Jesse Taylor Earns ‘Redemption’ With A Submission Win At The Ultimate Fighter 25 Finale

The Ultimate Fighter season 25 was named ‘Redemption’ and the season lived up to its name with former TUF 7 contestant Jesse Taylor making it to the finals and defeating Dhiego Lima via rear naked choke in the second round.

Taylor is infamous for his original Ultimate Fighter run where he made it through to the finals only to be kicked off the show after a drunken rampage through Vegas where he kicked out the window of a limo and screamed at casino security that he was a UFC fighter. Once UFC president Dana White learned about his actions, he removed him from the tournament and banned him from the UFC. It was one of the worst flame outs in the history of the sport and Taylor became a cautionary tale for years to come.

This season of The Ultimate Fighter not only earned Taylor a return to the UFC but $290,000 as well. Not a bad redemption story at all.

“This goes out to all the people who have messed up in life, just keep going!” he said afterward. “Just keep going, no matter what!”