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One Year Later, Evan Tanner's Life, Legacy Remembered

Posted: Sep 8th 2009 9:08AM by Mike Chiappetta (author feed)
Filed under: UFC, FanHouse Exclusive

The people who knew him still think of him regularly. How can they not? He moved them closer to life's truths than anyone else. He pulled them in, taught them lessons, then disappeared. He made them feel alive. He challenged them to think deeper, look further, rise above. He broke their hearts, then showed them what true redemption was all about.

They remember him because one year later, the life of Evan Tanner still echoes.

Continue Reading One Year Later, Evan Tanner's Life, Legacy Remembered

UFC to Induct Two New Members of Hall Of Fame on UFC 100 Weekend

Posted: May 7th 2009 12:10PM by Mike Chiappetta (author feed)
Filed under: UFC

11 COMMENTS

Two new names will be added to the short list of those inducted into the UFC Hall of Fame on July 10 as part of UFC's Fan Expo during UFC 100 weekend.

To date, only five have earned the honor: Ken Shamrock, Royce Gracie, Dan Severn, Randy Couture and Mark Coleman.

The UFC has not released the names of the new inductees, but if I were to venture a guess, I would think that former UFC light-heavyweight champion Chuck Liddell is a lock for one of the slots. While Liddell has not officially retired (he's currently on vacation), UFC President Dana White has repeatedly stated "the Iceman" is done in the octagon.

Continue Reading UFC to Induct Two New Members of Hall Of Fame on UFC 100 Weekend

Ex-UFC Champ Evan Tanner Blogged Before Dying: 'Tomorrow I Go Out Into the Desert'

Posted: Sep 24th 2008 6:51PM by Michael David Smith (author feed)
Filed under: UFC

0 COMMENTS

Evan Tanner, a former UFC middleweight champion, went missing early this month in the California desert and was found dead at the age of 37. Tanner was one of the most interesting characters in mixed martial arts for a lot of reasons, including the fact that he had a blog.

Now we learn that Tanner had written -- but not posted -- a blog post just before he died.

Continue Reading Ex-UFC Champ Evan Tanner Blogged Before Dying: 'Tomorrow I Go Out Into the Desert'

Ex-UFC Champ Evan Tanner Died of Heat Exposure, Authorities Believe

Posted: Sep 11th 2008 3:55PM by Michael David Smith (author feed)
Filed under: MMA Videos, UFC

2 COMMENTS

This Associated Press video is a good, straightforward look at the death of Evan Tanner:

Tanner apparently died of heat exposure near a camp site where temperatures reached 110 degrees. Some have suggested that Tanner acted irresponsibly, but I think that's a rather harsh assessment of someone who, as Kid Nate at Bloody Elbow notes, simply underestimated how much water he would need for a 10-mile round trip hike away from his base camp, and collapsed and died from the heat and dehydration before he could get back.

Tanner was 37 years old.

A Video Tribute to UFC Star Evan Tanner

Posted: Sep 9th 2008 7:00PM by Michael David Smith (author feed)
Filed under: MMA Videos, UFC

1 COMMENT

There's been an outpouring of grief among mixed martial arts fans in the 24 hours since news first surfaced that former UFC middleweight champion Evan Tanner had died. Here's the best video tribute I've seen:

Among the most significant fights of Tanner's career were his victory over David Terrell for the middleweight title in 2005, and his bout with Tito Ortiz in the main event at UFC 30. Tanner fought for 11 years and had a professional record of 32-8.

UFC Mourns Former Champ Evan Tanner, Dead at 37, Cause of Death Unknown

Posted: Sep 9th 2008 10:51AM by Michael David Smith (author feed)
Filed under: UFC

8 COMMENTS

Evan Tanner, a former Ultimate Fighting Championship middleweight champion who was found dead in the California desert yesterday, and authorities do not yet know how he died.

The UFC's official web site reports that Tanner was found by an Imperial County Sheriff's Department Deputy after he had been reported missing by friends who said he hadn't answered their text messages since Wednesday. Tanner had written on his personal blog that there was no reason to be concerned about him:

"It seems some MMA websites have reported on the story, posting up that I might die out in the desert, or that it might be my greatest opponent yet, etc. Come on guys. It's really common down in southern California to go out to the off road recreation areas in the desert about an hour away from LA and San Diego. So my plan is to go out to the desert, do some camping, ride the motorcycle, and shoot some guns. Sounds like a lot of fun to me. A lot of people do it. This isn't a version of "Into the Wild". I'm not going out into the desert with a pair of shorts and a bowie knife, to try to live off the land. I'm going fully geared up, and I'm planning on having some fun."

UFC.com reports that Tanner's agent, John Hayner, described Tanner as "in a good state of mind the last time we spoke."

More information:
Evan Tanner's UFC biography
Evan Tanner on Wikipedia
Evan Tanner's pro MMA record

Former UFC Champ Evan Tanner Dead at 37 After Going Missing in Desert

Posted: Sep 8th 2008 9:56PM by Michael David Smith (author feed)
Filed under: UFC

217 COMMENTS

Evan Tanner, a former UFC middleweight champion known for his love of outdoor adventures, went missing last week in the California desert and was found dead today, the UFC confirmed. He was 37.

Sports Deaths in 2008

Evan Tanner, September 8: The Former UFC middleweight champion, seen here in 2006, went missing in a California desert and was found dead by the Imperial County Sheriffs Department. He was only 37.

Zuma Press

Don Haskins, Sept. 7: The legendary coach helped break color barriers in college sports in 1966 when he used five black starters to win a national basketball title for Texas Western.

Earl Richardson, Getty Images

Dick Enderle, Sept. 5: An eight-year NFL vet, Enderle was found unconscious next to an exercise machine in his apartment, and pronounced dead at the scene.

Frank Rippon, NFL/WireImage

Tommy Bolt, Sept. 3: The 1958 U.S. Open champion, Bolt was nicknamed "Terrible Tempered Tommy" for his on-course outbursts, that often included slamming clubs to the ground.

John M. Burgess, Time Life Pictures / Getty Images

Todd Cruz, Sept. 2: The former infielder, who won a World Series with the 1983 Baltimore Orioles, died while swimming at his apartment complex.

Focus on Sport / Getty Images

Walter "Killer" Kowalski, Aug. 30: The pro wrestling legend, seen here in a 1989 photo with his nephew Mitch, died from complications after a massive heart attack.

Jon Chase, AP

Phil Hill, Aug. 28: Hill, who was the only American-born Formula One champion and a three-time 24 Hours of Le Mans winner, died after complications from Parkinson's disease.

Kevin Duckworth, Aug. 25: Former Trail Blazers center Kevin Duckworth died while on a trip to the Oregon Coast to host a free basketball clinic.

Stephen Dunn, Getty Images

Gene Upshaw, Aug. 21: The Executive Director of the NFL Players Association and Hall of Fame football player passed away at age 63.

Jim McIsaac, Getty Images

Ronney Vargas, Aug. 16: The promising undefeated boxer and three-time Daily News Golden Gloves champion was shot to death after getting into a fight at a Bronx bodega.

New York Daily News

The 37-year-old Tanner, who held the UFC middleweight title in 2005, last fought in June at the Ultimate Fighter finale.

Tanner wrote on his blog last month, "I'm hoping that very soon I'll be sitting out in the quiet of the desert beneath a deep blue midnight sky, listening to the calm desert breeze. ... I want to go to these places, the quiet, timeless, ageless places, and sit, letting silence and solitude be my teachers."

UPDATE: UFC Mourns Former Champ Evan Tanner, Dead at 37, Cause of Death Unknown.