Jesse Taylor just might be the most entertaining guy to ever come out of The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) house. I mean, he did pee his swim trunks on national television. And who else can do better tricks on command like Coco the Monkey? Amir Sadollah? Pshaw!
But in all seriousness, when Jesse Taylor went and got himself kicked off of the Finale for violating the UFC’s conduct policy, no one was laughing. Well, at least Jesse Taylor wasn’t.
Now that he’s “served his time” and been invited back into the thick of things, Taylor has a unique opportunity to not only prove he belongs in the big leagues, but also to fight the one man who benefitted the most from his dismissal: CB Dollaway. Dollaway beat Tim Creduer to claim Taylor’s vacated spot in the Finale against Amir.
And the rest, as they say, is history
Taylor and Dollaway square off on the main card of UFC Fight Night 14: “Silva vs. Irvin,” one week from tomorrow at The Pearl in Las Vegas, Nevada. The fights start at 9:00 p.m. ET and will go head-to-head with the Affliction pay-per-view.
We caught up with Taylor to congratulate him on his return, find out his thoughts on his upcoming fight with Dollaway, and gauge his interest in a possible dream matchup with Amir Sadollah at some point down the road to find out who really deserves to be called The Ultimate Fighter.
Adam Wagner (MMAmania.com): First, let me say congratulations on getting the nod from the UFC that you’re back in. That’s great news.
Jesse Taylor: Thank you.
Adam Wagner (MMAmania.com): When were you contacted by them letting you know that they wanted you back in?
Jesse Taylor: I talked with Dana at the (TUF 7) Finale fight, I was there. And then on Monday after those fights, they pretty much contacted me and told me I’m in, they were just looking for (an opponent for me). About three weeks ago.
Adam Wagner (MMAmania.com): Since getting bounced for violating the UFC’s conduct policy, this is clearly your chance at redemption and to prove that you truly belong in the largest MMA promotion in the world. What went through your mind when you were told of this opportunity?
Jesse Taylor: I was really pumped to be back in the UFC for the chance to prove myself — what kind of fighter I am in and out of the cage. I think it’s a great chance to be back, and this is just the beginning. It’s time for me to establish myself. I’m very pumped up for the fight. I’m very happy about it.
Adam Wagner (MMAmania.com): Did you sign a multi-fight deal?
Jesse Taylor: I believe it’s the same contract that the other guys on the show are under. It’s a three-year kind of a deal, where they can release you if you’re not performing.
Adam Wagner (MMAmania.com): Let’s talk about the TUF 7 Finale. How difficult was it to watch from the sidelines, knowing that you had earned that spot in the Finale?
Jesse Taylor: Yeah, it was very tough, especially knowing that I matched up well with both of them. But I definitely think if I was in that Finale fight I would have won. All props to Amir for pulling that off and being the underdog and upsetting everyone (in the competition), but I just think that that would have been a very good fight for me and my style. It was my fight, and it was very hard to watch.
Adam Wagner (MMAmania.com): When Amir sunk in the armbar, did you think that CB Dollaway committed to the tap?
Jesse Taylor: Yeah, he tapped. He definitely tapped. They showed the replay, and he tapped.
Adam Wagner (MMAmania.com): He seemed to have protested it a bit.
Jesse Taylor: Yeah, I think after realizing it, he probably knew. He definitely tapped. He was probably just shocked himself that it happened. (Laughs)
Adam Wagner (MMAmania.com): Clearly, the person who benefited the most from your dismissal from the show was CB Dollaway. Is your upcoming fight with him a bit of payback?
Jesse Taylor: No, I actually got along with the guy, I wouldn’t say that. The only thing that really got to me was how everyone would just talk about him on the show. You know, how overhyped he was. I mean, yes, I’m not going to underestimate anyone, but I just think there was a little too much hype about the guy, which he never deserved. But definitely, there was a lot of overhype about the guy, and I’m a competitive guy, and I thought I was the best. That’s the only reason why I want to fight him.
Adam Wagner (MMAmania.com): Well you’ll have the opportunity two Saturdays from now. Both of you guys are decorated wrestlers to say the least. You’re a two-time Junior College All-American wrestler. CB is a high school state champion, a junior college national champion and a 2005 All-American from ASU. Do you see your upcoming fight as who has the better wrestling, or do you think it will be more of a stand-up fight?
[Editor’s note: Jesse Taylor and CB Dollaway reportedly wrestled twice during their amateur days, with Dollaway getting the best of Taylor in both matches.]
Jesse Taylor: Well I’ve been wrestling and fighting — and wrestling definitely helps, but they’re two entirely different things, especially MMA wrestling. There’s a big difference in how you use that in your fighting.
But I see it as yeah, there’s definitely going to be some stand-up involved. But I know that for both of us, if the takedown is open, we’ll probably take it. Seems to me that once CB gets hit, he’s going to start wrestling again. I think it’ll be a good fight for me. I can use this to my advantage.
Adam Wagner (MMAmania.com): Are you training with Team Quest for this fight?
Jesse Taylor: Yes, I’ve always been with Team Quest since I started training, and I’m still with Team Quest.
Adam Wagner (MMAmania.com): About how much time in your training is dedicated to the three major components of MMA — striking, jiu-jitsu and wrestling?
Jesse Taylor: Oh, I do all of it everyday. We do it all. Especially for this fight — it’s six, sometimes seven days a week. We do MMA, and sometimes we do big gloves, and we do kickboxing. We’ll break it up. Sometimes we’ll do morning, a little bit of technique and either a little bit of drilling on kickboxing, or wrestling with jiu-jitsu. And that night, it’s a live spar in either MMA or kickboxing.
Adam Wagner (MMAmania.com): Knowing what you know of CB, do you have any particular strategy for how you plan to fight him?
Jesse Taylor: I definitely do, but I don’t think I should disclose it yet.
Adam Wagner (MMAmania.com): (Laughs) That’s fine. I didn’t think you would, but I thought I’d ask you anyway.
Jesse Taylor: (Laughs) There’s definitely some strategy we’ve been going over. But it’ll be seen when we fight.
Adam Wagner (MMAmania.com): Now that you’ve earned your spot with the UFC, what are your future goals in the organization? Do you see a fight with Amir somewhere on the horizon?
Jesse Taylor: You know, I really like Amir, but I think the fans deserve to see that fight, especially if everything goes as planned and I do well with this fight, which I believe I will. But I just have to keep on keeping on. Whoever they throw in front of me, I’ll fight. I think this is just the beginning of a long career for me.
But yeah, I think the fans do deserve that, to see who is really The … I mean, I give props, Amir was The Ultimate Fighter champ. But would Jesse Taylor have won it if I was allowed to fight? So I think after this fight, hopefully they will allow me to fight Amir.
Adam Wagner (MMAmania.com): Yeah, I think it has a huge potential for a highly marketable fight.
Jesse Taylor: Yeah, I think it’s marketable, I think people wanna see it. I want to prove it to myself too, and the fans. I think it will be cool.
Adam Wagner (MMAmania.com): Dana White was quoted as saying something about how he now has the challenge of trying to create a star (laughs) out of a kid who peed his pants (laughs) on national television (laughing very hard).
Jesse Taylor: (Laughs)
Adam Wagner (MMAmania.com): So I was thinking you could embrace this by working it into your entrance. Have you ever thought about peeing your pants (laughing almost to the point I cannot complete the question) right before a fight when Bruce Buffer announces your name?
Jesse Taylor: (Laughing) Yeah, that might be a little too much if I peed on myself. That would be a little over the top, definitely.
Adam Wagner (MMAmania.com): Well you were great on the show. You definitely made the show very entertaining, and I think you’ll do well in the UFC. I appreciate you taking the time to talk with us. Do you have any sponsors that you’d like to thank, or do you have any parting words for your fans?
Jesse Taylor: Yeah, that’d be great. Parting words: This is only the beginning, and I promise a long career that’s fun and exciting inside the cage, just as I am outside the cage.
I just want to thank my training partners and all the Quest guys. Combat Clothing and Clinch Gear. All my sponsors. You can also go to my Web site www.yoJTmoney.com.
56 Comments »
you can’t be serious. this guy is a piece of garbage
ADAM, u should have asked him about COCO the Monkey!
wow, that sure was a really long time Dana allowed for Coco to get his life straightened out and priorities straight. Almost makes me think the conspiracy theories about the TUF finals might have something to them.
He will win
Jesse has one way of winning this fight - by lay n pray decision. However, it should be tricky for him to get CB to his back, since it has been difficult for him in the past.
CB can of course win by decision, but CB also has a much better submission game than JT money. Don’t sleep on the Peruvian Necktie, or you will be going to sleep.
Ideally, I’d like to see this fight end by TKO with someone getting tagged on the feet and then quickly finished on the ground. But the odds of seeing that are pretty slim…
I for one am sick of all the match ups involving TUF cast members from last season vs. Other cast members from the same season….I am just sick of them, and I have no excitement whatsoever about seeing 1 dimensional Jesse Taylor fight again. THERE is NOTHING I hate more in mma than 1 dimensional wrestlers like TITO! I just cant stand them ad I hate watching them fight. Hopefully CB will Choke him till he pisses his pants again and get this fight over with quickly so we can see better action.
Get this fight over with ASAP so it can leave time for them to show the Rory Markam undercard fight
I feel the same about the TUF competitors. 87 started out as a ridiculous card but had Edgar vs. Franca moved to the Fight Night to spite Affliction. Guida-Danzig was moved to a later Fight Night and Karo pushed back to 88. I know these ones were just rumored to be on 87 and never gauranteed but now we are left with Manny vs. Emerson and J-rock vs. Saunders. Very disappointed. I am not one to bitch about cards but the build-up to this one has me left underwhelmed with the final product.
He will win but that doesn’t help his case much. CB is a bigger tool if you ask me.
Possible dream match up between Amir and Jesse? Yeah right. I am very conservative throwing the term lay and pray out there, but Jesse is a great proprietor of it. He is the most boring fighter I have ever watched. I don’t think he is tries to get a decision win just by having a dominant position but I think he just doesn’t know what else to do.
I don’t care if he gets into the UFC, but I don’t want to see his fights aired unless he develops a dynamic to his game.
deffinatly needs to work a standup game. CB did it so he better. Cb and his I smell sh#t look on his face. Thats funny.
Most BORING fighter ever is right. This is gonna be like 2 turtles @#$%^&* just what Dana didn’t want to see and neither do I.
Jesse has the DUMBEST face I can ever imagine with OVERSIZED teeth and an I.Q. to match. Whoever said CB’s face lokking like I smell…. is HILARIOUS!
Dollaway will chew this guy up and spit him out. The UFC should have never given this guy a second chance. He’s a complete idiot!
So he got super wasted and made a full of him self. Is there anyone on this site who can say its never happend to them. I sure can’t. Granted, I didnt do it in the bosses backyard, but still coulda happend to any one of us.
Not to mention hes completely boring to watch fight. I don’t care how drunk you get don’t blame it on the liquor your a grown man. Dana is right could you imagine IF he became famous and paid how he would act if he’s already pulling the “Do you know who I am? I’m A ufc fighter!”(Noone knows who you are you idiot)also “harrassing woman” I wonder what thats about and how he would like to explain that one to his wife(probably hit on some women and got rejected and he kept at it to the point of harrassment).All around just bad for the UFC(mma for that matter) in every way, stupid, boring, and a liability. Lastly JT “money”, you cannot be serious “money”? YOUR BROKE! dont get me started on urinating yourself, not even in high school was that cool or funny in my book.
Jesse: Just chill out on the drinking. No kicking out car windows.. no screaming at people I’m a UFC fighter.. you’ll be ok.. I hope.
Adam: I laughed reading the question about him peeing on himself in front ofBruce Buffer…hehehehehehehe.. As always. Good job.
Hopefully this fight ends with a double knockout in 8 seconds so we can watch the better fights instead of a lay n pray 3 round snoozefest.
Hehehe. Your comment wasn’t up when I posted almost the exact same thing below. Needless to say, I agree completely.
If its a good knockout they’l both be lyin in a puddle
If Coco is around, CB should watch out for contents of said puddle.
You don’t pee your pants? It’s the coolest.
If peeing your pants is cool, consider me Miles Davis.
That is the grossest thing I’ve ever heard. Let’s go!
like Billy Madison says, “it’s cool to pee your pants!”
all the cool kids do it
Seriously, I have no interest in watching this dry-humping LnP blanket or Fratboy Dollaway and his stupid upper lip. The ideal ending for this fight is an immediate double KO with the first punches of the fight.
this guy needs a tongue reduction. it’s too big for his mouth. i can’t stand listening to him talk.
Yeah, Adam’s voice sure makes him sound like a douche too.
Jesse, ignore all these idiotic comments that have nothing to do with your fighting. You’re a bit of a goofball but who isn’t, right!? Good luck against CB and make us proud. Welcome back, man!
Most of these comments are related to his alleged fighting abilities. Nobody wants to watch him because he is nothing more than a dry-humping, no-guard-passing, lay-n-pray douche-nozzle. His fights are as exciting as a dinner of dry toast and white rice. The reasons he doesn’t belong in the UFC go beyond his binge drinking, pant soiling and window kicking.
This guy is such an entertaining meathead! I can just picture him trying to put the words together! Too funny!
I wish him all the luck and a successful future within the UFC.
Jay K.
The thing that shocked me is that this dude is a father. What do you tell you boy when he watches TUF and sees his Pops acting like Coco the monkey all boozed up? Crazy dude. Not to hyped on his fighting style and would love to see Amir sub the guy like CB.
why all the harsh words for JT…he seems like a cool dude, just goes bat shit crazy when inebriated…no big deal, hes not a rapist or recluse…anyways, should be a good fight…like he said, there is a difference in wrestling and mma wrestling…it will be intersting who wins those exchanges..Cb showed more well rounded game throught the season, but maybe Jesse was just doing enough to win at the time and has a few tricks up his sleeve…im intrigued
Buffer should introduce him as coco the monkey. In all seriousness I am glad he’s back in the UFC.
how can you glad this clown is in the UFC its like being glad that ryan seacrest isnt gay.
It what way.. You want seacrest or something?
Dude, did someone just mention “Ryan Seacrest” on MMAmania.com???
WTF??
yeah, Colin D wishes Ryan Seacrest was gay…not that theres anything wrong with that. whatever you’re into Colin!
I hope CB gets KO
I am glad he is back in the UFC. We’re human, we all make mistakes and we should be allowed to get second chances (in most circumstances, this being one of them).
He is young and I think he will come into his own eventually and turn into a decent fighter and be a positive addition to the UFC roster.
Seriously though there has got to be more deserving candidates out there for a ufc contract. Yes they do have the wrestling credentials but come on theres gotta better guys out there.
its only a matter of time before you get your shot Colin D.
Maybe you and seacrest can spar together Collin.
Do a little oil wrestling to help, you know, prepare for the later rounds when the men are all sweaty.
CB matches up perfectly w/Taylor. Easy win. Take it to the bank.
It says a *lot* about the UFC when chump-losers like this get a contract.
Weren’t there other more deserving losers than Jesse that didn’t voluntarily piss their pants on command and drunkenly kick out limo windows to choose from?
This was possibly the worst season of The Ultimate Fighter. Watching these guys get drunk and trash the house because they were afraid they would kiss each other in the jacuzzi was nauseating.
They need to make them build houses, help kids, do charity work while they aren’t training. Otherwise they just get drunk and trash the house. Wow, we haven’t seen *that* before…
I wonder what the next season of TUF will be like?
I don’t know what the next season will be but I will not be watching.
These TUF shows have run their course.
Let’s see the big stars be more active.
I totally agree. It’s agonizing watching a bunch of young ego wannabe’s claim they’re the best and then drink themselves into oblivion and then say something stupid, and then trash something or whatever. Totally boring. I’ll take Oprah anyday.
I’ve said it before, Dana totally contradicts what he preaches regarding the fighters of the UFC.
He promotes these guys worldwide as elite athletes and does his best to prevent the average joe from thinking they are just out and out thugs.
On the other hand, he does his best with TUF to portray these guys as drunken louts / thugs in the name of entertainment. WTF!!!
I didn’t watch the last TUF and I will not be watching the next. It has f@_k all to do with mma anymore
He looks like a cartoon. Sort of like a cartoon version of a donkey. If you can stuff his takedowns and get on top of him I bet it’s easy. If only I was in the UFC.
I really don’t want to see a 3 round lay on your chest match.
Amen, I honestly never want to see this guy fight again. He has no draw for me he is not exciting, I dont think he will be pissing himself in the ring so what is there to watch.
He looks like Big John McCarthys drunken nephew. Why when I see this guys face, I get queasy.. Mr. Ed looking wanker..
strategy = armbar
Adam, no questions about his alcohol habits? If he has completely quit the bottle? Where is the hard-hitting journalism? I would have liked to hear his comments on Coco the monkey. I guess you tried to lead into it with the pee-pants question but he laughed it off and avoided answering. Oh well. Thanks for the interview.
With some the season 7 guys already scheduled in their next fights (these two, Matt Brown) I wonder what is next for Amir. Will they have him wait and face JT if he gets by CB? Interested to see what is in store for him since he is more unseasoned than previous winners.
personally bummed out that Dana even let this guy back in. I guess he know’s that Reality T.V. Stars (Headcased or not) are a hell of alot cheaper than people like Randy Coture and Andre Arlovski. Guys who Aged or not; can still kick A$$, but know how to get paid too. I just hate the fact that this pee pants, lay and pray, I AM A STAR, assmonkey is gonna get showcased in the UFC and real stars like the above mentioned are pushed out the side door.
I just figured that his fight was set up because it was supposed to be the TUF finale before Jesse got kicked off so they just make it happen afterward.