Chris Lytle

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

Background Lytle was born in Indianapolis, Indiana, and graduated from Southport High School in 1993. At Southport, he was a member of the wrestling team, finishing 4th place at the Indiana wrestling state tournament his junior year and 2nd place his senior year. He would often times participate in workouts at the Southport High School with the wrestling team, with Coach Petty and Coach Dildine, after his days of competing. He has also helped coach at New Palestine High School. Lytle attended Indiana University, where he achieved a degree in sports management, Chris has a black belt in the Korean martial art Tang Soo Do.

Mixed martial arts career Early career 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. 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."

Ultimate Fighting Championship 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. This fight earned him a Submission of the Night award.

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. This fight earned him his first Fight of the Night award.

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." This fight earned him a $60,000 Knockout of the Night award.

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. This fight earned him a $40,000 Fight of the Night award.

Lytle's next fight was on January 17, 2009, against Marcus Davis at UFC 93. 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. He was scheduled to fight Carlos Condit on September 16, 2009, at UFC Fight Night 19, but had to pull out due to a knee injury.

Lytle was expected to face Dong Hyun Kim on February 21, 2010, at UFC 110. This fight was later cancelled after Kim suffered a knee injury. Lytle instead faced Brian Foster at UFC 110 and was victorious via first round kneebar submission. This fight earned him another Submission of the Night award.

Lytle defeated Matt Brown on July 3, 2010, at UFC 116 via straight armbar/triangle choke in a rematch from 2007. The submission was very technical and was a strong contender for yet another Submission of the Night bonus, but said award was won by Brock Lesnar for the surprising arm triangle choke used on Shane Carwin, a choice that created minor controversy among fans. Although not another official fight bonus, Lytle was later awarded an undisclosed bonus for managing another exciting finish.

Lytle faced former UFC Welterweight Champion Matt Serra on September 25, 2010, at UFC 119 in a rematch of their 2006 bout at The Ultimate Fighter 4 Finale which he won via unanimous decision, out striking Serra throughout all three rounds.

Lytle was expected to face Carlos Condit on February 27, 2011, at UFC 127. However, Condit was forced from the bout after suffering a knee injury while training and replaced by UFC newcomer Brian Ebersole. Ebersole defeated Lytle via unanimous decision (30–27, 29–28, and 29–28), winning a $75,000 Fight of the Night award.

Lytle faced former UFC welterweight title contender Dan Hardy on August 14, 2011, at UFC on Versus 5. Chris Lytle stated at the weigh-ins he would retire after the bout regardless of the outcome. Regarding his retirement, Chris has been quoted as saying "“I feel like I’m not being the type of dad I want to. I got four kids and lots of time I feel just an immense sense of guilt for not being there in times when I should.” Lytle defeated Hardy via guillotine choke submission in the third round after being successful early on by utilizing his superior boxing, thus closing out his MMA career with a victory and 10–10 record in the UFC. Lytle walked away with Fight of the Night and Submission of the Night honors, and earned a 2012 Softail Blackline motorcycle from Harley-Davidson for the performance.

Personal life Chris Lytle is a retired firefighter at the Indianapolis Fire Department in addition to his fighting career.

On July 11, 2014, it was announced that Lytle was the latest to join the panel of MMA analysts for Fox Sports 1.

Currently Lytle has hosted the Lights Out Chris Lytle Show for City 360 TV in Indianapolis, Indiana.

On July 10, 2020 Lytle, along with Mike Davis and Miguel Iturrate, launched the Lytes Out Podcast.

Chris has four kids: Keegan, Kaylin, Corie, and Jake. [Corie Lytle]

Lytle is a lead commentator for the Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship.

Championships and achievements

Mixed martial arts Ultimate Fighting Championship First Fighter to win Fight, Submission and Knockout of the Night bonuses Fight of the Night (Six times) The Ultimate Fighter 4 Finalist Tied (Demian Maia & Vicente Luque) for second most submissions in UFC Welterweight division history (6) Most submission attempts in UFC Welterweight division history (31) 2010: Ranked #4 Submission of the Year 2011: Ranked #10 Submission of the Year Cage Rage Cage Rage World Welterweight Championship (One time) Sherdog 2010 All-Violence First Team

Boxing Indiana Boxing Association Indiana Boxing Association Light Heavyweight Title (One time) Two successful title defenses

Mixed martial arts record Win

Dan Hardy Submission (guillotine choke) UFC Live: Hardy vs. Lytle

Milwaukee, Wisconsin, United States Loss

Brian Ebersole Decision (unanimous) UFC 127

Sydney, Australia Win

Matt Serra Decision (unanimous) UFC 119

Indianapolis, Indiana, United States Win

Matt Brown Submission (straight armbar) UFC 116

Las Vegas, Nevada, United States Win

Brian Foster Submission (kneebar) UFC 110

Sydney, Australia Win

Kevin Burns Decision (unanimous) The Ultimate Fighter 9 Finale

Las Vegas, Nevada, United States Loss

Marcus Davis Decision (split) UFC 93

Dublin, Ireland Win

Paul Taylor Decision (unanimous) UFC 89

Birmingham, England Loss

Josh Koscheck Decision (unanimous) UFC 86

Las Vegas, Nevada, United States Win

Kyle Bradley TKO (punches) UFC 81

Las Vegas, Nevada, United States Loss

Thiago Alves TKO (doctor stoppage) UFC 78

Newark, New Jersey, United States Win

Matt Brown Submission (guillotine choke) UFL: Fight Night at Conseco Fieldhouse

Indianapolis, Indiana, United States Win

Jason Gilliam Submission (inverted triangle choke and americana) UFC 73

Sacramento, California, United States Loss

Matt Hughes Decision (unanimous) UFC 68

Columbus, Ohio, United States Loss

Matt Serra Decision (split) The Ultimate Fighter: The Comeback Finale

Las Vegas, Nevada, United States Win

Ross Mason Submission (rear-naked choke) Cage Rage 15

London, England Win

Savant Young TKO (submission to strikes) WEC 18: Unfinished Business

Lemoore, California, United States Loss

Joe Riggs TKO (doctor stoppage) UFC 55: Fury

Uncasville, Connecticut, United States Win

Brian Dunn TKO (punches) Legends of Fighting

Franklin, Indiana, United States Win

Pat Healy Decision (split) WEC 15: Judgment Day

Lemoore, California, United States Loss

Karo Parisyan Decision (unanimous) UFC 51: Super Saturday

Las Vegas, Nevada, United States Win

J.T. Taylor Submission (forearm choke) WEC 12

Lemoore, California, United States Win

Ronald Jhun Submission (guillotine choke) UFC 49

Las Vegas, Nevada, United States Win

Tiki Ghosn Submission (bulldog choke) UFC 47

Las Vegas, Nevada, United States Win

Pete Spratt Submission (rear-naked choke) RSF: Shooto Challenge 2

Belleville, Illinois, United States Middleweight bout. Loss

Robbie Lawler Decision (unanimous) UFC 45

Uncasville, Connecticut, United States Win

Derrick Noble Submission (rear-naked choke) RSF: Shooto Challenge

Belleville, Illinois, United States Win

Chatt Lavender Technical submission (triangle choke) Absolute Fighting Championships 5

Fort Lauderdale, Florida, United States Win

LaVerne Clark Decision (unanimous) Battleground 1: War Cry

Chicago, Illinois, United States Loss

Koji Oishi Decision (split) Pancrase: Hybrid 4

Tokyo, Japan Win

Aaron Riley KO (punch) HOOKnSHOOT: Boot Camp 1.1

Evansville, Indiana, United States Loss

Izuru Takeuchi Decision (majority) Pancrase: Spirit 9

Tokyo, Japan Middleweight bout. Win

Yuji Hoshino Submission (triangle choke) Pancrase: Spirit 7

Tokyo, Japan Middleweight bout. Loss

Nick Diaz Decision (split) IFC Warriors Challenge 17

Porterville, California, United States Win

Kazuo Misaki Decision (unanimous) Pancrase: Proof 7

Yokohama, Japan Middleweight bout. Win

Jake Ambrose Submission (rear-naked choke) Cage Rage 2

Kokomo, Indiana, United States Draw

Dave Strasser Draw Reality Submission Fighting 3

Illinois, United States Draw

Nick Hide Draw Circle City Challenge

Indianapolis, Indiana, United States Win

Beaver Beaver Submission (rear-naked choke) Bad Boy Competition

United States Win

Mike Haltom TKO (submission to punches) Bad Boy Competition

United States Loss

Ben Earwood Decision (unanimous) UFC 28

Atlantic City, New Jersey, United States Welterweight debut. Loss

Shonie Carter Decision (unanimous) Pancrase: 2000 Anniversary Show

Yokohama, Japan Win

Taro Obata Submission (arm-triangle choke) Pancrase: Trans 5

Tokyo, Japan Middleweight debut. Loss

Daisuke Ishii Decision (unanimous) Pancrase: Trans 4

Tokyo, Japan Win

CJ Fernandes Submission (triangle choke) HOOKnSHOOT: Double Fury 1

United States Loss

Keiichiro Yamamiya Decision (unanimous) Pancrase: Trans 1

Tokyo, Japan Light Heavyweight debut. Draw

Ikuhisa Minowa Draw Pancrase: Breakthrough 11

Yokohama, Japan Loss

Dave Menne Decision (unanimous) Extreme Challenge 29

Hayward, Wisconsin, United States Win

Luke Pedigo Submission (guillotine choke) HOOKnSHOOT: Millennium

United States Draw

Takafumi Ito Draw Pancrase: 1999 Neo-Blood Tournament Opening Round

Tokyo, Japan Loss

Jason DeLucia Decision (majority) Pancrase: Breakthrough 7

Tokyo, Japan Win

Daisuke Watanabe Submission (armbar) Pancrase: Breakthrough 6

Tokyo, Japan Draw

Osami Shibuya Draw Pancrase: Breakthrough 4

Yokohama, Japan Win

Bo Hershberger TKO (submission to punches) Neutral Grounds 10

Muncie, Indiana, United States Professional boxing record

Win Omar Pittman

Win 12–1–1 Verdell Smith

Win 11–1–1 Thomas Kirk

Win 10–1–1 Jonathan Corn

Win 9–1–1 Reggie Strickland

Loss 8–1–1 Shay Mobley

Win 8–0–1 Darin Johnson

Win 7–0–1 Mike Paul

Win 6–0–1 John Moore

Win 5–0–1 Guy Solis

Win 4–0–1 John Moore

Win 3–0–1 Ruben Ruiz

Win 2–0–1 Donnie Penelton

Win 1–0–1 Toris Smith

0–0–1 Matt Putnam

Bare knuckle record Win

JC Llamas Decision (unanimous) BKFC 4

Cancun, Mexico Win

Drew Lipton KO (punches) BKFC 2

Biloxi, Mississippi, United States Win

Lewis Gallant TKO (corner stoppage) BKB 9

London, England