Chris Lytle remembers the primary time he heard of bareknuckle combating.
“I believed it was loopy,” Lytle just lately informed MMA Junkie. “I mentioned, ‘What’s flawed with these guys? Who would do bareknuckle combating?”
Lytle first noticed bareknuckle boxing in 2017 when he got here throughout a clip of good friend and fellow UFC alumnus Joe Riggs chucking knuckles with opponent Christian Evans in Coventry, England, underneath the BKB banner.
On the time, bareknuckle boxing was not sanctioned by any state commissioning physique in the USA.
“I like Joe (Riggs) and was like, ‘What the hell is flawed with him?’ I watched his combat and midway by it, I mentioned, ‘I have to do a combat.’ My thoughts completely modified,” Lytle mentioned. “As quickly as I watched it, I used to be like, ‘This isn’t what I believed. This isn’t what it appears like.’”
Lytle made a world cellphone name. Twelve months later, he fought for BKB. When bareknuckle was lastly sanctioned in a handful of states within the U.S., Lytle was one of many first MMA notables to boost his hand.
“Sadly, I’ve realized I’ve the center and the thoughts of a fighter,” Lytle mentioned. “I all the time have. That’s not going to go away. However ultimately, you need to cease doing that. The human mind ought to solely accomplish that a lot. There’s a finite variety of punches you may take earlier than there’s an issue. … I’d combat till I’m 80, however you may’t try this. I really like the bareknuckle for one motive that individuals don’t give it sufficient credit score for. It’s a lot simpler in your physique to coach for a bareknuckle combat.”
BILOXI, MS – AUGUST 25: Chris Lytle fights Drew Lipton through the Naked Knuckle Preventing Championship 2: A New Period at Mississippi Coast Coliseum on August 25, 2018 in Biloxi, Mississippi. (Picture by Chris Graythen/Getty Photographs)
As he received extra concerned, part of Lytle’s conscience from years prior was tapped into. A veteran of 20 fights underneath the UFC banner, Lytle was scratching and clawing his manner within the Wild West of MMA within the late Nineties and early 2000s.
The rejection of a overseas violence kind is just like that of what the UFC underwent, Lytle defined. BKFC is an acquired style, however Lytle thinks it solely takes one sitting to understand you wish to indulge extra.
“I really feel like I went again in a time machine in some methods,” Lytle mentioned. “I used to be round. I fought for the UFC for the primary time in 2000. That was earlier than Dana White and Zuffa was concerned, and I began combating for them often in 2003. I noticed the expansion. I noticed it come from nothing, an underground factor individuals thought you have been a lunatic for doing, to the mainstream. It’s superb. I used to be there for that transition. Now, I see so many parallels and so many comparable trajectories that we’re going by with BKFC. I really feel like I went again in time. Like, who will get to be on the creation of a sport twice of their life? That’s such a rarity that this occurs. I really feel like I’m a novel place to assist information this and assist keep away from some pitfalls. I really feel prefer it took the UFC rather a lot longer to make it. For us, it’s going to be a lot sooner.”
BILOXI, MS – AUGUST 25: Chris Lytle fights Drew Lipton through the Naked Knuckle Preventing Championship 2: A New Period at Mississippi Coast Coliseum on August 25, 2018 in Biloxi, Mississippi. (Picture by Chris Graythen/Getty Photographs)
Lytle discovered a manner to assist, and the game helped him again. Dozens of occasions into his BKFC lead coloration commentator gig, Lytle has the bareknuckle bug working by his veins. He travels throughout the nation with broadcast accomplice Sean Wheelock as the 2 attempt to concurrently describe what they see, whereas additionally determining how an embryonic fight sport develops.
“Sean is like that basketball participant who simply dribbles round,” Lytle mentioned. “He has three guys on him, dribbles by his legs, throws an alley-oop up, and all I’ve to do is soar up and dunk it. He pitches me softballs, and all I’ve to do is hit them. It’s so good working with him. He makes it really easy. Once we have been first commentating, he was like, ‘All proper, Chris. You’ve been a cornerman for a few years. Simply fake you’re the cornerman. However as an alternative of ready between rounds, simply inform what you’re seeing.’ So now I simply go on the market and fake I’m the cornerman for each guys.”
As for the longer term, Lytle goals to assist BKFC develop in no matter manner he can. He thinks a significant streaming deal will do the promotion’s wonders. BKFC president David Feldman has teased a deal is within the works, although no additional particulars have been revealed.
Product publicity is the secret proper now, Lytle mentioned. He continues to make use of his personal expertise falling in love with bareknuckle because the blueprint.
“The UFC actually took off when it received on SPIKE TV,” Lytle mentioned. “Folks actually noticed a whole lot of elements of it. I don’t care if individuals see the background. I don’t care if individuals see the fighters for who they’re. Simply seeing these fights, if individuals see these fights, they’re going to go mad. That is entertaining. That is enjoyable. I’d like to speak to individuals and say, ‘Are you a UFC fan? Are you an MMA fan?’ … Most individuals are UFC followers. Loads of these individuals don’t even prefer it when it goes to the bottom. You’re a BKFC fan, and also you don’t realize it. When you watch what we do, you’ll assume it’s far more entertaining, and also you’ll prefer it.
“We simply should get individuals to see it. As soon as they see it just a few occasions, they’re going to love it, they usually’re going to be hooked, they usually’re going to look at it. I simply really feel like we’re on a unique path. All we’ve got to do is get individuals to see us. … I don’t see many individuals ever who come and say, ‘Eh, that was all proper.’ Folks love us as soon as they watch us. We’ve simply received to get individuals to see us for the primary time.”
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