Karo moved from Yerevan, Armenia to Hollywood, Calif. when he was 6 years old and began competing in MMA in Mexico at 14. Early in his career, Parisyan suffered back-to-back losses to UFC and PRIDE veteran Sean Sherk, but those were his only losses until recently.
Karo has beaten Antonio McKee in the UAGF, Fernando Vasconcelos in the KOTC and recently won a decision over globetrotter Shonie Carter in the WEC.
Karo won his UFC debut against Dave Strasser in UFC 44 and lost his return bout to rising welterweight star Georges St. Pierre at UFC 46. He met Shonie Carter at WEC 10 and took a decision win over the UFC veteran in World Extreme Cagefighting 10 before defeating Nick Diaz by split decision in UFC 49.
LYTLE: Tang Soo Do stylist and jiu-jitsu practitioner Chris Lytle is 30-10-5 in MMA and 10-1-1 in professional boxing. He is an Indiana State boxing champion, an Indiana State Tang Soo Do champion and a P.W.I. full contact champion. Chris is the current Absolute Fighting Championship welterweight champion and HOOK’n’SHOOT middleweight champion.
He trains with Jeremy Bolt, Alex Stiebling and Jason Godsey of the Integrated Fighting camp and with Marcello Montera representing Ring Sports/Palmers Gym.
Chris fought in many local shows in the U.S. and made the transition to competing on the Japanese fight circuit, where he fought more frequently and the money was better. He’s been a regular on cards in Pancrase for the past five years.
Lytle has faced many UFC veterans, beating CJ Fernandes, Aaron Riley and Laverne Clark and losing to Jason DeLucia, Dave Menne, Kei Yamamiya, Shonie Carter, Ben Earwood and Nick Diaz. He also drew with Ikuhisa Minowa and Dave Strasser.
The four-time UFC veteran is 2-2 in the Octagon. He performed well against Robbie Lawler in a loss at UFC 45 and defeated Khalil “Tiki” Ghosn at UFC 47. An impressive submission win over Pete Spratt was wedged in between UFC bouts and helped bring him back to the cage against Superbrawl fighter Ronald Jhun on short notice. Lytle guillotined Jhun early in the second round at UFC 49.
MY PICK: This is a tough call but I’m picking Lytle. Chris has been improving regularly and will likely focus more on the stand-up than Diaz did. Karo fought well but seemed flustered when not on the mat. Lytle knows Parisyan would prefer a ground game, so he’ll make him earn it. Though he’s a wild striker with lots of heart, Karo cannot stay on the feet with a pro boxer and Lytle is not as good on the mat as the judo technician. It may go the distance. Lytle by decision in the third round.