UFC 89: Lytle Wins Slugfest With Taylor, Calls Out Davis

Welterweight “Lights Out” Chris Lytle (26-16-5) won a controversial unanimous decision over Brit “Relentless” Paul Taylor (9-4-1) at UFC 89 in Birmingham Saturday night by judges’ scores of 29-28 twice and 30-72 once, all for Lytle.

The British crowd booed the decision; and, Taylor was visibly stunned.

After the win, Lytle said, “He landed some good things on me; I landed some good things on him.  You just never know what the judges are looking for.  Thankfully they were looking for what I did.”

Lytle dug several rights into Taylor’s body in a first round fought mostly in the clinch.  Taylor countered with a knee to Lytle’s body and an inside right hand.

Taylor landed more frequently in the second round, staggering Lytle with a short right that convinced Lytle to shoot for the takedown.  Taylor wriggled free from a guillotine attempt and connected with a left hook.  Lytle went back to the body with his hands; and, Taylor followed to Lytle’s body with a kick.  Taylor ended the round landing two knees to Lytle’s body from the clinch.

Lytle went back to Taylor’s body against the cage in round three; but, Taylor turned Lytle to the fence and landed a knee to the body and an uppercut.  Lytle matched Taylor with his own uppercut.  Taylor ended the round slickly evading Lytle’s aggressive forward push and needling two jabs then a powerful left hook.

The effort earned both fighters the $40,000. “Fight of the Night” bonuses awarded by the UFC.

After the win, Lytle announced that he’d like to fight “Irish Hand Grenade” Marcus Davis (15-4) next, saying, “I like the way he fights.  We’ve talked before, and, like, man we like each other’s style.  We’re both boxers.  ‘Fight of the Night’ potential right there.  That’s what I’m looking for: great fights.”