Chris Lytle

Chris Scott Lytle (born August 18, 1974) is an American retired mixed martial artist and boxer.

Lytle was born in Indianapolis, Indiana, and graduated from Southport High School in 1993.

At Southport, he was an active member of the Wrestling team, finishing 4th at the Indiana State Wrestling Finals in his junior year and 2nd place his senior year.

In fact, to this day, he still participates in workouts at the Southport High School with the wrestling team, Coach Petty and Coach Dildine.

He has also helped coach at New Palestine High School.

Lytle attended Indiana University, where he achieved a degree in sports management, and studied the Korean martial art of Tang Soo Do.

Lytle started training for fighting in 1998, saying that it was "something to keep me active".

He trains part-time outside of his regular job as a firefighter, attending single-discipline gyms rather than MMA camps.

He has held championships in the Hook N' Shoot and Absolute Fighting Championship promotions and won the Cage Rage World Welterweight Championship.

A professional from 1999 until 2011 and twenty-fight veteran of the UFC, Lytle also fought in Pancrase, Cage Rage, and the WEC.

He held the inaugural Cage Rage World Welterweight Championship and was a finalist on The Ultimate Fighter 4.

During his tenure in the UFC, he was awarded "Fight of the Night" honors six times.

He became the 175 lb Indiana state boxing champion, saying, "By the end of the year (2004), I think I'll have a few more smaller boxing titles."

In 2006 Lytle was a contestant on The Ultimate Fighter 4 on Spike, where he defeated Pete Spratt and Din Thomas in exhibition bouts to proceed to the welterweight finale.

On November 11, Matt Serra defeated Lytle by split decision in The Ultimate Fighter 4 Finale.

Lytle was the more active fighter standing up, with Serra tying up and using foot stomps until he got takedowns, at which time he became the more active fighter, with Lytle holding guard and seemingly waiting for the referee to stand the fight up.

Two judges scored the bout 30–27 for Serra and one judge scored the fight 30–27 for Lytle, but despite the scores the match was very close.

He lost to former UFC Welterweight Champion Matt Hughes on March 3 at UFC 68 in Columbus, Ohio via unanimous decision.

Lytle fought Jason Gilliam at UFC 73 on July 7, 2007.

Lytle controlled the pace of the fight in the first round and eventually brought Gilliam to the ground.

Lytle worked from top position, and eventually sunk in an inverted triangle choke from top position.

To seal the fight he locked in an inverted armbar on Gilliam's free arm, forcing him to tap.

At a United Fight League show taking place in Indianapolis, Indiana on August 11, 2007, Lytle defeated Matt Brown by a guillotine choke in the second round.

Chris later lost to Thiago Alves at UFC 78 via a controversial doctor stoppage due to a cut at the end of the second round.

Many fans booed as the cut was under the eye and fairly small.

Typically doctors stop fights when blood his seeping into a fighters eye and impede vision.

Lytle went on to defeat Kyle Bradley at UFC 81 by KO at 33 seconds of the first round.

In an interview after the fight, Lytle stated that he had a new outlook on fighting; he would no longer pursue an "overly-technical" approach to each fight, but would go into his next fight and "not be afraid to lose."

On July 5, 2008, at UFC 86 Lytle lost to Josh Koscheck in a UFC Welterweight title eliminator fight.

Koscheck used an effective ground and pound style to open up massive cuts on Lytle's face and ultimately won by decision.

Lytle's next fight was against British fighter Paul Taylor at UFC 89 on October 18, 2008, in Birmingham, England.

Lytle won a unanimous decision (29–28, 30–27, and 29–28).

The decision resulted in loud boos and Taylor was surprised at Lytle being awarded the judges' decision.

Both fighters are former boxers and had discussed a potential fight in their futures since early 2008.

Lytle called out Davis after his win at UFC 89.

He suggested that the fight take place in Ireland, where Davis had garnered a substantial following due to his emphasis on his Irish roots.

Leading up to the event, both fighters promised to stand and trade blows for the entire fight, rather than engage in grappling.

Lytle managed to stun Davis several times, but Davis used superior footwork, counterpunching, and kicks to win a split decision The bout shared Fight of the Night honors with the Coleman/Rua co-main event, earning Lytle a $40,000 bonus.

Lytle again won Fight of the Night at The Ultimate Fighter 9 Finale, defeating Kevin Burns, Lytle received a $25,000 bonus along with Diego Sanchez, Clay Guida, Joe Stevenson and Nate Diaz whose respective fights also won Fight of the Night.

Lytle's next fight was on January 17, 2009, against Marcus Davis at UFC 93.