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Paul Taylor gets Cerrone examination on August 14

ESPN staff
June 27, 2011
Paul Taylor is coming off a win over Gabe Ruediger © Getty Images
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England's Paul Taylor has been handed arguably the toughest assignment of his career at UFC Live in Milwaukee after it was confirmed to ESPN that he will take on the dangerous Donald Cerrone.

Taylor had been lined up to fight John Makdessi on August 14, on a card headlined by Dan Hardy's welterweight war with Chris Lytle.

An injury to Makdessi left Taylor without an opponent, but the Brit has been handed a golden opportunity to propel himself multiple rungs up the lightweight ladder against Cerrone.

Taylor is coming off arguably the finest performance of his career, when he destroyed Gabe Ruediger, but Cerrone represents a whole new step up in class.

Cowboy Cerrone is on a four-fight tear since losing his shot at becoming WEC lightweight champion against Ben Henderson. His recent UFC 131 victory over Vagner Rocha was dominant, and he has been tipped as a future title contender in the UFC.

Taylor's Team Kaobon camp will have plenty of inside knowledge on Cerrone after the American ended Paul Kelly's UFC career, finishing the fight by rear naked choke.

However, Taylor is one of the few men in the lightweight division that can match Cerrone's kickboxing skills, and the pair boast six Fight of the Night performances between them in their last 14 fights.

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