Jalin Turner Says Jon Jones Comparison Is A ‘Huge Honor’

6’3″, #14 ranked UFC lightweight Jalin Turner — fresh off an impressive win at UFC 276 — says he gets compared to Jon Jones … and it’s a huge honor!

“[Being compared to Jones is] a positive. I always look at it as a positive when people are calling me Anderson Silva,” Turner tells TMZ Sports, adding … “that’s a huge honor ’cause that’s somebody I model a lot of my game after.”

Turner, like 6’4″ Jones, has an incredible height and reach advantage over opponents … but it’s even more pronounced with JT ’cause he fights in the lightweight (155 lbs.) division.

Jon, of course, was a light heavyweight champ (205 lbs.) for years before recently moving up to heavyweight (206 lb.+).

FYI, the lightweight top 5 is made up entirely of 5’10” fighters … with the exception of the 5’8″ Michael Chandler.

And, Turner — who just beat Brad Riddell via 1st round submission — believes he has a sizeable advantage over those savages at the top of the division … but he says it’s about more than just height.

“I feel like I have the skillset, the tools, the attributes to be a champion in the division. I have a reach advantage over everybody. I feel like I have a speed and timing advantage over everybody. The length plays a good factor, even in the grappling exchange.”

Jalin continued … “I can utilize leverage, use less energy when I use my leverage efficiently and I can excel. I really can. Everybody’s called me the lightweight Jon Jones since I was at Jackson Academy.”

JT trained at Jackson Wink MMA gym in Albuquerque … Jon’s home gym for many years.

Turner isn’t the first guy to be compared to Jon. In fact, Israel Adesanya, when he first entered the UFC, was compared to Bones … a comparison Izzy hated.

Now that Jalin cracked the top 15, it’s clear he isn’t content.