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By: Jamie Penick, MMATorch Editor-in-Chief
Unbeknownst to all but his own camp, Chris Lytle took his fight with Brian Ebersole at UFC 127 in less than optimal condition, and following a loss to Ebersole that snapped a four fight winning streak, the 36-year-old is considering retirement.
According to a report from MMAFighting.com, Lytle underwent surgery on his knee just four weeks prior to UFC 127 to remove an injured meniscus. Per his manager Ken Pavia, the surgery started as an exploratory procedure, but due to the damage the doctors removed the entire meniscus.
Lytle had stayed silent on the injury and didn't want to devalue Ebersole's win in any way, and Pavia only relented after pressed on the subject with other sources revealing the injury.
Though Lytle is only 9-10 in 19 fights in the organization, he went 7-4 over his last 11, including that four fight win streak. The always exciting Lytle earned Fight Night bonuses in eight of those fights in the Octagon, including the bout with Ebersole which earned him $75,000 as the "Fight of the Night." That eighth bonus ties him with UFC Middleweight Champ Anderson Silva for most in UFC history.
Penick's Analysis: It was a mistake for Lytle to take this fight. When Carlos Condit pulled out, Lytle did not need to tough it out and stay on this card, especially with a serious knee surgery taking place a month before the replacement fight. No offense intended on Ebersole, who more than earned his win on Saturday, but he did not possess a name that brought fan interest to the fight, and Lytle risked being derailed on his path to a title shot, and that's what happened. He may have finished his career on a fight he didn't need to take, coming in less than 100% and losing to a fighter he probably shouldn't have lost to. It was unfortunately a poor decision on his part, but if he's done then fans can all thank him for the excitement he almost always brought to the cage, and he can leave with the knowledge that his fights were always enjoyed by millions of fans.
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Jamie Penick, editor-in-chief
(mmatorcheditor@gmail.com)
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