[complete]

Round 1
An intense slugfest plays out at the sound of the bell. Taylor lands a punch and a hard knee. Lytle fires back and cracks his opponent with two right hands. Lytle goes to the clinch and both fighters dig to the body with right-handed punches. Lytle pushes Taylor to the fencing and referee Kevin Mulhall commands the fighters to keep busy. Lytle goes back to the body with a right hook. Lytle briefly gets a takedown, but Taylor gets right back to his feet. Both fighters graze right hands as the break the clinch. Taylor gets busy with kicks but he can’t connect solidly with a body and head kick. Lytle pushes Taylor against the fence again and eats a knee to the body and a short right hand. The very close round goes to Lytle, 10-9.

Round 2
Taylor lets his hands go and Lytle answers. Taylor’s momentum from the close of the first frame has carried over as he lands with short-range rights and lefts. He hurts Lytle with a right-hand counter and Lytle gets a takedown. Lytle tried to setup a guillotine but Taylor has none of it and stands up. A hard left hook lands for Taylor. This fight is a dirty boxing fan’s dream, as both men are very technical with their hands from in close. Lytle chops at the body and backs away. Lytle grazes a right hand and Taylor counters with a right kick to the ribs. Taylor goes low with his strikes and connects with two lowkicks, the second of which hit the cup. Time is given and the bout restarts quickly. Lytle is getting sloppy but he lands a hard right to the midsection. Taylor, from the clinch and with his back to the cage, lands two knees to the body. Lytle drops levels for a takedown and Taylor stuffs it and reverses position against the fencing. Good round. 10-9 Taylor.

Round 3
Lytle blasts Taylor with a right hand in the center of the Octagon. Taylor sticks with his game plan of using kicks. Lytle absolutely peppers Taylor with punches to the body and head against the cage. Taylor’s legs buckle, but he recovers quickly and uses double underhooks to switch. A knee to the body and an uppercut land for Taylor. Lytle answers with an uppercut of his own. Both men are tired but they continue to throw down. Taylor backs Lytle off with a hard low kick to the lead leg. Referee Mulhall separates the fighters and moves them to the center of the cage. Lytle is throwing bombs and he slips to the canvas. He gets to his feet and scores a takedown. Lytle tries to pass, but Taylor uses the cage with his back to get to his feet. 40 seconds remain. Taylor bobs and weaves to avoid Lytle’s flurry. Taylor lands two jab and crushes Lytle with a left hook. Another very close round, but Sherdog.com gives the nod to Taylor.

The judges see the bout 29-28 (twice) and 30-27 for Chris Lytle. The crowd boos and Taylor looks amazed at the judges’ decision.