he will attack the lower extremities as they retreat, softening their base as they backpeddle. Of course, this opens up targets to other areas of the body, as the other fighter is now hyper-aware of leg kicks.
Robins and Corson were both grapplers and found their lead legs getting chewed up to the point of switching stances. Considering that Turner pivots exceptionally well between offense and defends takedowns well (both at range and in the clinch), he had the perfect recipe for success. So, pivot and circle around the opponent, pick them apart at distance, and thus break them down. Turner has this down pat.
“The Titan” didn’t get his nickname by dancing around and point-fighting. The man has real power and isn’t afraid to stand and trade (within reason). Against Joey Hart, he succeeded with his overhand right, dipping his head off-center so that counter strikes missed their mark. Once Hart missed, Turner had no trouble exploiting that opening for a takedown attempt. Additionally, Turner used the overhand right to counter Hart’s lead jab, hurting him badly, then followed up with timely blows. Turner exhibited phenomenal top pressure as Hart dropped to the canvas, eventually finishing the fight via guillotine as Hart attempted to build back to his feet.
Obviously, training at American Top Team surrounded by the likes of Mike Brown, Mateusz Gamrot, and more will work wonders for the maturity of a younger fighter. Turner turned pro around the age of twenty and ran into some predictable obstacles. Yet with the right mindset and guidance, he has blossomed into a consummate professional. It is not just that he is versatile and can both strike and grapple (although of course that helps). It is that he has his own specific, entertaining style that truly works (seriously, how many fights are finished due to low kicks?). With a few more showings in premier feeder organizations, “The Titan” could find himself standing amongst giants and deserving every bit of it.
