Lytle: I’d love to be a champion. I keep working on different things, trying to fill different holes in my game. … I would love to be a champion, but that’s not my only goal. If it doesn’t happen, I wouldn’t feel like my career is a failure. I would love to earn the right and fight at that level, but right now what’s keeping me happy is just fighting good, exciting fights. It’s not just about winning at all costs. It never will be. If I can make it to that level, fighting the way I fight, that’s great. If not, I’d rather fight this way and lose a fight than fight a boring fight and win it sometimes.
Lytle: We’ve been on a lot of UFC things together, autograph signings and what not. We always kind of talked about wanting to fight each other and it never happened, so we’re going, “Well, we’ll make it happen.” Like I said, it’s not like we don’t like each other, but they’re the type of fights that I like right now … Robbie Lawler, Thiago Alves, my last one [against] Paul Taylor. Those guys that’ll just stand up and just bang. I know he’s like that and I’m like that, so we thought it was gonna happen. We want to put on a good fight. It takes two to tango. Some guys take fights like that and don’t want to mix it up. I think we both will.
Sherdog.com: So you have a gentleman’s agreement to keep it standing?
Lytle: It hasn’t been fully said or anything like that. It’s not like we talked about it. I kind of assume that’s what he wants to do. I know that’s what I want to do. How many of my last fights have you seen me shoot in on a guy and try and submit him? That’s not how it’s been. I want to stand up and punch, try to end it.
Sherdog.com: Who has the best boxing at 170 pounds and in MMA?
Lytle: I’d have to say me [laughs].
Sherdog.com: Aside from yourself, Chris [laughs].
Lytle: I don’t know. It’d have to be someone like Marcus who has a legitimate boxing background. A lot of guys, it’s real hard to focus on because MMA has everything. You’re mixing punches with kicks; it’s a little bit different than straight punches.
Sherdog.com: So then Marcus Davis?
Lytle: Sure. That’s why we shouted out. We’re the two boxers here -- let’s fight.
Sherdog.com: Again, you’ve had a long, tough career. Being one fight away from a title shot when you fought Matt Serra, was that your most disappointing loss?
Lytle: Without a doubt. After that fight right there, I didn’t even know if I wanted to fight anymore. … Right after that they tossed me a couple of fights and I was like “whatever.” The only thing that got me a little fired up [was fighting Matt Hughes]. You know, he’d been a champ for years when I tried to work my way to the title. That fight was something I always wanted. I wanted to take it, but I still didn’t feel like my head was quite right there. That was one of the things that made me get back into it a little more, fighting him. That was a painful blow for me to deal with for a while.
Sherdog.com: Over such a long career, how do you stay motivated?
Lytle: Especially in my career, I’ve had so many ups and downs, there’s only been a couple of times when I felt like I was on the verge of maybe calling it and what not. … Losing fights is really depressing. I think that’s why right now I’m just really enjoying the types of fights that I’m in. That’s what I enjoy doing.
I enjoy being in the gym and sparring with somebody and both laying good ones on each other. Bam! Bam! Just having fun. That’s the kind of fights I’m wanting right now. If I can be in that type of fight, I’m very excited. If it’s gonna be more of a strategic, “I’m gonna try and outpoint you” [fight], I’m not interested in that right now. That doesn’t really do much for me.