The event is set for this Saturday evening from the HP Pavilion in San Jose, California and will air live on Showtime.

Hieron’s previous opponent Nick Diaz was scratched from the bout after failing to submit to a drug test requested by the California State Athletic Commission.

Strikeforce President Scott Cokerhas since confirmed the match-up between Hieron and Taylor in a recent report to MMAJunkie.com.

Taylor has come a long way since his days boozing it up at the TUF house, racking up seven consecutive victories, with his most recent win coming in the DREAM organization.

Hieron is just happy to have an opponent after the recent collapse of his expected bout with Paul Daley at “Affliction: Trilogy” and the recent Nick Diaz drama. Hieron is also coming off of a winning streak as he has seen victory in his last five bouts fighting in the IFL, Night Of Combat and Affliction promotions.

EDITORS NOTE: FiveOuncesOfPain.com has recently been able to confirm through Bill Douglas of the California State Athletic Commission that Diaz never showed up for his drug test this afternoon and is not currently licensed to fight in California.

After getting his life in order Taylor was given a second chance and an opportunity against housemate C.B. Dollaway on UFC: Silva vs. Irvin which aired live on Spike TV in July of 2008. Taylor was submitted with an unusual move called the Peruvian necktie, and coupled with some remarks he had made about Quinton “Rampage” Jackson, and the issues he was having, the UFC quickly released him from his contract. The UFC also believed he was not living up to his end of the bargain, which was to seek help with his drinking by attending Alcoholics Anonymous meetings.

Now here we are, almost two years later and Taylor is getting ready for what might be his biggest fight as he goes up against King of Champions middleweight title holder, Chris Camozzi, this Saturday night from Denver, Colorado. Taylor has been keeping active and has won three straight bouts since his loss to Dollaway, all of them as a welterweight. Although he is fighting on smaller cards in front of less fans, Taylor could not be happier as he is keeping busy and looking to improve each and every time out.

In this exclusive interview with FiveOuncesOfPain.com, Taylor discussed whether or not he has a drinking problem, what he thinks about Dana White, the UFC, The Ultimate Fighter and controversial lightweight fighter, and season 7 graduate of The Ultimate Fighter, Junie Browning. He was very candid and honest in what he hopes to attain in the future and what he has learned from his past.

Bryan Levick: How is everything going for you right now?

Jesse Taylor: Going good, I am in the middle of a training camp right now.

Bryan Levick: When and where is your next fight?

Jesse Taylor: My next fight will be in Colorado in the Denver area this Saturday night March 28th against King of Champions middleweight title holder Chris Camozzi.

Bryan Levick: Have you ever fought in Colorado before?

Jesse Taylor: No, I haven’t. I did wrestle there while I was in college a long time ago, but I have never fought an MMA match there.

Bryan Levick: Are you training any differently to get accustomed to the thin air or is that something that doesn’t worry you?

Jesse Taylor: I am not doing anything different, and being that I have been so active lately, I don’t anticipate my cardio being a factor. I am sure I will feel it a little bit, but I believe I am in real good shape and the thin air shouldn’t hinder my performance.

Bryan Levick: Besides training can you tell me what else you have been up to?

Jesse Taylor: I have been fighting every month lately and trying to stay in shape. My goal is to keep on winning and furthering my career.

Bryan Levick: Obviously you are best known from your stint on The Ultimate Fighter Season 7, and what took place after the show had stopped taping. Most of your issues on the show were fueled by alcohol. Do you feel as though you are an alcoholic or have a problem controlling your drinking?

Jesse Taylor: I don’t feel like I had a problem. I feel as though I did get out of hand. It was difficult dealing with the notoriety and I don’t think I was ready for the bright lights. I do feel as though everything that happened was a good lesson for me and I am where I am today because of the valuable lessons I learned. I am still here fighting and I am happy I went through what I went through and I feel as though I have a lot to prove to myself, and the world of MMA in general.

Bryan Levick: Would you say it was more like growing pains and maybe being off on your own for the first time?

Jesse Taylor: Absolutely, just dealing with the fact that I was on national TV. Fighting wise I feel as though I was ready, but mentally I was not.

Bryan Levick: At this point in your life would it be safe to say that you can go out and enjoy a few drinks without be fearful that you will lose control again.

Jesse Taylor: Yes, I would say that drinking for me is not going to be an issue.

Bryan Levick: What were some of the stipulations set forth by the UFC after the incident at the hotel when you kicked out the window of the limousine and caused a disturbance with some employees?

Jesse Taylor: Back then Dana White said get your shit together and you will be allowed to come back. I had to go and do it on my own.

Bryan Levick: So the UFC didn’t offer you any help or set you in the right direction?

Jesse Taylor: No, they did not. I got myself in trouble and it was my job to clean myself up. It would have been nice if they would have offered some assistance, but that wasn’t the case so I made the best of it. I pretty much took matters into my own hands and I am doing very well now.

Bryan Levick: What are your thoughts on Dana White whether it be personally or professionally?

Jesse Taylor: He’s a business man first and foremost and he runs a tight ship over there. To run a successful business you have to be like that. He was a hard ass at times and I have no problems with him and I would love to fight for him again when the time is right. He has a business to run and some of the stuff he does seems a little strict but to get to where he has gotten to you have to be like that.

Bryan Levick: Did you watch any of last season’s episodes?

Jesse Taylor: I caught a few of them.

Bryan Levick: Do you feel as though Dana set forth a double standard when it came to Junie Browning?

Jesse Taylor: It got me frustrated because I feel as though what he was doing was a lot worse than anything that I did but it was obvious why they kept him on the show. He was out of control from the beginning of the show and people were tuning in to see what he would do next while what I did happened at the end of the season so there was no reason for them to keep me around. I feel as though Junie should never have been kept around but it’s all about ratings. I guarantee when he suffers his first loss he will be out of the UFC if not his first then for sure with his second loss. I think he did a lot of what he did for attention and it worked.

Bryan Levick: What was it like living in the house? When the camera wasn’t on you, what did you do to keep yourself busy?

Jesse Taylor: Actually, being in the house created a really good environment fighting wise because there were no distractions all you did was fight and train. It’s hard because you can’t go and do anything but it was good for someone like me who wanted to concentrate on making themselves a better fighter.

Bryan Levick: Did you develop any relationships that you maintain today with any of the fighters you were in the house with?

Jesse Taylor: Not really, everyone says they will keep in touch but when it’s all said and done everyone winds up doing their own thing.

Bryan Levick: Do you feel as though it is wrong of the UFC to supply the fighters with the amount of alcohol that they put in the house?

Jesse Taylor: I guess, but you have to remember they are doing whatever it takes to make good television. They don’t force you to drink it is an option but is a huge temptation and they know if we drink that something interesting is going to happen.

Bryan Levick: After your loss to Dolloway was there any discussion with the management of the UFC about eventually coming back and fighting for them again?

Jesse Taylor: Yes, they told me to go and rack up some quality wins and that they would keep their eye on me. The main thing is to keep winning. If I am successful things will take care of themselves.

Bryan Levick: You have been headlining a lot of regional shows lately are you happy with where you are at this point in time?

Jesse Taylor: I am happy doing it of course I would like to fight for one of the bigger promotions, but the best thing about what I am doing now is I am getting a lot of experience and staying active. If I was fighting for the UFC I could be only fighting every three or four months. I have seen guys sit out longer that, so while fighting for the UFC would be awesome, I am able to keep busy by fighting for the smaller promotions right now. I am always training and I keep getting better so when I do go back I will be a much better fighter than I was when I was there last.

Bryan Levick: What would you say your long term goals are?

Jesse Taylor: My long term goal is to be a champion to be the best in the world. Another main goal is to get into a bigger organization and get my hands on a championship belt.

Bryan Levick: Do you have any desire to fight C.B. Dolloway and avenge that loss to him?

Jesse Taylor: Without a doubt I have three losses on my record and I use them as motivation to make myself a better fighter. The loss to him eats away at me I hate thinking about it and it really drives me to train. I can’t sleep sometimes thinking about it and while I am not going to say I am happy with it, that loss really helped me become a better fighter.

Bryan Levick: Have you had any negotiations with Strikeforce, Affliction or any of the organizations in Japan?

Jesse Taylor: Yes, they have all come up and I would be more than happy to fight for any of them. A few of the guys I train with at Team Quest are fighting for Strikeforce, so that is definitely an option. I just want to fight the best fighters in the world and make some money. You know the old saying, show me the money.

Bryan Levick: What do you know about your opponent Chris Camozzi?

Jesse Taylor: I don’t know much about him. I like to let my trainers and coaches guide me in the right of direction. I don’t like stressing over it too much. What I have heard is that he is a pretty good striker and he has pretty decent all around skills. I feel as though it is a pretty good fight for me and I am happy that he is a tough opponent. He has some decent wins under his belt so that will make the victory that much better for me.

Bryan Levick: This fight is for the King of Champions middleweight title but you have been fighting recently at 170lbs. Do you have plans to stick to one weight class or will you jump back and forth between the two?

Jesse Taylor: I am going to fight wherever the best fights are. Fighting at different weights create a lot more opportunities for me. There are negatives and positives for both when I fight at 170 I will be a little bit bigger and stronger than most guys, but 185 is my natural weight class and I feel good all the time. I am not grouchy or anything from the weight cut. I can lift weights and right now I feel really good stronger than ever. I like both weight classes.

Bryan Levick: How did it feel when you defeated Drew Fickett back in October of last year?

Jesse Taylor: Actually, I didn’t feel as though I was fighting the best Drew Fickett. I could tell he was off and it was a good fight for me. I am not taking any credit away from myself but that wasn’t the same Drew Fickett that everyone had become accustomed to. I still feel as though I could beat the old Drew Fickett, and I felt really confident going into that fight, but he wasn’t at his best. Since that fight he has kind of gone downhill. I wish I could have fought the old Drew Fickett, it would have been more satisfying.

Bryan Levick: Do you have any fights scheduled after your fight this Saturday?

Jesse Taylor: We are actually working on a May date in Atlantic City with I believe Ring of Combat. I am not 100% sure. I am looking forward to fighting as soon as often as possible.

Bryan Levick: Jesse, I would like to thank you for your time. Is there anyone you would like to thank?

Jesse Taylor: I want to thank my teammates at Team Quest. I would also like to everyone who has stuck behind me and I promise them that I will be at my best. For anyone looking to keep up with what I am doing you can check out my website at www.yojtmoney.com. I update my fans on a regular basis on the site.

Taylor’s opponent for the night is slated to be Chris Camozzi.

FiveOuncesOfPain.com learned of the new matchup from a source close to the fight speaking on the condition of anonymity.

Taylor, 8-3, has won his last two fights since being released by the UFC following a first round submission loss to C.B. Dollaway during UFC Fight Night 14 this past July. His disappointing showing during the fight coupled with controversial comments made regarding Quinton Jackson’s arrest prompted the UFC to let him go for a second time.

Taylor had been initially released after earning a trip to the TUF 7 finals against Amir Sadollah but was dismissed from the show by UFC President Dana White after an alleged intoxicated incident at a Station Casinos-owned hotel.

Camozzi, 10-2, is also 2-0 in his laast two fights with wins over Eliot Duff at MFC 18 and and Victor Morenzo during MTX’s Evolution event last month in Las Vegas.

Taylor’s opponent will be another former UFC veteran, Drew Fickett.

Taylor lost a chance to compete against Amir Sadollah in the finals of TUF 7 after he was dismissed from the show following an incident at a Las Vegas hotel and casino. He had earned the right to meet Sadollah after winning a semifinal fight against Tim Credeur and remained in Vegas after the show had wrapped filming to celebrate the win.

After a night of partying, Taylor was accused of being intoxicated and was shown on security video as kicking out the window of a limousine. He was also accused by UFC President Dana White of verbally accosting several female patrons inside of the casino and then referring to himself as a UFC fighter when questioned by security officials.

Taylor was given a second chance by the UFC and debuted for the promotion on July 19 during UFC Fight Night 14 in a match against fellow TUF alum C.B. Dollaway. In the week leading up to the fight, Taylor made some controversial comments about Quinton Jackson’s arrest on charges of reckless driving and evading arrest. Those comments combined with his first round submission defeat to Dollaway prompted UFC officials to sever contractual ties with him for a second and final time.

Much like Taylor, Fickett is no stranger when it comes to controversy. Fickett, who holds notable victories over Josh Koscheck, Josh Neer, Kenny Florian, and Kurt Pellegrino, has had trouble in recent years finding fights on a consistent basis due to accusations of erratic behavior. Clearly capable of competing for a major national promotion, Fickett has burned several bridges with promoters and matchmakers.

In spite of their out-of-the-cage issues, the Taylor vs. Fickett matchup is very intriguing as a regional-level main event. Total Combat has also announced that the card will be televised on MTV3. In addition to Taylor vs. Fickett, other bouts slated include former WEC veteran Ian McCall vs. Kevin Dunsmor, Rolando Perez vs. Nick Alvarado, and a female bout between Megan Gangitano of Team Quest vs. Kim Rose, who defeated Kim Couture this past June.

“It’s definitely frustrating,” Taylor today told MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) about the release. “I was upset, of course. But I’m going to keep on fighting. It could be a blessing in disguise with the other organizations out there.”

“It’s like a three-year deal with the ['The Ultimate Fighter'] and all,” Taylor said. “I think they can release you whenever they want. So yeah, they kind of let me go.”

Taylor also commented on speculation that he was cut due to insensitive comments he made about Quinton “Rampage” Jackson following Jackson’s arrest:

“I thought the whole thing was blown out of proportion,” Taylor said. “I just said, ‘What goes around comes around,’ kind of meaning about the double standards. Not meaning anything bad. I guess they kind of took it the wrong way, but I didn’t mean anything bad by it.”

“I actually really don’t know. If it is, I think it’s kind of funny because I definitely didn’t make those comments to piss anybody off.”

Just like you didn’t mean anything by kicking a window out of a limo and harassing women inside of Stations Casino after you had the world in the palm of your hand with a possible UFC contract on the line? Taylor is a good fighter with a solid future, but his head is still not on straight. The UFC granted him an opportunity to come back and he made insensitive comments about a very touchy subject with Rampage and he also lost to C.B. Dollaway at UFN 14. Would we be talking about Jesse Taylor if he’d have kept his mouth shut and just lost to Dollaway a couple weeks ago? I doubt it. The loss alone, I don’t believe, would have kicked him out of the UFC. The comments towards one of the UFC’s biggest stars combined with the loss? I think that’s what did the guy in.

I have no doubt that someone like EliteXC will pick Taylor up and insert him into their middleweight division. They picked up Paul Bradley from the show and I think it’s likely that we’ll see Taylor there as well. Taylor may not think so, but getting cut from the UFC is a big deal in MMA. In case he missed the memo, they’re the biggest show in town. You don’t want to burn bridges with the UFC because that’s where the money’s at and that’s where the exposure is in MMA right now. Here’s to hoping that Taylor get his act together.

A member of Team Quest in Temecula, Taylor’s overall MMA record fell to 6-3 at UFN 14 by submitting to Dollaway at 3:58 of round 1 after being caught in a Peruvian necktie.

While UFC officials were said to be disappointed by the loss, the Observer indicates that Taylor’s comments about Quinton “Rampage” Jackson in the wake of Jackson’s arrest by the Costa Mesa Police Department earlier this month is what did him in.

Taylor was a finalist on the seventh season of TUF but lost his spot after being kicked off the show by UFC President Dana White following an incident at a Station Casinos hotel in Las Vegas in which Taylor was intoxicated and was seen on camera kicking out the window of a limousine.

In response to seeing the tape of Taylor, Jackson said on the show that the UFC didn’t need someone like Taylor representing the company. When asked about Jackson’s recent arrest, Taylor was quoted as saying “What goes around, come around, I guess.”

The comments by Taylor were said to have angered UFC officials. A contrite Taylor later backed off his statements after it was revealed that Jackson had undergone a mental evaluation but a final decision to dismiss Taylor again had already been made.

First, they’ve extended their deal with Versus. Under the agreement, WEC will deliver 20 additional WrekCage shows and 15 more live WEC fight cards.

And the other big announcement is that the WEC’s next live show after tonight’s card is slated for Dec. 12. Urijah Faber (19-1) is scheduled to defend his WEC featherweight title against Jeff Curran (16-6-1).

The news that they’ve re-upped with Versus is certainly good news. However, I would have loved to have seen the WEC sign on with a partner that has greater distribution. They’ve got so many good fighters on their roster right now that more people need to know about. The WEC belongs on a more prestigious network.

Faber will be favored going into the fight with Curran but he will definitely be tested. It has a chance to be one of the best matches of the year in any promotion.

Also, remember to check out the WEC tonight at 9 p.m. ET on Versus. “Razor” Rob McCullough defends the lightweight title against Rich Crunkilton while Chase Beebe defends his bantamweight title against Rani Yahya.

I’m picking McCullough and Yahya. Also be sure to watch Brian Stann (4-0), who will be taking on Jeremiah Billington. I’m going with Stann all the way in that one.

A source told the Chronicle’s Brawl Sports Sunday at WEC 29 in Vegas that if Curran beat Stephen Ledbetter (which he did) than Curran would be next for Faber. Nothing has been officially confirmed by WEC, but if the fight is made, it’s a worthwhile matchup.

Maybe some blame can be assessed to the WEC for not finding a better opponent for Paulo Filho, but if you want to find his equal then you’re going to have to bring in Dan Henderson, Matt Lindland, Rich Franklin, or Anderson Silva. That’s not going to happen and I think Joe Doerksen was a handpicked opponent to allow Filho to look dominant and help build up his name recognition in the States. 

If that was the goal, then mission accomplished. If you had never seen Filho fight before then I don’t know how you couldn’t have been impressed with him after last night’s performance.

I do think some people are getting carried away though as I’ve read some message forum posts proclaiming Filho a good striker now. While his punches looked pretty powerful, his technique was not refined. He works hard on his striking but he still has a long way to go before he can be labeled a good, technical striker. 

I was also disappointed by the quick outcome of the Larson vs. Condit match. I expected a war. But you can’t blame anyone because looking at it from a matchmaker’s perspective, there isn’t a bigger challenge to Condit currently on the roster than Larson. It was a great matchup that just didn’t go according to plan. 

I am thoroughly impressed by Condit each time I see him fight. He’s going to be big time and will definitely be fighting in the UFC within the next two years. The WEC will need to bolster their welterweight division though if they want to make things interesting until then. If he can get past Larson that quickly then there’s no one who will pose much of a threat. 

Jeff Curran vs. Stephen Ledbetter wasn’t anything special in my book but it was just good to see Curran in a televised match. It looks like there is a build towards a WEC featherweight title match between Urijah Faber and Curran. While I think Faber would win that match, it would still be pretty exciting. 

Jamie Varner looked great in a dominant performance over Sherron Leggett. Varner is now 13-2 and should get to fight the winner of WEC lightweight title match next month between Razor Rob and Rich Crunkilton. That’s not anything I’ve heard, just my opinion. 

Random Rants: 

• I’m usually a big fan of Frank Mir’s work as a commentator. I thought he did great during the first live show several months back but I thought his game was off a little last night. It seemed like he couldn’t get his timing down.

• To piggyback on a point made by Dave Meltzer of The Wrestling Observer several months back, having Frank Mir do the post-fight interviews is just a bad idea. Mir towers over everyone and makes them look like midgets. Why not just pay some local Vegas sports reporter $2,000 per show to come in and do the interviews?

• Because of quick results to a lot of the fights they were able to show a lot of fighters in attendance. It makes the WEC seem a lot bigger. I also liked the interviews with Jens Pulver and Rob McCullough and how they promoted the next show. They did a much better job of future promotion this time than last but that’s likely because when they did the first Versus live show, there weren’t a lot of definitive details about the second show.

• Speaking of Pulver, if Mir is ever in a position where he can’t do a show because he’s training for a fight, Pulver would be an excellent substitute. He’s already done some broadcast work for the UFC and the IFL. If ESPN ever hired their own analysts for their coverage of MMA on ESPNews, Pulver would be a perfect for such a role.

• They should do an even better job with future promotion. Why is it that Joe Riggs is telling The Fight Network he’s fighting Jason Miller in October? Why do so many promotions get scooped on their own news? Maybe there wasn’t enough time, but it would have been cool if the report was addressed in some fashion.

• I am real curious to know the duration of the WEC’s contract with Versus. I just feel the product deserves a better distribution outlet. They have a lot of potential superstars in Condit, Filho, Larson, Urijah Faber, Jason Miller, Carlos Condit, “Razor” Rob McCullough, and Rich Crunkilton but I just don’t think Versus gives them enough exposure. I know a lot of people who still don’t get Versus and on systems that do carry it, it’s usually buried. I have DirecTV and it’s in between a tier of premium sports channels on channel 608. The non-premium sports channels (ESPN, ESPNews, NFL Network, etc.) are all in the 200’s. You can run all the promos of the fighters you want on Versus but what good is it if the only time people watch Versus is for the WEC? People really don’t even watch the NHL on Versus. Hell, there are already rumblings that the NHL could be going back to ESPN once their Versus deal is up.

• Prime channel positioning is important. My in-laws don’t even like MMA yet they knew exactly what the IFL was when they found out I was going to cover the show this past Thursday. They know what the IFL is because they watch it every Monday in spite of the fact they don’t like MMA. Why do they watch it? Probably because there is nothing but reruns of sitcoms or first run versions of scrub reality shows on network TV right now and the IFL is on channel 17 here in the Philly area. If you’re a channel flipper, you’re going to be passing the IFL. If you’re a channel flipper, odds are you aren’t going to find the WEC.

• If they aren’t looking into it already, Zuffa should be exploring other future television options for the WEC. I know it’s easier said than done, but I think the USA network would be great. The clearance is strong and the channel has prominent positioning on most cable systems. And of course, ESPN would be even better. You would think ESPN would have room for the WEC on ESPN II with WrekCage every Tuesday or Wednesday night along with a live monthly show.

• They should also do some kind of deal with YouTube that would put all the WrekCage shows on the Internet for free. They have a product that is very appealing to hardcores and it’s time to let everyone see it and get them all talking.

• The WEC champions are as follows: Chase Beebe at bantamweight (135 lbs.); Urijah Faber at featherweight (145 lbs.); “Razor” Rob McCullough at lightweight (155 lbs.); Carlos Condit at welterweight (170 lbs.); Paulo Filho at middleweight (185 lbs.); and Doug Marshall at light heavyweight (205 lbs.). That’s a pretty impressive lineup of champions. It could be a long time until McCullough, Faber, Condit, and Filho lose (if they ever lose in the WEC).

• Right now the only fighter currently on the WEC roster who poses even a small threat to Filho is Jason “Mayhem” Miller. If Filho gets past Miller, he’ll have smooth sailing until an inevitable debut in the UFC.

• There’s still a lot of talk that more additions will be made to the WEC roster consisting of a lot of the Japanese fighters from Pride. I still haven’t heard any names though. A non-Japanese fighter from Pride that I’d love to see is Zelg Galesic. Pride signed Galesic from Cage Rage and he debuted at Pride 34 and lost. However, the guy has a ton of potential and has earned the nickname of “Mini-Cro Cop.” He’s a prospect and would fit perfectly on the WEC roster.

• The WEC should have shown highlights of fights that took place on the preliminary portion of the card. Antonio Banuelos fought earlier on the show and has increased name recognition after being featured on TapouT. He could be a future title contender at 135 lbs. but there’s no promotion behind him coming from the WEC.

The 29-year old has a record of 27-8-1 with notable wins over Jason Dent, Charles “Krazy Horse” Bennett, and Kevin English.

Curran’s announcement comes on the heels of Monte Cox saying on Sherdog Radio on Monday that current UFC lightweight Jens Pulver will be moving to the WEC to compete in their featherweight division.

The man known as “Big Frog” has his sights set on WEC featherweight champion Urijah Faber, according to his post on the UG forum:

Finally, a world-recognized show with a 145lb division. I have my exclusive contract and am 100% ready to take all comers in the 145. Can’t wait for Faber.

The WEC obviously isn’t going to let Faber rest on his laurels as it appears they are trying to upgrade his competition in the 145 pound division.