Conditioning in king in the realms of professional fighting. As seasoned amateur fighters Dalton Taylor and Tylando Mattress make their entry into the professional ranks at Fight For It XVII, the additional two-minutes per round introduces a new variable to the game. The winner will likely be whichever man can strategically leverage — and last through — the extra time.
Standing 6-feet, 2-inches tall, and having weighed in over 260 pounds in previous bouts, Taylor is the larger fighter here, but has also showcased remarkable agility for a big man. Mattress has shown versatility on the scale, covering a weight range from 205 to 260 in his nine amateur bouts.
Despite being the smaller man, Mattress has demonstrated the ability to endure five-round fights, and, leaning on his kickboxing background, has become recognized for his striking prowess. While Taylor has shown commendable defense and power, he would be advised not to engage in a stand-up brawl with Mattress. Taylor’s strategy is likely to involve taking Mattress to the mat early on to neutralize his punching power.
Although Taylor comes from a gym with a strong grappling background, it remains to be seen if he can capitalize on this training, or if he’ll try to withstand a back-and-forth battle. If takedowns are not in the plan, Taylor must utilize his size advantage to press Mattress against the cage and impose his weight.
Given his skills on the feet, Mattress is favored to dictate the fight’s location. Look for an aggressive start, with Mattress unleashing a series of attacks, incorporating powerful leg kicks.
As these men step into the professional ranks, however, the outcome of this bout hinges on their cardio and conditioning. Mattress needs impeccable muscular endurance for a high-volume attacking style, while Taylor must maintain exceptional cardio to move effectively, disrupt Mattress’s rhythm, and attempt to control the pace.
However it ends, expect an exciting clash of two newly professional titans.
Fight For It XVII brings a heavy slate of kickboxing and MMA action to Charlotte’s Grady Cole Center on Saturday, Nov. 4. Catch every moment live or streaming via pay-per-view. Kickboxing prelims start at 3 p.m., and the MMA card ignites at 7 p.m. Tickets for the live event and pay-per-view stream are available now via fightforitcompany.com.
And be sure to download the Fight For It app on on The App Store or Google Play to pick your fantasy winners at Fight For It XIV. The pool is free to play and will award the top three scorers with their share of a $500 cash prize.
