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UFC's Chris Lytle undergoes successful knee surgery, expected to be out six months
Originally posted on MMAjunkie.com With no surprises or complications, UFC welterweight Chris Lytle today underwent successful knee surgery. Lytle, who injured his knee while preparing for a UFC Fight Night 19 bout with Carlos Condit, was scratched from the Sept. 16 card earlier this week, as MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) first reported. Lytle underwent surgery near his home in Indianapolis. Doctors replaced his anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) and repaired his medial meniscus, his agent, Ken Pavia of MMAAgents.com, today confirmed via text message. Click here to read the entire article on MMAjunkie.comLabels: Chris Lytle, Ken Pavia, MMAagents
Chris Lytle vs. Carlos Condit set for UFC Fight Night 19 in Oklahoma City
 Originally posted on MMAjunkie.com Veteran UFC welterweight Chris Lylte (27-17-5 MMA, 6-9 UFC) and former WEC welterweight champion Carlos Condit (22-5 MMA, 0-1 UFC) will meet at UFC Fight Night 19 in September. The news was first reported by Ariel Helwani of MMA FanHouse, and a source close to one of the competitors today confirmed with MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) that bout agreements have been finalized. UFC Fight Night 19, a Spike TV-broadcast event that serves as the lead-in for the debut episode of "The Ultimate Fighter 10," takes place on Sept. 16 at the Cox Convention Center in Oklahoma City. The UFC recently announced a main event of Nate Diaz vs. Melvin Guillard and a co-headliner of Roger Huerta vs. Gray Maynard for the show. The Lytle vs. Condit matchup is expected to be part of the night's televised main card, as well. Lytle, fresh off a "Fight of the Night" victory over Kevin Burns at The Ultimate Fighter 9 Finale, has won two of his past three fights, the lone loss coming to Marcus Davis via split decision. Lytle continued his recent windfall by picking up his third straight "Fight of the Night" bonus and fourth overall. In fact, including fight-night bonuses for submissions and knockouts, he's won six bonuses in his past eight fights. Click here to read the entire article on MMAjunkie.comLabels: Chris Lytle
Chris Lytle Talks About Juggling Training And Full Time Fire Fighting
Between Rounds Radio: Chris Lytle
The Chris Lytle WARWAGON, all aboard!!!
Originally posted on Examiner.com After watching “The Ultimate Fighter Season 9 Live Finale” last Saturday night live on SPIKE TV, I became inspired and had an epiphany of great magnitude. It all hit me about two minutes left in the first round of the Chris Lytle/Kevin Burns fight. I realized how much I really admire and want to take the time to acknowledge Mr. “Lights Out” Lytle. The man was on the brink of a technical knockout loss (which would have been the first time he has got knocked out EVER) to Kevin “The Fire” Burns, needless to say the former Indiana firefighter stifled “The Fire‘s” onslaught of punishment in the first round, came back, put the proverbial “fire” out, and won the fight via Unanimous Decision. To me this is what fighting and life for that matter, is all about. You have to roll with the punches sometimes. Will you get knocked down and kicked in the mouth sometimes? No doubt about it. The difference is whether or not you're able to recover, regain your composure, and never accept defeat; and this is exactly what I saw from Chris Lytle on Saturday night. Yeah he’s not the most household name in MMA, but he definitely ought to be considered as its poster boy in my opinion. He optimizes and exemplifies what a real fighter is, and is definitely not just another “martial artist” as Forrest Griffin calls them in his latest book entitled “Got Fight.” Click here to read the entire article at Examiner.comLabels: Chris Lytle
Chris Lytle's post-UFC career could include political run in Indiana
 Originally posted on MMAjunkie.com Fulltime firefighter, professional boxer, star mixed-martial-arts fighter, devoted family man. Could Renaissance Man and UFC welterweight Chris Lytle's list of job responsibilities soon include rookie politician? On Monday's edition of MMAjunkie.com Radio (www.mmajunkie.com/radio), the longtime fighter mentioned interest in entering the political ring once his career in the cage runs its course. "I've been talking to some people in my state about it, trying to use whatever popularity I have from my name to help me run for some sort of political office," Lytle said. Lytle, a fan favorite who's stand-and-bang style and no-nonsense interviews have earned him a home in the UFC for nearly a decade, joked about another qualification. "I can lie with the best of them, my friend," Lytle joked. Lytle wouldn't be the first well-known MMA fighter to make a run at office. Late last year, former U.S. Olympic wrestler and veteran MMA fighter Matt Lindland won the Republic primary for the Oregon House of Representatives 52nd district by a solid 14 percentage points. However, he fell short to a Democratic candidate in the general election by 16 points. One Lytle supporter is already making the pitch. "He could launch his (political) career using the UFC name recognition and obviously using his talents to get him into the office," said Lytle's agent, Ken Pavia. "I think he'd be a great politician." Click here to read the entire article at MMAjunkie.comLabels: Chris Lytle, Ken Pavia
Indianapolis' Chris Lytle shows why he is still significant in the UFC
Originally posted on Examiner.com Ultimate Finale 9: Chris Lytle defeats Kevin Burns in an epic showdown. Indianapolis Native Chris Lytle showed why he is still a significant player in the UFC. Lytle who hails from Indianapolis and graduated from Southport High School in 1993 pulled out a hard-eaned victory in the Ultimate Finale 9 card at the Palms Casino in Vegas. My camera guy and partner in crime Johnny Booker covered the fight for me while I was away writing about the "Conviction" show last Saturday. Here's some insights as told by Johnny. ********* Chris Lytle, a seasoned MMA veteran and known commodity in UFC circles, has flirted with the notoriety and success necessary to propel him to the next level. But at each critical moment, he has run into an obstacle- two of which are named Matt. Intent on righting the course of his derailed title aspirations, Lytle has chosen a path less traveled for him; he takes more chances than normal, and lets the pieces fall where they may. That tendency may have been present in many of his prior fights, but Saturday night, it was on full display. Early on in his fight with Burns, he threw all-or-nothing shots, many of which did not land, but showed he is ready to take chances with his approach in the hope of securing a decisive victory. With a BJJ black belt and an ability to stuff takedowns on a fairly consistent basis, he seems to have taken his game to another level, content to trust his abilities when his strikes don’t always find their mark. One might see a similarity to Liddell’s style of old, the all-or-nothing shots that can earn a KO or result in one just as easily, and Lytle seems content to roll the dice on his attack. In other words, he seems like a man that knows the path he tread before has only one destination, and the path of aggression may redirect that trajectory. Click here to read the entire article at Examiner.comLabels: Chris Lytle
Chris Lytle Post-Fight Interview
Lytle Wins in a War
 Originally posted on MMAweekly.com For as smart as Chris Lytle actually is, he apparently does not understand the meaning of the word "boring," as he once again put on a show for the fans in Las Vegas, picking up a unanimous decision win over Kevin Burns in a welterweight slugfest. Early on it looked like Burns might get the best of Lytle as he landed a big right uppercut that put the Indiana native on wobbly legs, scrambling for a recovery plan. As always with Lytle, though, he is next to impossible to put away, and he kept close to Burns as the round came to a close. "I didn't see it. I ducked my head down like my coaches tell me not to, and he caught me with one," Lytle commented about the punch in the first round. "I was like whoa I'm almost on the ground, I've got to stand back up. I'm an experienced fighter. I knew the onslaught was coming, that's why I was trying to weather the storm. I was able to do that and I cleared my head between the first and second rounds." The second and third rounds told a different story as Lytle's striking and superior conditioning took over, as he continued to move forward on his opponent, landing punches to the body and head of Burns. Click here to read the entire article at MMAweekly.comLabels: Chris Lytle
Can Chris Lytle Secure His Spot?
 Originally posted on MMAweekly.com The boom in popularity for MMA resulted in the UFC’s roster growing at an exponential rate. With numbers swelled to maximum capacity, shows began to book at such a rate that fighters have now found themselves with an abundance of shows, but a lack of spots available due to the promotion’s roster being so full. So the inevitable cuts have begun. Fighters not performing up to expectations have found themselves out of the promotion, making each fight now a potential last gasp for young talent and veterans alike. One of the longtime UFC fighters who is looking to continue his time with the company is welterweight Chris “Lights Out” Lytle. After five years of near consistency with the promotion, Lytle has alternated wins and losses of late, and at the age of 34 could be facing his last run with the company. In typical Lytle fashion, however, if this is the last run, he intends to go out swinging. “I feel like I’ve been a split-decision away – a bad break away – from being really in a better position than I’m at,” Lytle told MMAWeekly heading into this Saturday’s TUF 9 Finale. Click here to read the entire article at MMAweekly.comLabels: Chris Lytle
Chris Lytle refutes claims he tapped out to Kevin Burns at The Ultimate Fighter 9 Finale
 Originally posted on MMAjunkie.com No, Chris Lytle did not tap out during this past Saturday's co-"Fight of the Night" bout with Kevin Burns at The Ultimate Fighter 9 Finale. Soon after the June 20 fight aired live on Spike TV and Lytle was awarded a unanimous-decision win, MMA forums lit up with claims stating that veteran fighter tapped out late in the first round after Burns connected on a solid uppercut and took the fight to the mat. However, on today's edition of MMAjunkie.com Radio (www.mmajunkie.com/radio), Lytle (27-17-5 MMA, 6-9 UFC) said he never tapped out in his previous 48 professional fights and that he didn't tap out in this one either. Approximately four minutes into the fight, after a timeout was given to Lytle because of an accidental groin kick, Burns connected on a crisp uppercut and forced the fight to the ground. Lytle was on his knees as Burns threw punches from above. A replay of the fight shows Lytle's left arm moving in an up and down motion – at most twice – though it's unclear if he was simply protecting his head, securing his balance, waving off the referee, signaling that he was taking illegal hits to the back of the head, or quite possibly even tapping out from the strikes. Lytle hasn't re-watched the fight, and initially he wasn't even sure when the alleged tap took place. But he's confident he never called an end to the fight. Click here to read the entire article at MMAjunkie.comLabels: Chris Lytle
MMAjunkie.com Radio: TUF9 Finale's Chris Lytle and agent Ken Pavia (in studio), TSJ winner
UFC awards record three "Fight of the Night" bonuses after entertaining TUF 9 Finale
Originally posted on MMAjunkie.com LAS VEGAS - Faced with the unenviable task of determining a "Fight of the Night" award winner among three more-than-deserving candidates at Saturday's The Ultimate Fighter 9 Finale at The Pearl at the Palms Casino Resort in Las Vegas, UFC officials made the only decision they possibly could. Diego Sanchez vs. Clay Guida, Chris Lytle vs. Kevin Burns and Joe Stevenson vs. Nate Diaz were all named the evening's "Fights of the Night" winners for a record three awards and each competitor earned an additional $25,000 for his performance. The amounts, which were on par with the $25,000 awards issued at the December 2008 TUF 8 Finale, and winners were confirmed by MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) following the event. Stevenson and Diaz kicked off the evening's televised card with an entertaining ground battle that provided 15 minutes of exciting action. Stevenson earned the much-needed unanimous-decision win, and the pair seemed well on their way to the evening's "Fight of the Night" award. That is, until Lytle and Burns waged their stand-up contest. Both Lytle and Burns each took turns on the winning end of a stand-up brawl, but "Lights Out" came back from nearly having his own lights shut off in the opening frame to earn a unanimous decision win in a bloody, three-round affair with Burns. Click here to read the entire article at MMAjunkie.comLabels: Chris Lytle
USAT/SBN May MMA Consensus Rankings: Welterweight
If I Was The UFC Matchmaker
Originally posted on fiveouncesofpain.com Welterweights Anthony Johnson vs. Josh Koscheck Why not? This is exactly the type of fight that Koscheck needs to win when he comes back to put him right back in the mix at welterweight. From Johnson’s perspective, a win over Koscheck would certainly move him that much closer to a championship match-up. For Koscheck to be successful in this bout he would have to get back to his roots against a rangy, lethal striker such as Johnson. However, Johnson is no rookie on the wrestling mat either as he wrestled in college as well before becoming involved with mixed martial arts. On the other side of that coin, Koscheck got caught in his last bout but showed with his devastating knockouts over Yoshiyuki Yoshida and Dustin Hazelett that he is a threat no matter where the bout ends up. This fight would be electrifying, no question in my mind. Chris Lytle vs. Matt Brown Can you say ‘guaranteed fight of the night’? Lytle and Brown bring it every single time they enter the octagon. Both can bang, and bang hard, and neither is a slouch on the ground by any means. More likely than not, this one erupts in a back and forth slugfest that will have the crowd on their feet from beginning to end. Heck, matching Lytle up with anyone at 170 is a good move being that he’s either had fight of the night or knockout of the night in his last….like twenty bouts in the UFC. Click here to read the entire article at fiveouncesofpain.comLabels: Anthony Johnson, Chris Lytle
Chris Lytle vs. Kevin Burns official for TUF 9 Finale in June
Originally posted on MMAjunkie.com A welterweight contest between Kevin Burns (7-2 MMA, 2-1 UFC) and Chris Lytle (26-17-5 MMA, 5-9 UFC), first reported in March, has been officially added to the June 20 finale of "The Ultimate Fighter: U.S. vs. U.K." The organization made the announcement on its official website. The Ultimate Fighter 9 Finale takes place June 20 at The Pearl in the Palms Casino Resort in Las Vegas. It airs on Spike TV. Lytle will be looking to rebound from an exciting split-decision loss to Marcus Davis at UFC 93 in January. The 14-time UFC veteran hasn't dropped two consecutive bouts since back-to-back defeats to Matt Hughes and Matt Serra in 2006 and 2007. ********* MAIN CARD Lightweight finalist No. 1 vs. No. 2 Welterweight finalist No. 1 vs. No. 2 Clay Guida vs. Diego Sanchez Nate Diaz vs. Joe Stevenson Matt Brown vs. Anthony Johnson PRELIMINARY CARD Kevin Burns vs. Chris Lytle Mike Ciesnolevicz vs. Tomasz Drwal* Brad Blackburn vs. Edgar Garcia* * - Not officially announced Click here to read the entire article at MMAjunkie.comLabels: Anthony Johnson, Brad Blackburn, Chris Lytle, Mike Ciesnolevicz
UFC 2009: Undisputed’s 85 Playable Characters Include The TapouT Crew
Round 5 to release Jason MacDonald figurine; Lytle and Kampmann next?
Originally posted on MMAjunkie.com Round 5, the company best known for its popular line of mixed-martial-arts figurines, today announced it will produce and release a figurine of veteran UFC middleweight Jason MacDonald later this year. No exact date has been determined for the release, which is the company's first Canadian-fighter figurine. "Since we are based in Ontario, I am particularly excited that Jason MacDonald is the first Canadian to sign with Round 5," Round 5 President and Co-Founder Damon Lau stated in today's press release. "He is one of the most successful and popular MMA stars in the country and enjoys a strong following across North America." Round 5 now releases a new set of figurines each quarter. The company previously announced it had reached deals with Fedor Emelianenko and Gina Carano, whose figurines will be released later this year. MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) also today was told by a source close to the fighters that UFC veterans Chris Lytle and Martin Kampmann have recently inked deals with Round 5. However, it's currently unknown if their figurines will be released in 2009. Click here to read the entire article at MMAjunkie.comLabels: Chris Lytle, Martin Kampmann
USAT/SBN March MMA Consensus Rankings: Welterweight
Chris Lytle meets Kevin Burns at The Ultimate Fighter 9 Finale in June
 Originally posted on MMAjunkie.com Following his January split-decision loss to Marcus Davis in a highly anticipated UFC 93 bout, veteran UFC welterweight Chris Lytle (26-17-5 MMA, 5-9 UFC) will return to action against Kevin Burns (7-2 MMA, 2-1 UFC) at The Ultimate Fighter 9 Finale. Sources close to both fighters told MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) bout agreements were distributed today and are in the process of being finalized. The Ultimate Fighter 9 Finale takes place June 20 at The Pearl in the Palms Casino Resort in Las Vegas. It airs on Spike TV. The live finale concludes the ninth season of "The Ultimate Fighter," which debuts April 1 with a "U.S. vs. U.K." theme. Following his loss to Davis, Lytle is now 2-3 in his past five fights. However, the pro boxer, who was "The Ultimate Fighter 4" welterweight runner-up, is a crowd-pleaser who – despite his mediocre record in the octagon – has remained a fixture in the UFC since UFC 28. Click here to read the entire article at MMAjunkie.comLabels: Chris Lytle
Former Boxing Champ Rahman Headed to MMA
Originally posted on Sherdog.com Here's Chris Lytle's take on Hasim Rahman's potential move to MMA: “Even though he’s an older boxer, with his hands, he’ll be head and shoulders above everybody in that division,” Lytle said. “If he can keep it on his feet. If he hasn’t been doing extensive work on takedown defense, he’ll struggle. In my honest opinion, he’ll beat up some guys and knock some people out, and when they try and step him up against a guy with a good game plan, he’ll get taken down and lose.” The ranges in boxing are deceptive realms that don’t easily translate into MMA, explained Lytle. “It’s way different. He isn’t gonna be used to a boxing range where the jab is there, because you can’t stand there and just jab. Just out of jab range, where you’re safe in boxing, is kick range,” Lytle said. “Luckily for him he’s not gonna try and out-jab a guy, he’s gonna try and land a big right hand. But he’s gonna have to do more than just lunging in. You can’t set things up as much with your hands in MMA.” Click here to read the entire article at sherdog.comLabels: Chris Lytle
5 MMAagents.com Clients make the Top 25 BloodyElbow Welterweight List
170 Rankings (February, 2009)
Pros Pick: St. Pierre vs. Penn II
Originally posted on Sherdog.com Falaniko Vitale: Gotta go with the local boy. Tough fight for BJ -- definitely another war. BJ, do your thing! Chris Lytle: I’ll say GSP based purely on the coin I just flipped. It was tails. Erin Toughill: Yeah, this is a tough one, but I am gonna go with GSP. BJ Penn is a phenom, but I think that GSP is just going to be too big, strong and athletic for him. We know that the fighter who "looks" stronger is not the one who is better. But when you have two athletes that are very well rounded across the board, I think the bigger, naturally stronger, aggressive man will have the edge. BJ Penn's boxing is so dangerous, and GSP has his kicks. BJ has the BJJ and GSP has the wrestling. They are both great from the clinch and hard to control. I think GSP will pick his spots with his unorthodox kicking and will go for the takedowns and ground-and-pound. I think that is where GSP will impose his will on BJ. He’ll look to avoid subs from BJ and capitalize on the openings BJ gives him after trying to submit Georges. GSP will ground-and-pound the s--- out of him. This fight will go into the later rounds where BJ is known to gas. I pick GSP via TKO by ground-and-pound, round four. James Thompson: Really finding it hard to decide a winner in this one. I keep changing my mind. In the end I am going for GSP, as I think BJ is better at lightweight than welterweight. That’s the only reason I’m giving GSP the edge. Click here to read the entire article at Sherdog.comLabels: Chris Lytle, Erin Toughill, Falaniko Vitale, James Thompson
UFC 93: Marcus Davis, Chris Lytle Combined for Nearly 500 Strikes
Originally posted on MMA.fanhouse.com Before UFC 93, Marcus Davis and Chris Lytle promised that their fight would be a stand-up battle. They delivered. Compustrike.com has released its stats for the Davis-Lytle fight, and here's the quick summary: Davis, nicknamed "The Irish Hand Grenade" and Lytle lived up to their pre-fight promise to fight in out on the feet for 15 minutes. Lytle staggered Davis with a right hand :30 into the fight. They combined to land 52 total strikes in the round (Davis 28 of 59, Lytle 24 of 71). The brawling continued in round two, as Lytle landed 37 of 89 total strikes to 36 of 77 for Davis- again, all on the feet. A Davis leg kick floored Lytle in the round. More of same in round three, as Lytle landed the harder shots (27 of 92 total strikes), while the more technical Davis landed 47 of 104 total strikes, including 33 arm strikes. Overall, they combined to land 199 total strikes, throwing 492. Neither fighter landed a ground strike in a classic standup war. Click here to read the entire article at mma.fanhouse.comLabels: Chris Lytle
Lytle and Davis may have raised the bar too high
Originally posted on fiveouncesofpain.com It’s amazing how something as simple as expectations can change the way you see a fight. By any reasonable analysis, Marcus Davis and Chris Lytle just had a hell of a fight. It was a nice mix of boxing and kickboxing, with Davis using smart movement to avoid the worst of Lytle’s attack and countering his way to victory. Both men took home an extra $40,000, sharing fight of the night honors with Mark Coleman and Mauricio Rua. Click here to read the entire article at fiveouncesofpain.comLabels: Chris Lytle
No 'Standgate' with Davis vs. Lytle
Originally posted on MMAfighting.com Marcus Davis insists there was no agreement made with Chris Lytle to keep their UFC 93 fight standing. "That's not true," Davis cleared up to a reporter during the post-fight conference. "We never made any type of agreement." There were seconds where the fighters were on the ground, but Davis' fight versus Lytle was primarily a kickboxing one. Viewers expected their fight to be on their feet considering both fighter's style and expecially of a statement made by Davis in promotion videos. Click here to read the entire article at MMAfighting.comLabels: Chris Lytle
Lytle Wins Fight of the Night Again!
Original Content by Sean Frank Chris Lytle, for the 2nd time in a row has won the Fight of the Night Award. "Lights Out" has become a regular "Fight Bonus" winner and this time he takes home an extra $40,000. Unfortunately, Lytle lost a razor-thin split decision to Marcus Davis at UFC 93. Both fighters, excited about their performances, talked potential rematch after the closing bell. Lets hope they face each other again some time down the road. Labels: Chris Lytle, Sean Frank
FCF Radio Featuring Chris Lytle
Today on Full Contact Fighter Radio, UFC veteran Chris "Lights Out" Lytle drops in to join host Jeff "Wombat" Meszaros for an enthralling chat about his upcoming bout in the UFC against Marcus "The Irish Hand Grenade" Davis at UFC 93 in Dublin, Ireland. What does "Lights Out" think about fighting another former pro boxer in the Octagon? Listen and find out, plus hear his thoughts (and Jeff's) on the rest of the card. Click here to listen to the entire interview at FCfighter.comLabels: Chris Lytle
Fact or Fiction? Lytle vs. Davis win "Fight of the Night" at UFC 93
Originally on UrDirt.com Can Davis vs Lytle live up to the Hype? We have had a lot of fights over the past year that have been hyped up as great match-ups of fighters with similar styles that did not live up to the hype come fight time. At UFC 87 Kenny Florian vs Roger Huerta was supposed to be an all out fast paced fight that pushed the pace and was built up as a “fight of the year” contender. Instead; we saw Florian pick apart Huerta slow the fight down to his pace and slowly pick apart Huerta for points in a well thought out gameplan. Now at UFC 93 Marcus Davis vs Chris Lytle is being built up as a “Fight of The Night” lock by most fans, so we are asking our fans will this fight live up to the build up and steal the show at UFC 93? Click here to read the entire article at UrDirt.comLabels: Chris Lytle
Lytle Hypes up his Fight with Marcus Davis on UFC.com
18 Questions for Chris Lytle
Originally posted on Sherdog.com Most fans know Chris Lytle as the guy who stands and trades with anyone or the guy who remains pinned under premier wrestlers. A cast member of “The Ultimate Fighter: The Comeback,” Lytle is doing his best to gain camera time with barnburners like his last outing against Paul Taylor. “Lights Out” shared his views on his place in MMA, boxing and his desire to make his bout Saturday with Marcus Davis at UFC 93 a spectacular contest. Sherdog.com: Who has hit you the hardest? Lytle: I don’t know. I’ve been hit a lot … been hurt by a lot. The worst was when I fought Robbie Lawler. I started to tag him a couple times, next thing I know, bam! I’m like, “S---, I’m on the ground!” As soon as I got hit, I kind of realized, “Man, I’m falling down!” But it wasn’t like I didn’t feel it. “Bam! Oh s---!” So I think it was him. Sherdog.com: Who have you hit the hardest? Lytle: I’d have to say probably Aaron Riley. Sometimes when you hit, you can just tell that it feels solid. Lots of times when you’re fighting, it’s really hard to land that direct punch. ... If it’s [felt] all the way to my shoulder, that’s a good solid hit. Sherdog.com: Would you say Robbie Lawler was your toughest fight too? Lytle: I wouldn’t say it was my toughest fight for me. It’ll have to be one of those outstanding wrestlers that I had to fight, like a [Matt] Hughes or a [Josh] Koscheck. You get a guy with real good hip strength and they’re trying basically to hold you down most of the time, those are the toughest fights for me from trying to do some certain movements to get out. Those are hard to move on, so those are probably my hardest. Sherdog.com: On the Internet forums, fans love your striking and grappling, but point to your wrestling as a weakness. Who are you training with in wrestling? Lytle: We have some pretty decent college-level wrestlers around here. I work out with the guys at the University of Indianapolis sometimes. … But I think really, people are kind of surprised when they come and work out with me and wrestle. My wrestling’s really not that bad. It’s just that, when I fought Matt Serra my whole game plan was, “I’m not gonna get taken down. I’m just going to work on my takedown defense.” I did a fantastic job of not getting taken down. I actually took him down twice. He took me down once, so I took him down more than he took me down. But I lost the decision. The thing is, if I just sit there and try to not get taken down, I can do it. But I don’t think it’s gonna make an exciting fight. After that fight, I said, “From now on, I’m trying to finish the fight. I’m trying to knock the guy out. I’m gonna be aggressive.” When you’re aggressive on your feet, you can get taken down easy, so that’s kind of it. I’ll trade being taken down sometimes and being held down for the ability to be aggressive and put on a good fight. Click here to read the entire article at Sherdog.comLabels: Chris Lytle
Chris Lytle: “Nobody is above getting knocked out”
Originally posted on fiveouncesofpain.com Cory Brady: I know that you are a full time fire fighter as well as having to train full time for the UFC. How do you split the two up? Chris Lytle: I got pretty lucky that I working with the fire department. It’s a really great job as far as allowing me to train. I’ll work a 24 hour shift and then I’ll have 48 hours off, so I’ll do most of my training during those 48 hours that I have off. While I’m at the station I have a chance to do my weight lifting and my cardio and then I do all of my other training during the those two days that I have off. Cory Brady: How are you feeling in the days leading up to your fight with Marcus Davis? Chris Lytle: I’m really excited about this fight. I think it’s going to be a really good, exciting fight. It’s the kind of fight that I’ve been looking for. He’s the kind of guy that likes to stand up and trade and put on an exciting show. He’s a pro boxer and I’ve been a pro boxer as well, so I think it’s the exact kind of fight that both of us have been looking for. Cory Brady: How do you feel you match up with Davis stylistically? Chris Lytle: I think we match up pretty evenly. Both of our strengths is our stand up. I’ve had a lot of boxing matches and so has he and in addition to that I think that we both have an under rated ground game. If you combine all of those factors I think that we are very similar fighters with the main difference being that he’s left handed and I’m right handed. ........... Cory Brady: Is there anyone you would like to thank? Chris Lytle: MMA Agents are always doing good work for me and my boys over at TapouT are always helping me out. Also, Full Tilt Poker, I’m a big poker guy. Click here to read the entire article at FiveOuncesofPain.comLabels: Chris Lytle, MMAagents
Lytle has no Plans, Just Expects a Tough Fight
 Originally posted on MMAweekly.com When you think of potentially great fights, Marcus Davis against Chris Lytle has to be an exciting thought. Just like Davis, Lytle has been involved in a number of great fights, including his previous contest against Paul Taylor. That fight, as exciting as it was, may be an afterthought after he and Davis mix it up at UFC 93. The interesting aspect of this fight is that both fighters have called the other out. But it's not the fact that they don't like each other. In fact, it's quite the opposite. They get along fine and have an extreme respect for each other. They both just know that this is just one of those fights that will have fans excited from start to finish. Lytle is very excited about the prospect of getting in the cage with this type of fight on his hands. “This is the kind of fight I've been looking for, the kind of fight I like right now,” said Lytle in a recent interview with MMAWeekly.com. “So the second they gave me the opportunity to do it, I jumped all over it.” The welterweight division has its share of large fighters like Georges St. Pierre, Thiago Alves, and Josh Koscheck. Weight is never an issue for, Lytle who doesn't lose an extreme amount of weight to make the 170-pound limit. “It's usually pretty easy for me,” explained the Indiana native. “I'm not one of these guys who are losing 30 pounds. I usually lose around 15 to 16 pounds. Usually when I get there, I'm 10 pounds over, so that's just a matter of working out at the right times and limiting my water intake and then find a place to sweat out the last few pounds at the very end. It's not that big of a deal for me.” Click here to read the entire article at MMAweekly.comLabels: Chris Lytle
"Agreement" or not, Chris Lytle willing to adapt style to win
Originally posted on MMAjunkie.com The first bout of any mixed martial arts broadcast can easily set the tone for the remainder of the evening. While that can be a risky proposition for many combatants, it's safe to assume Saturday's "UFC 93: Franklin vs. Henderson" will be off to a quick start when Chris Lytle (26-16-5 MMA, 5-8 UFC) meets Marcus Davis (15-4 MMA, 7-2 UFC). And while the two have a well-documented "gentleman's agreement" to keep the fight standing, Lytle says he'll do whatever it takes to win. "It could definitely end up on the ground," Lytle recently told TAGG Radio (www.taggradio.com), the official radio partner of MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com). "And I'm not thinking for a minute that there's no way [Davis] is going to try and take me down. I think that's definitely possible." While the two have both agreed through various media outlets to keep the fight on the feet, Lytle isn't giving up the possibility the whole scheme could be an elaborate ruse by his adversary. "Even if somebody does say something like that, that could just be a good plan to try and outsmart [me] and try and take [me] down the whole time and win a decision," Lytle said. "I'm definitely not thinking that's what going to happen, but I wouldn't mark it out of the realm of possibility." Click here to read the entire article at MMAjunkie.comLabels: Chris Lytle
Knockout Brand MMA Fight Gear Clothing Sponsors UFC Fighter Lytle
Originally posted on WebWire.com Knockout Brand Clothing, whose website offers a complete line of MMA Fight Gear Clothing, announced today that it will be sponsoring UFC Fighter Chris "Lights Out" Lytle at UFC 93 on January 17, 2009 when he fights at the 02 arena in Dublin, Ireland. The fight will be seen by over 5 million viewers in what is shaping up to be the most anticipated UFC fight event of 2009. Lytle, whose record is currently, 36 - 16 - 4, is just coming off a recent win over Paul Taylor during the UFC 89 event last October. His nickname is "Lights Out" for a reason; he is an impressive fighter who uses a powerhouse assault over his opponents. His opponent at UFC 93 will be Marcus Davis, aka "The Irish Hand Grenade" "We feel Chris is a great fighter and really embodies the true spirit of MMA, " says Joe Abbott, founder of Knockout Brand Clothing. "Knockout Brand offers tough, aggressive clothing for MMA/UFC fighters, and we feel Chris Lytle fits the image of Knockout Brand and what we’re all about". Click here to read the entire article at WebWire.comLabels: Chris Lytle
Rocky Road to Dublin: MMAmania.com exclusive interview with Chris ‘Lights Out’ Lytle
Originally posted on MMAmania.com Adam Wagner (MMAmania.com): You last fought Paul Taylor at UFC 89 in Birmingham, England. First off, great fight. Chris Lytle: Thank you. Adam Wagner (MMAmania.com): MMAmania.com recently named it one of the year’s best. It was a very close fight. Did you expect to win by unanimous decision? Chris Lytle: Well, it was a tough one ‘cause I’ve had a lot of fights over in other countries. Usually when you’re fighting in someone else’s hometown, you lose a lot of close decisions. I had seen a guy I knew from — like I said, I fought in Japan a lot and lost some fights I thought I won there — and one of the guys I knew from (Japan), a guy named (Akihiro) Gono, fought on the same (UFC 89) card. I personally thought he won his fight, but he was fighting a British guy (Dan Hardy), and (Gono) lost the decision.* * NOTE: Hardy defeated Gono via split decision (29-28, 29-28, 28-29) So after the fight, I kinda thought it was going to be close. But I’ve learned from a lot of my fights to do some little things to try to win each round. Like for example, each round I tried to make sure I got at least one takedown and didn’t give up any takedowns. I tried to always be the aggressor, pushing him back, keeping his back against the fence. If he tried to spin me around, I’d spin him right back around, put him in the fence, be more aggressive and try to land the heavier shots. I definitely felt like I did the little things to win the fight, but when it comes down to it, you’re looking at three other guys who are going to decide if you win. I really didn’t know. It was a real close fight. He’s a lot tougher than I had anticipated. I knew he was going to be fast and quick, but, man, he was a tough guy, and I thought it was a great fight. Adam Wagner (MMAmania.com): Absolutely, it was. After the fight, you called out Marcus Davis to fight in Dublin. How stoked were you to find out you had gotten your wish? Chris Lytle: Ah, I was real excited. That’s the type of fight I’ve been wantin’ — stand-up guys, guys who just like to sit there and bang it out. Marcus and I have known each other for a while, just ‘cause we’ve both been in the UFC. Just knowing that’s his style and that’s what he likes to do, and that’s what I like to do, I think we both kinda thought that this would happen at some point, and it hasn’t. So now that it’s happening, I think we’re both pretty happy about it. Adam Wagner (MMAmania.com): Yeah. So there wasn’t anything personal there … Chris Lytle: No, no, no. Right now, you know, some of the guys who I want to fight are guys who I’m actually friends with — not really friends, but who I’m friendly with. I really don’t have anything against most of the guys. I just think those are the types of fights I love. Even like when I have guys come into town, and I’m sparring in the gym with them or whatever, just certain types of people, I don’t really care if there’s five people watching or 50,000 people watching. I really enjoy certain types of sparring or fighting. That’s what I’m looking for right now. That’s what motivates me — being involved in fights like this. Adam Wagner (MMAmania.com): So are you hoping for a stand-up battle, or do you expect this fight to be all over the cage? Chris Lytle: I always plan for it to be a little bit of everything, but without a doubt, I’m wantin’ a stand-up battle. That’s kinda what we both like to do. I don’t foresee it going any other way. ...................... Adam Wagner (MMAmania.com): Well again, I appreciate you taking the time to talk with us. Would you like to thank any sponsors or do you have any parting words for your fans? Chris Lytle: For my fans I’ll say 2009 is going to be my year. I think you guys are really going to see what I bring to the table. I’m coming to bring it, and people are going to love it. I just want to thank my guys at MMAagents and TapouT for always sticking by my side. Click here to read the entire article at MMAmania.comLabels: Chris Lytle, MMAagents
BloodyElbow's Top 25 Welterweights
MMAweekly Radio featuring Chris Lytle, Martin Kampmann, and Ken Pavia
2008 Inside Fights' MMA Awards features Anthony Johnson and Chris Lytle
 Originally posted on InsideFights.com FIGHT OF THE YEAR The fight considered to be the most exciting, the biggest and the best. 1. Chuck Liddell vs. Wanderlei Silva 2. Chris Lytle vs. Paul Taylor (tie) 2. Brock Lesnar vs. Randy Couture (tie) 3. Eddie Alvarez vs. Joachim Hansen BEST KNOCKOUT 1. Rashad Evans KO’s Chuck Liddell 2. Anthony Johnson KO’s Kevin Burns 3. Josh Koscheck KO’s Yoshiyuki Yoshida BEST KNOCKOUT ARTIST 1. Anderson Silva 2. Thiago Alves 3. Anthony Johnson Click here to read the entire article at InsideFights.comLabels: Anthony Johnson, Chris Lytle
The Top Ten MMA Fights of 2008
 Originally posted on MMAfighting.com 9. Chris Lytle vs. Paul Taylor Event: UFC 89 Result: Chris Lytle wins via unanimous decision. This one is easy to summarize. Basically, it was a three round brawl in England! Lytle continually pounded his adversary with huge shots that for some reason couldn’t do damage. On the flip side, Taylor connected with sharp, fast punches all fight long. By the end of things, both guys were as fatigued as you get. That’ll teach them for taking the kinds of shots they took. Though Lytle won on the cards, no one truly lost this brawl. And here's an interesting comment from the original article: OnyxShadow says: ...I know you can't mention all the great fights of the year in a spot like this, but Razor v. Cowboy was a better fight than most on this list. Click here to read the entire article at MMAfighting.comLabels: Chris Lytle, Rob McCullough
Chris Lytle on today's TAGG Radio
Chris Lytle, who meets fellow welterweight Marcus Davis next week in a highly anticipated UFC 93 match-up, will be a guest on today's edition of TAGG Radio. Lytle, a longtime UFC fighter and cast member on "The Ultimate Fighter 4," will discuss the televised bout and how he and Davis first campaigned for the fight, which takes place in Dublin, Ireland. Click here to listen to the entire show at taggradio.comLabels: Chris Lytle
The ten best fights of 2008
 Originally posted on MMAmania.com Wrongful Conviction: Gina Carano vs. Kelly Kobold - EliteXC ‘Heat’ Gina Carano put herself on the map with a TKO destruction of Kaitlin Young at EliteXC ‘Primetime’ back in May. That performance had a lot of people paying attention to something they never had before: Women’s MMA. “Conviction” once again lived up to expectations and looked insanely hot during her three round clinic on the very game Kelly Kobold when she returned to television this past October. Make no mistake about it: This was a real test for Carano because the 16-2-1 Kobold was not a plant. She was a well-rounded mixed martial artist with an impressive resume. Carano rose to the challenge, showing both technique and style, and for the first time in history the expression “Fights like a girl” was used as a compliment. Scrumbags: Chris Lytle vs. Paul Taylor - UFC 89. I don’t think it’s an insult to say that Chris Lytle will never be the UFC welterweight champion. But by that same token, he’ll never be unemployed either. “Lights Out’ is either fearless or hard-up for cash, because his go-for-broke gameplan is the same for every fight. That includes his three round war with Paul Taylor at UFC 89, a battle good enough to earn ‘Fight of the Night’ honors and a place on my list of ten best. “Relentless” was just that, sticking it to Lytle at every turn, and the two hammered away at each other from one side of the Octagon to the other. With plenty of bombs and some very impressive dirty boxing, Lytle and Taylor shamed the main event between Chris Leben and Michael Bisping with a dizzying display of striking. Lytle’s next fight is against Marcus Davis at UFC 93, and no question we can expect him to pick up right where he left off. Winner: Chris Lytle by unanimous decision. This was another close fight, but the judges gave it to Lytle. Despite a 2-3 record, Taylor brings his fight to each event and should be back sooner rather than later. Cowboy Bebop: Donald Cerrone vs. Rob McCoullogh - WEC 36 The now 9-0 Donald Cerrone was on an absolute tear coming into his fight against “Razor” Rob, and both men were using the WEC 36 contest as a springboard into a title fight with lightweight champion Jamie Varner. “Cowboy” was electric right out of the gate, dropping the venerable McCullough twice in the opening stanza and once in the second before nearly finishing him with an armbar. Credit to Razor, who was not only able to weather the storm, but for also keeping it competitive through pure heart and determination, sweeping Cerrone on two occasions to stay alive. Cerrone took the contest in dominant fashion, but watching McCullough’s composure and never-say-die attitude was a testament to the kind of talent they have in the WEC. Anyone still think Donald Cerrone isn’t ready for a crack at Varner? Winner: Cerrone by unanimous decision. Like most great fights, there are no losers here. I still don’t like that the UFC chose to eliminate weight classes in the WEC, but we can at least be grateful it wasn’t this one. Click here to read the entire list at MMAmania.comLabels: Chris Lytle, Kelly Kobold, Rob McCullough
411mania.com's Best of 2008
Originally posted on 411mania.com Fight of the Year Runner-Up Paul Taylor vs. Chris Lytle "UFC 89"- Years from now people will talk about the war that they saw on Spike TV. Whether you agreed or disagreed with the decision, the fight had everything from brutal strikes to face-morphing pictures. Click here to read the entire article at 411mania.comLabels: Chris Lytle
BleacherReport.com's MMA 2008 Fights of the Year Awards
Originally posted on BleacherReport.com Fight of the Year Winner: Forrest Griffin vs. Quinton Jackson (UFC 86 - July 5) This was a close, five-round battle for one of MMA's most coveted titles. From beginning to end, both fighters had each other on the brink of defeat, but neither man would be finished. In the end, Griffin earned the decision victory to become the first Ultimate Fighter winner to see championship gold. The outcome was highly controversial, but luckily these two fighters seem to be destined to meet again. Honorable Mention: Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira vs. Tim Sylvia (UFC 81), Georges St. Pierre vs. Jon Fitch (UFC 87), Chris Lytle vs. Paul Taylor (UFC 89) Click here to read the entire article at BleacherReport.comLabels: Chris Lytle
MMA4real.net's Top 10 MMA Fights of 2008 topped off by Razor-Cowboy
 Originally posted on MMA4real.net 10. Chris Lytle vs. Paul Taylor(UFC 89)-The was just a plain old rock’em sock’em stand up war which I’m usually not that big of a fan. However, both fighters here took shots that would make most men quit in the cage. I picked this fight more so for the heart of both fighters than the standup exchanges. 1. Rob McCullough vs. Donald Cerrone(WEC 36)-I finally had the opportunity to watch this fight when WEC showed their best of 2008 show on Versus the other night. This fight was unbelievable as both fighters took massive shots and were dropped multiple times. McCullough escaped submission attempts with Cerrone establishing himself as a legitimate threat to Jamie Varner’s WEC 155 crown. You couldn’t ask for more in a fight. Click here to read the entire article at MMA4real.netLabels: Chris Lytle, Rob McCullough
Top 20 UFC Fights of the Year include Goulet-Hironaka and Lytle-Taylor
 UFC 2008 Fight of the Year Candidates 6. Jonathan Goulet vs Kuniyoshi Hironaka (UFC 83: Serra vs St. Pierre II) - Goulet wins by TKO @ 2:07 of the 2nd Round. 15. Chris Lytle vs Paul Taylor (UFC 89: Bisping vs Leben) - Lytle wins by unanimous decision. Judges scored this fight 30-27, 29-28, 29-28. Click here to read the entire articleLabels: Chris Lytle, Jonathan Goulet
The Top 30 Fights of 2008 Countdown 12/13 - #18 (Lytle vs. Taylor)
Originally posted on MMAtorch.com Top 30 Fights of 2008: #18 Chris "Lights Out" Lytle vs. Paul "Relentless" Taylor UFC 86: Jackson vs. Griffin – 10/18/2008 Hey, kiddo, you like to punch? I certainly like to punch. That's why I loved this fight. I got about a year's worth of sluggin' in after just fifteen short minutes of fighting. Hooks, jabs, crosses, uppercuts, combinations, hammer fists, dirty boxing, overhands, underhands, you name it, we got it. As soon as this fight began, you just knew it was going to be a shot for shot twenty five course meal of knuckle sandwiches. It was one of those match ups where the competitors fought like they would in sparring, relentlessly bombarding one another with crazy combinations completely absent of any fear of injury. Only this time there was no gear, and the injury was hanging over their heads the entire time. The amount of reckless abandon displayed by Lytle and Taylor was a thing of magic. Being a martial artist myself, I've had my fair share of gritty punch for punch meat mallet matches where me and my partner for the love of the art will just try to kill each other. Usually at the end of these sparring sessions, to quote Rocky Balboa, "you're just one big wound." Needless to say, I can't even begin to fathom what fighting at the level of intensity void of any protective gear would feel like. The chasm of the National Indoor Arena in Birmingham literally echoed with the sounds of meat and bone colliding, crushing one another more and more with each shot. As soon as the fight ended, it had already become a cult favorite. It will forever be the indie film of MMA, generating an underground appreciation and quietly reverberating it's timelessness. It was one of those fights where there wasn't a decision, just an opinion. Both men gave every ounce of heart and soul that they had, and upon the final bell, dropped their hands and hugged. This was easily the greatest display of sportsmanship in MMA this year. Click here to read the entire article at MMAtorch.comLabels: Chris Lytle
UFC 93 bout between Chris Lytle and Marcus Davis ‘potentially legendary’
 Originally posted on MMAmania.com "We think our styles and the way we fight match up really, really well and that this fight could potentially project us into a sort of legendary status. I want to be remembered in this sport, and this fight is my chance to make sure that happens.” - Marcus Davis on Yahoo! Sports Davis is calling in several radio interviews for Lytle to keep this fight standing, adding that whoever takes the match to the ground will be branded a pussy. Believe it or not neither the “Irish Hand Grenade” nor “Lights Out” have ever been stopped by strikes in their respective mixed martial arts careers. That could all change in early 2009 … at least for one fighter. Click here to read the entire article at MMAmania.comLabels: Chris Lytle
3 MMAagents Fighters Make the Cut in Bloody Elbow's November Welterweight Rankings
 Originally posted on Bloodyelbow.com Former IFL champ #15 Jay Hieron owes his surge in the rankings due to Five Ounces of Pain updating their rankings and putting him in the top 10. The differences between #13 Brock Larson and #19 Chris Lytle are tiny and picking up a top 10 spot makes for a big jump in a tight field. Hieron's supposed to fight the undefeated Jason High at Affliction's January 24th event. Cross your fingers for that event happening. #25 Brad Blackburn will seek his second UFC win at UFC 92 against journeyman Ryo Chonan. That will be a stiff test for Blackburn. At UFC 93, #16 Marcus Davis and #21 Chris Lytle will throw down. The winner of that match will hopefully get back on the contender track in the UFC. NOTE: The Meta-Rankings are not the subjective opinion of the BloodyElbow team, but rather a compilation of the rankings of over twenty leading MMA web sites. It is our opinion that these are the most informative MMA rankings anywhere. Here's where they stand... 15. Jay Hieron 21. Chris Lytle 25. Brad Blackburn Click here to read the entire article at BloodyElbow.comLabels: Brad Blackburn, Chris Lytle, Jay Hieron
"Conspiracy" Pits Lytle vs Davis at UFC 93
 Originally posted on MMAweekly.com ......... One fighter that immediately stuck out was Chris Lytle. The two (Lytle and Davis) had often spoken at UFC events, and had agreed a meeting in the Octagon would be “fight of the night” material. So, they hatched a plan to make it happen at UFC 89. “We were talking and the idea was that originally I was going to fight second, and he was going to fight before me,” Davis said of the UFC 89 plans. “Either I was going to call him out or he was going to call me out. Then they switched it. When I told my management I was going to call out Lytle, they were like, 'don’t call him out now. If he doesn’t win his fight and you call him out before, it will look stupid because you’re calling out the loser.'” But Lytle kept up with his end of the bargain, winning a hard-fought decision over former Davis foe Paul Kelly. On the mic afterwards, Lytle made the plea for a fight with “The Irish Hand Grenade.” The UFC must have been in on the conspiracy too, because two weeks later it was a done deal. Davis and Lytle would meet on Jan. 17 in Dublin, Ireland at UFC 93. Click here to read the entire article at MMAweekly.comLabels: Chris Lytle
Lytle: Everything Changes After the First Punch
Originally posted on FCfighter.com It’s lucky thirteen for Indianapolis, Indiana resident, firefighter, and UFC welterweight Chris Lytle. The laid-back fighter has made thirteen appearances in the Octagon, carving out a reputation as one of the most resilient competitors in his division. True, he’s lost more than he’s won in his UFC career, but where other fighters with his record have been quickly discarded, Lytle has managed to stick around through thick and thin. His next fight against Marcus Davis at UFC 93 is undoutedly an important one for him, though, amidst waves of cuts within the organization’s ranks. Reports of fighters being cut after a single loss are more common these days, no doubt a reflection of the need to cut any excessive spending. Despite four-figure paydays common among undercard fighters, there’s not a lot of generosity going around. And with the out clauses present in UFC contracts, any fight can be your last if the organization so chooses. To some extent, Lytle is aware he is in the twilight of his MMA career, and like Davis, wants to put on the type of fights deemed “classics” in the UFC vault. “Sometimes [the UFC] needs you to help them out a little bit, nudge them in the right direction,” Lytle tells FCF. “We’re both at a different time in our career, and it’s a good thing for both of us.” Lytle admits that his gameplan often goes out the window when he catches his first good punch. But it’s not ego that keeps him charging forward, swinging wide. It’s his nature, and veteran instincts, that tell him where a fight is going and when to change his approach. “I don’t think you pick your fighting style…your fighting style picks you,” Lytle says. “It takes a lot of discipline to control [aggression], and say you have to stick to the gameplan. Sometimes it’s good to stick with the gameplan, and sometimes it’s good to say, you know what, this isn’t going exactly how I want it to, I just need to fight, and just let your fighting style take over. Then it’s just a free for all.” Against Davis, Lytle sees the potential to show a different side of himself. The two are both former pro boxers with winning records. Davis climbed a lot higher and got a lot deeper in the boxing world, bringing his former sport into the Octagon more prominently. But Lytle says he has the ability to tighten his punches up, to not throw them from his hips; in essence, to be a boxer. A self-described pressure fighter in the rings of his past, Lytle liked to get inside and land strikes from close range. He’s got a height and reach advantage, too, something Davis acknowledges could be a big problem. Click here to read the entire article at FCfighter.comLabels: Chris Lytle
Chris Lytle "I think it will be a Great Fight"
Originally posted on FightHype.com "I like that fight. He used to be a pro boxer and so was I. I think the fight makes sense and that has "great fight" written all over it. These are the type of fights I want to be in. I like fights like that and on paper, it makes perfect sense. I think it will be a great fight and people are going to love it. It has all of the ingredients for a fight that I would like to be in and I've always wanted to go to Ireland," stated UFC welterweight contender Chris Lytle as he talked about his anticipated clash with Marcus Davis. Check out what else he had to say about the fight, his recent win over Paul Taylor at UFC 89 and much more. PC: Congratulations on your UFC 89 win over Paul Taylor. CL: Thank you! PC: How do you feel about your performance? CL: I feel pretty good about my performance. There were a couple of things that I wasn't too happy with. I got pretty tired there in the fight and got sloppy with my punches. I looked at him at the weigh-ins and I knew he was a real technical kickboxer, but I just felt like I could hurt him. I feel like I kind of got my strategy changed from going in there and outboxing him to slugging it out and trying to hurt him. I really felt like I could hurt him with punches. I felt like, with my boxing experience, that if I landed a good body punch, it would slow him down. I was really winging some good body punches and hitting him with some good head shots, but the body punches didn't seem to bother him as much as I thought they would. He stood up to all of my punches and I was really impressed with his ability to take a punch. PC: You had a distinct advantage on the ground and you got him there a couple times, but you never seemed to want to advance a position. So the gameplan was definitely to bang it out with him? CL: Yeah, that was definitely my gameplan. I know he is always improving on his ground game and I knew I had an advantage there, but it kind of bothered me when certain people would tell me not to stand up with this guy. It kind of checked my pride and ego and I said, "You know what? I don't want people to belittle my standup ability." I feel like I'm one of the top strikers in the division and I didn't want to go out there and shoot for a takedown and work my ground game. First of all, that's not why the UFC put me in that fight. They put me in that matchup to see a good fight. I would rather be in a 3 round war then to go in there and take the easy way out. If I would've went out there and secured a submission, who would be talking to me about that fight later on? Probably not many people. I'm willing to go out there, and maybe it's an ego thing, but it made me try to fight a better fight. That's the kind of fights I want to be in right now. I want to be in very exciting fights. PC: I know it's always a bonus to win a little extra money and at the same time please the fans. It seems like you're always fighting great fan-friendly fights. Is that important to you? CL: Oh yeah! I still get people that come up to me and tell me one of the greatest fights they've ever seen is me and Robbie Lawler's fight. That's a great compliment to me to know that 5 years later, fans still like that fight. That type of stuff says more to me than a submission win over Tiki. At this point in my career, I want as many of those types of fights that I can get. If they throw me in the right type of fights, they're going to get what they saw at UFC 89. I'm not saying I'm going to go out there and fight exactly the way I did, but I'm going to try to put on the best show possible. PC: I had you winning the fight as well, but it was close. Were you a little shocked that you got a close decision in the UK? CL: The only reason I was is because I've had a lot of questionable decisions, in my opinion, losses in other people's hometowns and I saw one of the fights on the undercard. Gono fought Dan Hardy on the undercard, against another British fighter, and I thought Gono won the fight and he lost. I was like, "Man, not this again!" I tried to do a couple little things that I've learned in fights that were close for me. I tried to be the aggressor, throwing hard punches the whole time, pushing him backwards, keeping his back against the fence, which I know has lost me some fights, and trying to get at least one takedown a round; just little things like that. I was trying to take the guys head off, but when we was standing up, I was trying to do little things to win the fight. I felt like little things like that would make the difference. Who was being the aggressor and who was controlling the fight pace? I tried to get a couple of takedowns as the fight went on. I know they probably gave him the 3rd round, but I thought I won the first 2. I was just happy they didn't do what I thought they would. In most places, they're going to give it to the hometown guy. They get affected by every time he throws a punch. Even if it doesn't land, the crowd goes nuts. I was like 7 miles from where he was born so I knew they were for him. PC: Do you enjoy traveling to fight in other countries? CL: I love going to other places. I understand I'll probably be the guy being booed, but you know, I like traveling and going to other places. It's something…going into a guy's backyard and people booing you and wanting you to lose, and you go in there, take care of business and win (laughing). Click here to read the entire article at fighthype.comLabels: Chris Lytle
Lytle vs Davis set for UFC 93
Originally posted on MMAjunkie.com The worst kept secret of a fight now has a date. UFC welterweights Marcus Davis (15-4 MMA, 7-2 UFC) and Chris Lytle (26-16-5 MMA, 5-8 UFC) have agreed to meet at UFC 93, and bout agreements for the fight have been distributed, sources close to both fighters told MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com). The fight is expected to air on UFC 93's televised main card, which takes place Jan. 17 at The O2 in Dublin, Ireland. The event airs on pay per view. Davis and Lytle both spoke openly about wanting to fight each other even before they both competed last month at UFC 89. With victories from each fighter -- Davis submitted Paul Kelly, and Lytle stopped Paul Taylor with a unanimous-decision win -- the pieces fell in place for the bout. As Davis first told TAGG Radio, MMAjunkie.com's official radio partner, in July, he and Lytle first discussed the fight earlier this year. "Chris Lytle and I want to fight each other," Davis said at the time. "He's expressed that he wants to fight me. I've expressed that I want to fight him. Click here to read the entire article at MMAjunkie.comLabels: Chris Lytle
Lytle vs. Davis needs to Happen
Originally posted by the Herald Bulletin I saw on an Internet mixed martial arts news site that Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) welterweight contender Marcus Davis said he didn’t know if a fight with Indianapolis’ Chris Lytle would be worth his time. Following their respective wins last month at UFC 89: Bisping vs. Leben from Manchester, England, both Davis and Lytle made appeals to UFC management to be put on the card for January’s UFC 93 event in Dublin, Ireland. Davis, nicknamed “The Irish Hand Grenade,” is a wildly popular fighter in the United Kingdom. So much so that the native of Bangor, Maine, has been cheered by fans against combatants from England and France, so an appeal to UFC President Dana White was a natural move for him. Indianapolis’ Lytle not only asked to be placed on the card in Dublin, he called out Davis to be his opponent at the show. Both fighters come from a boxing background, making a matchup between the two strikers a potentially exciting standup battle. Click here to read the entire article at The Herald BulletinLabels: Chris Lytle
New Episode of FCF Radio featuring Chris Lytle
Lytle Wins at UFC 89 in a Thriller
 Originally posted on MMAweekly.com The welterweights kicked off UFC 89 on Saturday night in Birmingham, England, in ultra exciting fashion as Americans Chris Lytle and Marcus Davis picked up wins in each of their respective bouts with an unbelievable pace in both bouts. Chris Lytle and Paul Taylor spoke to each other during the weigh-ins before their fight agreeing that they could easily put on a fight of the night performance and they did not disappoint in any way. Both Lytle and Taylor came out early in the first round throwing heavy leather with each fighter connecting at different points scoring jabs, uppercuts, kicks and virtually any standing strike possible. Lytle seemed to land the bigger shots as he swung with seemingly everything he had with every punch, but Taylor was able to counter with strong kicks to the body and legs of his opponent. The fight barely saw any ground action despite Lytle's obvious advantage in that area of the contest, but he wanted a standing war and that's exactly what the fans got for three straight rounds. "I love the way Paul fights, he's a great fighter, I love him to death," Lytle said following the fight. "I love his style and that fight was exactly what I wanted. Me and him standing toe to toe and banging and that's what it was. It was awesome." Click here to read the entire article at MMAweekly.comLabels: Chris Lytle
UFC 89 Bonuses: Lytle Earns $40k
Originally posted on MMAjunkie.com The always-exciting Chris Lytle and Paul Taylor promised a possible "Fight of the Night" before their bout ever started, and the pair stayed true to their word. The rousing affair started quickly, and had an impressive flow throughout. Both fighters showed heart and determination for the full 15 minutes. Lytle was awarded a unanimous decision victory -- much to Taylor and the crowd's dismay -- but the two also brought home "Fight of the Night" bonuses for their efforts. Click here to read the entire article at MMAjunkie.comLabels: Chris Lytle
Chris Lytle Wants Rematch With Josh Koscheck
KGY Radio spsoke with Chris Lytle earlier this morning, he chatted about a few things, he also spoke on his fight with Josh Koscheck and also discussed a possible rematch. On a Rematch: ” I do not think the UFC will do a rematch with us soon. I really thought that was a fight they wanted Josh to win, to elevate himself in the standings. We’ll see what happens, but a rematch would be awesome” Click here to read the entire article at MMANewzLabels: Chris Lytle
Chris Lytle Interview w/Fightline
Originally posted on Fightline.com The boys from The Light's Out Show recently welcomed in Chris Lytle to get his thoughts on his new approach to fighting, his "day job" as a firefighter and his upcoming fight across the pond with Paul Taylor at UFC 89. Below is a portion of that conversation. Make sure to catch the full interview on The Light's Out Show. You can access it right now on the Fightline.com home page. TLOS: Talk about your new, more explosive and dynamic approach to fighting. Lytle: “After I lost to Matt Serra in The Ultimate Fighter, I said, you know what, I’ve got too many skills, I’ve trained too hard, I don’t care, I never want to go to decision again. If I go to a decision, I’ve failed.” TLOS: With controversial decisions seemingly more prevalent, of your decisions, how many of those do you feel you were robbed? Lytle: “I’ve had about 4 or 5 split decisions, mostly in Japan or some other people’s home state or home town…the way I look at it if I see a guy with a split decision in somebody’s home town, they probably won the fight. It’s just the nature of the business.” TLOS: You’re a full time firefighter. How do you find time to train adequately? Lytle: “Well I’m pretty lucky, I’ve got a good schedule. I’m on 24 hours and then off 48 hours, and when I’m off I train my ass off, and even when I’m on part of the requirement to be here, I have to lift weights, I still have to do my cardio. It’s the best job you could possibly have to be a fighter." TLOS: How did the Paul Taylor fight come to be? Lytle: “[After the Koscheck fight], I told them [the UFC] what kind of fights I wanted to be in. I don’t want a guy who wants to go to decision. I want a guy who wants to end me. They came back about 5 minutes later and said, ‘I got a fight for ya’’…He [Paul Taylor] reminds me a lot of me.” Click here to read the entire article at FightLine.comLabels: Chris Lytle
Lytle Expects Another Barnburner Against Paul Taylor
 Originally posted on FCfighter.com t was a different world when Chris Lytle stepped into the Octagon for the first time back at UFC 28: “High Stakes.” The UFC was nearing its death knell, only months away from being purchased by Zuffa, LLC. Lytle was a plucky 26 year-old with an already long list of international credits through his work in Japan’s Pancrase. He lost his debut against Ben Earwood by decision, but it wasn’t that big of a deal. “Back then, there weren’t that many great fighters,” he says with a chuckle. In the UFC of 2008, things have changed a little. The premier MMA organization claims to have over 200 fighters under contract, enough to fill their 30-plus events per year. Even with so many cards, competition is so intense that a bad performance can end a career in the Octagon. “I don’t know if it’s because it became so much more popular, or just how things have gone, it just seems like there’s more at stake every time,” Lytle concurs. “The organization has grown at the rate where everything’s just more amplified and important. Everything seems like it’s all or nothing.” Lytle has been blessed to have few unexciting fights in the UFC, but many of them have not gone his way. His next fight against Paul Taylor at UFC 89 in Birmingham, England on October 18 is his twelfth for the organization (4 wins and 8 losses), and has been characterized by Tom Gerbasi of UFC.com as a “must win.” But Lytle says he’s past that point in his career. “I feel like I’m in a good place. It’s not so much ‘I’ve got to get this win.’ I’d rather just be in great, exciting fights. I’m just worried about fighting as hard as I can. If I do that, good things are going to happen. I’ve been in the place before where all you’re thinking about is ‘I’ve got to win this fight.’ A lot of the guys close to the top rankings, that’s how they fight. They’re not as entertaining to watch anymore.” Click here to read the entire article at FCfighter.comLabels: Chris Lytle
Top 10 MMA Bloodbaths
Originally Posted by Cagepotato.com ........... 6. Edwin Dewees vs. Gideon Ray (The Ultimate Fighter 4, episode 2; original airdate 8/24/06) Occasionally, tremendous blood loss will work to a fighter’s advantage. Such was the case with the first middleweight quarterfinal match on The Ultimate Fighter 4, when Gideon Ray elbowed a hatchet-wound into Edwin Dewees’s forehead. After it was determined that a “sudden victory” round would be necessary — and that Dewees could continue fighting, despite already leaving a couple pints on the ground — “Babyface” spent much of the last frame on top of Ray, with blood squirting from his head directly into the nose and mouth of his opponent. Ray was visibly freaked out, and was unable to mount an effective offense; Dewees got the decision win and advanced to the semis. Though most UFC fans have seen this infamous match, videos and photos of it are scarce on the Internet, so if you know of any good links, please share ‘em in the comments section. 4. Chris Lytle vs. Josh Koscheck (UFC 86, 7/5/08) What do you get when you mix Koscheck’s formidable ground-and-pound with Lytle’s willingness to fight through copious amounts of blood loss? How about a very slippery canvas and a fight that makes even some hardcore fans cringe. Despite being cut directly above his eye, Lytle was allowed to continue all the way to the final bell, and even managed to put a scare into Koscheck late in the fight. Both men proved that they weren’t the squeamish type, and Lytle seemed no more than slightly annoyed at bleeding into his own eye. Koscheck walked away with yet another decision victory here, though his bleached blonde hair turned plasma pink before it was over with. It was a significant improvement. Click here to read the rest of the article on cagepotato.comLabels: Chris Lytle, Edwin Dewees
Chris Lytle inks UFC contract extension, UFC 89 bout with Paul Taylor
by MMAjunkie.com Staff on Jul 16, 2008 at 5:00 am ET "The Ultimate Fighter 4" runner-up and longtime UFC fighter Chris Lytle (25-16-5 MMA, 4-8 UFC) has signed a four-fight contract extension with the UFC and has also signed to fight Paul Taylor (9-3-1 MMA, 2-2 UFC) at UFC 89. His manager, Ken Pavia, confirmed the deals with MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) on Tuesday. UFC 89 takes place Oct. 18 at The NIA in Birmingham, England. "The UFC expressed satisfaction with his past performances, and they extended his deal by four fights," Pavia said. "Chris has a home in the UFC. He's comfortable fighting for the UFC. Both sides will benefit from the deal. We're very happy with it." Lytle, a nine-year veteran who made his octagon debut in 2000, most recently suffered a unanimous-decision loss to Josh Koscheck earlier this month at UFC 86. However, after a spirited loss to Thiago Alves in November, Lytle essentially promised to throw caution to the wind. He said calculated game plans made for boring fights, and his two bouts since then -- a February knockout victory over Kyle Bradley and the loss to Koscheck -- have shown streaks of that carefree attitude. "He appreciate the types of match-ups [UFC officials] have given him," Pavia said. "Chris has re-devoted himself to being exciting, and the UFC has provided him opponents who let him do that. ... Chris' sole goal is to entertain fans." His next opportunity will come against Taylor, a British fighter who's competed in four consecutive UFC U.K. events. After opening his UFC career with a TKO of Edilberto de Oliveira, Taylor suffered back-to-back losses to Marcus Davis and Paul Kelly. Knowing the fight was a must-win, he then scored a split-decision victory over Jess Liaudin in June at UFC 85. For the latest UFC 89 fight card, which features a main event of Chris Leben vs. Michael Bisping, check out the UFC Rumors section of MMAjunkie.com. Labels: Chris Lytle
FCF Radio featuring Chris Lytle, David Loiseau, and Mike Pyle
 In this edition of FCF Radio, Jeff speaks with Chris Lytle about his fight against Josh Koscheck and who he'd like to fight next. Jeff also talks with Stephen Quadros about the Griffin vs. Jackson match and the upcoming Affliction event. Copy and Paste the Link to check out Full Contact Radio's Interview with Lytle, Loiseau, Pyle and others. http://fcfradio.fcfighter.com/ Labels: Chris Lytle, David Loiseau, Mike Pyle
Chris Lytle Weighing his Options after UFC 86
 Tuesday, July 08, 2008 - by Tom Hamlin - MMAWeekly.com It was a gruesome sight to see. UFC welterweight Chris Lytle on the mat, trapped against the chain link fence, a pool of blood expanding from beneath his head. No cut in recent memory bled like the one Lytle sustained against Josh Koscheck at UFC 86. It was a sight sponsors cringe at, and for Lytle, the worst-case scenario – another night trapped under a world-class wrestler. Rest assured, though, that Lytle is okay. MMAWeekly.com caught up with him back in his home of New Palestine, Ind., where he still works as a full-time firefighter. “I’m feeling fine, it was just a nasty cut,” he said. “I’ve got my stitches and I’m feeling fine.” Even as he was stood up in the final minute of the third round, his face dyed the color of “Hellboy,” Lytle was game. “I could see everything and I was trying to hit him, but he was moving a lot,” he continued. “I thought it was my one chance, I better get going. He did a good job of moving away.” It’s not the first time a cut has drastically altered the course of his fight. Lytle’s bout with Thiago Alves at UFC 78 was stopped after the second round due to a cut over his eye. That one bled badly as well. A nine-year veteran of MMA and boxing, Lytle has his fair share of scar tissue around his eyes. Fighters often undergo plastic surgery to have excess scar tissue removed. EliteXC fighter Nick Diaz recently had his ocular bone shaved down to prevent cutting during fights. Lytle has not considered surgery, due to the fact that the cut he sustained Saturday was on a different part of his face. “If it was the same area getting cut repeatedly, then I’d have to look into it. I never really thought it was an issue.” Though after Saturday, it might be something he needs to look at. Lytle doesn’t know how much blood he lost, but said he felt exhausted when he stood up in the third round. “I didn’t really feel woozy,” he said. “I felt like I could bounce around a little bit, but I felt more exhausted than usual. I think that’s pretty normal.” Lytle has one fight remaining on his UFC contract. Since emerging from the fourth season of “The Ultimate Fighter,” he has won three of seven appearances in the Octagon. He has often struggled against wrestling-based fighters. Lytle makes it clear that he wishes to remain with the UFC, but may be open to other offers if the numbers aren’t right. “I haven’t looked at my next fight,” he said. “I’ll probably do that and see where I stand, then find out my options, who would be interested in me. I’m a loyal person almost to a fault. Obviously, I feel like I would do whatever I could to stay with the UFC. They’ve been good to me. But I’d be stupid not to listen to everything that’s out there right now.” Labels: Chris Lytle
Determined Lytle still aiming for the top
 by John Buhl, InsideFighting.com and see on msn.foxsports.com Whether it's been a close decision on the scorecards or an untimely cut stoppage, Chris "Lights Out" Lytle has had to deal with more than his fair share of bad luck. But despite the setbacks, Lytle is more determined than ever to get his chance at the UFC welterweight championship, and he'll have a chance to take a huge step in that direction on July 5 against top contender Josh Koscheck (13-2) at UFC 86 in Las Vegas. Lytle made his UFC debut in 2000 and has picked up four wins in the Octagon. A strong grappler and an excellent boxer — Lytle has a 13-1 record as a professional boxer — he's always had the skills to hang with the best in mixed martial arts, but he's never managed to take that final step and set himself up for a title shot. While his UFC record stands at just 4-7, Lytle has gone the distance with Karo Parisyan and Matt Hughes. The only two stoppage losses in his career — against Joe Riggs at UFC 55 and Thiago Alves at UFC 78 — were the result of a cut, and Lytle was competitive in both fights. "I've lost some close fights...split decisions, majority decisions," Lytle says. "A couple of times I've had cuts stop fights that I thought I had a pretty good chance in." The biggest letdown came at the finale of The Ultimate Fighter: Season Four. Having battled to get to the finals of the reality show competition, Lytle faced Matt Serra in a close fight that went the full 15 minutes. Some spectators thought Lytle pulled off the win and some sided with Serra. With a title fight against Georges St. Pierre going to the winner, two of the three judges favored Serra. Serra went on to pull off the upset at UFC 69, knocking out St. Pierre in the first round. Lytle admits that he couldn't help but wonder, what if? What if that had been him fighting St. Pierre instead of Serra? "Of course I thought about that for a while," Lytle says. "But I'm just focusing on what I need to do. If I'm able to get [into title contention] after some of the things I've been through, it would be even sweeter." He easily could have become discouraged, but Lytle has continued to work on his game. As a result, while most people might start to lose a step at 33 years of age after dozens of professional MMA and boxing matches, Lytle feels better than ever. When asked about his long term goals at this stage of his career, he doesn't even hesitate to express his desire to fight the best in his division. "Right now, I feel like I'm better than I've ever been," Lytle says. "I think a couple of wins would put me right up there. Josh is definitely one of the best around right now, so that'd put me where I want to be. But whoever the UFC wants to put in front of me, you know, that's fine with me." A win over Koscheck — whose only recent loss came via decision against current titleholder St. Pierre — would certainly put Lytle near the top of the division, but it won't be easy. Already a decorated collegiate wrestler and impressive athlete, Koscheck's striking has improved substantially since his UFC debut. While Lytle says he feels confident standing with Koscheck, he knows Koscheck still poses a threat on the feet. "He has a lot of athletic ability," Lytle says. "A lot of the guys you see knocking people out these days, they don't necessarily have great technique, but they're really fast and strong, and they get a lot of power behind their strikes" Lytle says. "He's definitely a threat on the feet." Of course Koscheck also has some of the best takedowns in the sport, but Lytle has worked to improve his takedown defense over the years. "That's definitely something I've worked on," Lytle says. "I think my hands are better than most guys. I'm used to guys trying to push me up against the cage or shoot in to try and take me down. I want the other guy to fight my type of fight, so that's something I've worked to improve." Lytle's also confident that he can avoid any serious damage if the fight goes to the mat. "I've never had anyone submit me, so I'm not worried about him doing that," Lytle says. "And in the fights where I've been taken down, I haven't really [sustained] a lot of damage, either." Going into his showdown with Koscheck, Lytle's best weapon might be his relaxed demeanor. As important as a win would be for Lytle to get to the next level, a loss could be equally as damaging, given the UFC's recent roster cuts. However, Lytle isn't nervous or anxious about what could happen with a win or a loss. "I probably used to think about that kind of stuff," he says, referring to his earlier days in the sport. "Right now, I'm just going to try and fight my style of fight and make it exciting for the fans. If it's an entertaining fight, then I don't think I'll have to worry about getting an offer to fight somewhere." Labels: Chris Lytle
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