Taylor Frankie Paul Said She Was the Aggressor in 2023 Dakota Mortensen Fight

Taylor Frankie Paul was the aggressor in her 2023 fight with Dakota Mortensen ... at least according to her.

The 'Secret Lives of Mormon Wives' star was quick to admit her role in the violent exchange ... because we found an old podcast clip from 2023 where she told Avery Woods she attacked first.

Taylor admits to throwing a chair at Dakota, and she says one of her kids was in the room ... though she claims she didn't know at the time her child was there.

We obtained video of the fight, and a few hours after we published it, ABC pulled the plug on Taylor's upcoming season of "The Bachelorette."

Taylor says a concerned neighbor who heard her screaming called police ... and TFP ended up being arrested and charged before ultimately pleading guilty in abeyance to aggravated assault.

She indicated she was under the influence during the fight ... saying she was "blacked out" and didn't sober up until she was in jail.

As we told you ... the responding officers saw the fight video, and prosecutors used it in their case against Taylor ... but sources connected to "The Bachelorette" told us no one at ABC had seen the footage until we posted it Thursday morning.

A spokesperson for Taylor told TMZ ... "There are too many women who are suffering in silence as they survive aggressive, jealous ex-partners who refuse to let them move on with their lives. Taylor has remained silent out of fear of further abuse, retaliation, and public shaming. She is currently exploring all of her options, seeking support, and preparing to own and share her story."