Lytle Expects, Wants Hardy to Come Out Blazing

Chris Lytle is a regular winner of “Fight of the Night” bonuses. | Photo: Dave Mandel

“Coming off a loss, lots of times you’re going back to the undercard,” Lytle said on the Sherdog Radio Network’s “Beatdown” show. “Going from that possibility to being the main event, I was very excited about it.”

The UFC knows what it’s getting with Lytle. A regular winner of “Fight of the Night” bonuses, he’ll be more than willing to slug it out with Hardy.

“I take great pride that they picked me and Dan to be in the main event, and they did it for a reason,” Lytle said. “It’s not for me to go out there and try and eke out a victory. It’s for me to put on a show, so that’s what I plan on doing.”

Hardy is also an entertaining fighter, but after losing three straight, he could be released if he doesn’t beat Lytle.

“I think it’d be unfortunate because the guy was undefeated in the UFC about a year ago and he fought for the title,” Lytle said. “He got beat by [Georges] St. Pierre in a long, grueling decision, and he got caught in a fight. He got caught by Carlos Condit. If you’re aggressive, that happens sometimes. Then Anthony Johnson, who’s probably one of the biggest guys in the division, decided not to throw down with him and just kind of held him down the whole time. He’s got a couple of tough losses in a row.”

The streak could put more pressure on Hardy. It could also make him more dangerous.

“You get a guy like that and he has his back against the wall, usually they come out and fight like … their life depends on it,” Lytle said. “I do like that aspect. I want somebody coming out guns a-blazing, trying to take me out. I think I’m going to get that. That’s all I can ask for.”

In two of Hardly’s last three losses, he was outwrestled and controlled on the ground. Lytle is not a great wrestler, but he does have a crafty submission game. If he can’t catch a sub, though, don’t expect him to hold on for a decision.

“If a submission comes, they come,” Lytle said. “But what I’m not going to do is go out there and try to take somebody down and if the guy’s playing a good submission game, just kind of sit there and ride it out and hold him down for three rounds. You’re not going to see that from me ever. … If I had the choice between winning the most boring fight of my life or losing the best fight of my life, I’m going to choose losing the best fight of my life every time. It’s not even going to be a question.”

Listen to the full interview (beginning at 29:29).