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Taylor interview: UFC castoff ready to re-emerge with upset win | read this item

Taylor interview: UFC castoff ready to re-emerge with upset win

August 15, 2009 � UFC Betting Staff � Jump to comments

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It’s been long road back to fight on a major card in the U.S. for Jesse Taylor. That’s why he didn’t hesitate in taking a last minute fight as a fill-in against Jay Hieron on tonight’s Strikeforce card. Taylor fought at 185 pounds just three weeks ago in Japan but was johnny-on-the-spot when Nick Diaz flaked on Friday. Strikeforce reached out to Taylor that day and made it official on Monday.

Taylor put himself in a position where he really can’t turn down an opportunity to fight an opponent like Hieron with his antics on The Ultimate Fighter 7. He reached the TUF 7 Finale but lost his mind during the final days after the taping was completed in Las Vegas. Taylor went out with several cast members and got plastered. Then he rampaged through the Palace Station Casino. Before doing so, he was caught on camera kicking out a limousine window. In a dramatic scene, UFC president Dana White booted Taylor from Finale and replaced him with C.B. Dollaway. Taylor spent the summer in purgatory and for some odd reason he was brought back to the UFC in July of 2008. Dollaway won that fight easily and Taylor did himself no favors by cracking on Quinton Jackson for his driving rampage just days before.

Taylor went on the minor league circuit and posted seven straight wins, including an upset of UFC veteran Drew Fickett. He’s taking on a tough test here in Hieron, who’s been on the verge of breaking through for years but always seems to run into bad luck just before he gets to cash in against bigger name opponents. Taylor, a wrestler by trade, will have to mix it up here against Hieron, who is very well-rounded.

Join Cagewriter in San Jose for Strikeforce live fight-by-fight blogging from the HP Pavilion. Maggie Hendricks will have a live chat here once the main card starts at 10:30 p.m. ET. On Sunday morning at 1:30 a.m. ET, ESPNRadio1100 presents the only live postfight show from the Strikeforce press conference. LISTEN HERE.

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