Friday, July 04, 2008

Chris Lytle's light-bulb moment



by John Morgan - MMAjunkie.com on Jul 04, 2008 at 7:30 am ET

ongtime UFC welterweight Chris Lytle (25-15-5 MMA, 4-7 UFC) has often skirted the fine line between veteran and journeyman. He gave respectable performances against quality opponents such as Robbie Lawler, Karo Parisyan and Joe Riggs, but Lytle always came up short when it mattered most.

But the last 12 months have seen a resurgent, more exciting style from Lytle, and the Indiana fireman credits his back-to-back decision losses to Matt Serra and Matt Hughes as the motivation for change.

"Lights Out" discussed that process, as well as his UFC 86 bout with Josh Koscheck, while a guest on a recent edition of TAGG Radio (www.taggradio.com), the official radio partner of MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com).

"After those couple losses like that, I was real frustrated," Lytle said. "You get to the point where I was not on the verge of quitting, but like '[Expletive] this. I don't care anymore.' I just didn't care anymore."

Not that Lytle didn't care to fight. Quite the opposite, in fact. Lytle simply realized he could no longer afford to be cautious and overly strategic in his bouts.

"I've been training too long to try to go out there and try to be smart, try to be this, try to be that," Lytle said. "I'm going to go out there and fight, and try to give all I can the whole time. Since I've been doing that, I opened up more, and it makes other people open up more, and it makes for good fights."

Those good fights include three victories since the slide, and a lone defeat to up-and-comer Thiago Alves -- a defeat that was exciting enough to earn both combatants "Fight of the Night" honors.

The newly revamped Lytle will again be put to the test tomorrow night against a similarly resurgent Josh Koscheck in what the 33-year-old Lytle thinks could be another shootout.

"Offer me [Koscheck] two years ago, (and) I don't like the fight," Lytle said. "(I would think) he's going to take me down and sit on me. Right now, I don't think he's doing that. We're just going to go out there and be like two bulls ramming heads."

While there was no guarantee of a victory in the main-card bout, Lytle did promise a similarly aggressive style to what he has displayed in recent trips to the octagon.

"The best thing I got going for me is that same attitude," Lytle said. "I really just try not to give a [expletive]. Just go out there and fight. I guarantee you what's going to happen in this fight -- I'm going to bring it. I'm going to throw, I'm going to try and hurt him. I'm going to try and knock him out, I'm going to try and submit him."

Nearly five years after his UFC debut, Lytle has finally recognized his keys to comfort in the octagon. And along with that new near-reckless style, Lytle feels he is ready to be known as a fan favorite.

"I want to go out there, and I want everyone to want to see me," Lytle said "I want people up and clapping the whole fight."

Lytle also discussed his take on recent weight-cutting challenges by fellow fighters, as well as his reasoning for maintaining his day job. To hear the full interview, download Thursday's edition of TAGG Radio, available for free in the TAGG Radio archives.

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