Tyrell Fortune, a former PFL star and ex-Bellator heavyweight, is returning to competition on August 16 in Phoenix, Arizona, where he will face 51-year-old MMA veteran Tony Lopez. This matchup highlights Fortune’s effort to regain his spot in major promotions after a setback in his career, while Lopez pursues what could be his 99th official MMA fight despite a recent knockout defeat.
Fortune, who has competed at the highest levels of Bellator and PFL, parted ways with the organization last year after missing the playoffs. Since then, he found success within Shawn Merriman’s LXF promotion, claiming the heavyweight championship in May. His upcoming fight with Lopez, staged at the Celebrity Theater under the RUF banner, represents another step in his bid to return to prominence.
Tony Lopez Returns to Competition After Facing Top Punching Challenges
Lopez, a seasoned fighter with two decades of experience, had appeared to be winding down his career and reportedly had no plans to continue fighting after 2022. In February 2022, he won his last MMA contest with a knockout over Ben Moa. However, he has now accepted this new bout despite having suffered a recent knockout loss in a bare-knuckle boxing match.
Lopez’s most recent loss came at the hands of Sean Turner, a professional boxer from Ireland who has close training ties with UFC heavyweight champion Tom Aspinall. Turner is recognized among Aspinall’s circle as the hardest-hitting sparring partner the champion has ever faced, lending additional context to Lopez’s recent knockout.
Insights from Tom Aspinall on Sean Turner’s Remarkable Punching Power
Tom Aspinall has spoken in detail about his experience sparring with Sean Turner, highlighting the surprising strength of Turner’s punches relative to other elite fighters he has faced. Aspinall, who has trained with boxing icons such as Tyson Fury and competed extensively in the UFC heavyweight division, remarked on Turner’s power during an interview in May 2023.
“I’ve sparred with a lot of good boxers,”
Aspinall said. He continued,
“There was one guy in particular, who I sparred a long time ago, and his name is… I don’t even remember his name. They used to call him ‘Big Sexy’. Sean Turner, he is called. I don’t even know if he’s boxing anymore but I did a few rounds with that guy and that guy punches very hard.”
—Tom Aspinall, UFC Heavyweight Champion
“Extremely hard he punches, he’s definitely one of the heaviest punches I’ve sparred, for sure. I don’t even know if he’s boxing anymore, this was quite a few years ago I sparred him.”
—Tom Aspinall, UFC Heavyweight Champion
“Maybe, it’s because I didn’t know him. When I was sparring Tyson Fury, Joe Joyce, and Rico Verhoeven, people like that – these were renowned knockout artists – I was kind of expecting that a little bit more.”
—Tom Aspinall, UFC Heavyweight Champion
“This guy, Sean Turner, I didn’t really know who he was, and he hit me really hard, and I was like, ‘Wow! This guy is packing some serious power.’”
—Tom Aspinall, UFC Heavyweight Champion
The Significance of This Bout for Both Fighters
This fight not only marks a pivotal opportunity for Tyrell Fortune to reestablish himself within competitive heavyweight MMA but also stands as a testament to Tony Lopez’s enduring tenacity in combat sports. Lopez’s willingness to return to the cage at 51, after overcoming setbacks and a long career spanning nearly 100 professional bouts, reflects his resilience and passion for the sport. Meanwhile, Fortune’s journey from Bellator and PFL to regional promotions demonstrates the fluctuating nature of fighting careers and the dedication needed to climb back to top-tier competition.
Given the pedigree of Lopez’s last opponent as Tom Aspinall’s hardest-hitting teammate, this fight presents a notable challenge for Fortune as he aims for title contention in RUF. Observers on the MMA scene will be watching closely to see how Fortune handles this veteran’s experience and toughness, and what this signals about the future trajectories of both fighters.