MILWAUKEE – Perhaps there's a reason UFC welterweight Chris Lytle (30-18-5 MMA, 9-10 UFC) said he's willing to stand and trade with British slugger Dan Hardy (23-9 MMA, 4-3 UFC).
Apparently, it doesn't really matter where a win or loss puts him in the UFC's 170-pound division.
Lytle on Saturday informed his employers that Sunday's UFC on Versus 5 contest would be his last in the octagon.
The move was first reported by NBCSports.com, and MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) has since confirmed the news with multiple sources close to the fighter, who said "Lights Out" has been considering walking away over his past several contests.
"I've been fighting since '98, fighting forever," Lytle told NBCSports.com. "A lot of it is just that I'm not doing my responsibilities like I need to at home.
"I feel like I'm not being the type of dad I want to. I got four kids, and lots of times I feel just an immense sense of guilt for not being there in times when I should."
Lytle was seen passing a folded letter to UFC president Dana White prior to stepping on the scale at Saturday's official UFC on Versus 5 weigh-ins. White said the letter served as both an official notice and a thank you letter for Lytle's time in the octagon.
The UFC boss also said he knew what the letter was before he even opened it, but he was surprised by the kind words that filled the paper.
"Sounds like a decision made by a father and a husband," White told MMAjunkie.com. "I thought it made total sense. Classy, classy, great guy."
Lytle is calling an end to a career that has spanned more than 12 years. The Indianan made his UFC debut way back at UFC 28 with a decision loss to Ben Earwood. He would go on to bounce around the regional scene and Japan before returning to the UFC for a decision loss to Robbie Lawler at UFC 45.
It would be 2006 before Lytle became a staple of the big-fight scene after earning his way to the final of "The Ultimate Fighter 4" in the lone season of the Spike TV series thus far to feature UFC vets hoping to launch a comeback. The disappointing decision loss to Matt Serra was the catalyst for a new reckless approach to fighting that saw the full-time fireman earn eight "Fight Night" bonuses in his next 12 UFC outings. Five of those extra checks came for "Fight of the Night" honors.
Earlier this week, Lytle told MMAjunkie.com that he still had title aspirations in his plans despite having a four-fight win streak snapped in a recent loss to Brian Ebersole. He also professed his penchant for an entertainment-over-safety style and promised to deliver fireworks on Sunday night in what will now apparently be his last fight in the octagon.
"The bottom line is people have to want to watch the fight," Lytle said. "You should do enough to make them want to buy the next pay-per-view. People need to be like, 'Wow, that was cool. I need to see more.' That's my job. That's what I'm supposed to do.
"I want to win, but I want to win in a certain fashion."
Source: Chris Lytle set to retire after UFC on Versus 5 main event