Jesse Taylor
Jesse Marcus Taylor (born January 2, 1983) is an American professional mixed martial arts (MMA) fighter. He was a cast member of SpikeTV's The Ultimate Fighter 7, winning his entry, preliminary, quarterfinal and semi-final matches, and then became infamous for being the only fighter to ever be removed from finals due to events that occurred after filming was completed (see Removal from the Finale below). Taylor has fought for top promotions such as: Ultimate Fighting Championship, Strikeforce, DREAM, Maximum Fighting Championship, Impact FC and Cage Warriors Fighting Championship. Taylor holds notable victories over Kendall Grove, Tom Watson, Chris Camozzi, Murilo Bustamante, and Denis Kang.
Early life
Jesse Taylor graduated from Poway High School in Poway, CA, where he was a wrestler. After high school Jesse attended San Francisco State university. He took Jiu-Jitsu classes but decided to stick to wrestling. When things did not work out in San Francisco he moved back down to San Diego, where he then attended Palomar College near San Diego. In junior college, Taylor became a two-time JC All-American, CCCAA State Runner-Up in 2003, and crowned California Junior College State Champion in 2004, only losing three matches. Taylor was then rewarded with a scholarship to Cal State Fullerton. After the birth of his son, it become harder for Taylor to concentrate on wrestling and school while adjusting to the family life. Taylor still managed to qualify for the Division 1 NCAA Tournament and was 3rd in the Pac-10's.