Losing sucks. It’s been pretty tough the last couple of days. I’ve been keeping to myself. I haven’t felt like talking with anyone. I haven’t seen anything about the fight. I know I looked really bad. I don’t need to see it, or hear about it to know that. I’ve been having some serious health problems for a while now. They’ve caused me some problems in my daily life and have seriously affected my training. I obviously haven’t been the same guy in the ring. I’m going to be taking a little time off to see a doctor. If we can’t get this health issue figured out, I’m done, I’m retiring. I don’t want to step back into the Octagon unless I’m 100%, and I can give the fans the type of fight they deserve to see.
Troubled UFC middleweight and former 185lb champion Evan Tanner reacts to his loss against Kendall Grove at Ultimate Finale 7 — his second straight since returning from a two year absence and fourth in his last five fights. To read his entire post-fight reaction on his SpikeTV blog click here.
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I like Evan Tanner, its sad that he couldn’t make a good comeback. What’s he gonna do if he retires, i hope he doesn’t go back to drinking. Maybe he could become a writer or a poet, he’s quite good at that lol.
I didn’t realize looking homeless was a health problem
haha good one kevin.
that joke was almost funnier then your quarter hotdog joke u posted to me yesterday in the phil baroni thread.
now that one was funny!
honestly i liked that one. u got me good!
but i was wondering what u did to get that info out of ur wife?
u must of got her drunk because she told me she would never tell a soul.
lol, hey stinky, you haven’t given us the inside scoop on how Nick is feeling right now. Getting a match in Japan, where the fans respect him and the art to fight a guy not named KJ “i duck top competition” Noons
no inside scoop. sorry.
i talk to nate mostly. not nick.
but i do know both diaz brothers. i lived in the same hood and grew up with nate.
he is way to busy to just get a hold of to ask about his bro.
aside from 2 weeks ago when i was in stockton at a friends bbq, i have not phoned nate in over a year!
that was the first time i saw him since before the tuf show.
I think I’ll be up there this week end (my wife’s grand father is in a “home” dyinig), I’ll ask around. I had my wife calling torres for tickets, I have since rescinded, I have zero interest in watching the cbs show anywhere but at home!
sorry to hear that.
what area u heading?
as for the stockton show?
i will be going but only because it is in my home-town and it would be nice of me to take some freinds.
i am so pissed that diaz is not fighting on that card
and im sure it is because of kj i duck top comp noons is being a little puss.
I don’t know, it’s all ghetto to me..no offense! he’s over by the mall in a nursing home.
my wifess grandmother lives off of filbert, how old of a guy are you? you probably know her cousin albert, he boxes.
by the way, diaz is fighting on that card
im not sure where the nursing home is at?
and i dont really follow boxing but i do know some boxers in the area.
i know alot of guy’s named albert
and funny enough i know about 3 diff al’s that box.
oh and i am 24. you?
stockton is all ghetto so none taken.
we do have some history though!
lol, he’s 31 as am I. Yeah I dread going there…I relate it to I am legend, when you’re on the highway and you see abandoned cars and the homeless camps that remind me of the dark seekers. lol, my wife almost crashed her truck when I came up with that analogy!
you guys should go on a date together.
lol
sounds good.
kevin and his wife- myself and my girl.
maybe a fun double date? who knows.
slkbomber u and your boy friend the newGuy should come two.
we can make it a triple date.
Unless he can be the fighter he used to be, there is no point for him to step back into the Octagon.
In his day, he was a WARRIOR!! there is no denying that!
ya its really to bad he wasnt the same fighter.
he was an exciting fighter to watch in his prime.
Evan is the man, he will be one of my favorite fighters no matter how many fights he wins or loses in the future. And if he calls it a career, thanks for always putting on a show. Good luck in the future Evan.
I second that. Out of all the fighters out there, he is one that deserves so much more.
Someone asked what he would be doing if doesn’t fight, the sad reality is he might be labouring on some building site.
Can someone now tell me the fighters are paid enough.
He made 25k for his fight with Grove and add that to the 25k he made at UFC 82, that’s 50k in 4-5 months of work (would have been 50k more if he would have won). I would take it.
I have a hard time liking Tanner. I definitely don’t feel any sympathy for him. If you read the rest of his blog entry, he talks about taking a motorcycle ride for the summer. The dude gambles away all his money, fights in the UFC and is taking long bike rides accross the country. I’m supposed to feel bad for this guy?
Agree.
Yeah the guy is still near to broke I think. Sad really. Hope he gets it together and opens that school he has been talking about.
Really sad to see Tanner like that. Hope he gets his life in order whether he retires or not
Is it an illness that effects the ability to shave? Seriously though, I liked Evan back in the day, but he just isn’t that good anymore. I was surprised to see him headline an event after getting knocked out in his previous fight.
Off Topic:
I was just watching the UFC 2009 game Preview, and was wondering, Is there going to be Ref Stoppages? i wonder? Let the jokes begin lol
poor tanner.
evan is one of my fav ufc vets.
too bad he is all old and out of shape.
i do give him credit though. he did lose to kendall but he did not get finished.
i was there live and i am glad tanner hung in there like a man and never quit or gave in to defeat.
tanner is a cool guy.
i met him about a year ago and he was in rough shape.
he said he wished he made the type of loot ufc fighters get paid.
i told him he should come back and fight and he told me he would never be able to compete cause he is to out of shape.
he gauranteed me he would never fight agian.
i told him how i was a big fan and that i too wished he made better money.
so i gave him all the money in my pocket as a thank you for some great wars.
it was about 5,000 bucks but i had just won the lotto and did not mind.
he was so happy he gave me a hug.
then i meet him for my second time at the tuf finale backstage.
i asked if he remembered me.
and he didn’t.
i was shocked! just more then a year ago i gave him 5K and he dont remeber me? damn that was like a slap in the face.
oh well i still am and always will be a big fan of the tan-man!
Even if he had made the kind of cash that the superstars are making now he would have just drank it or gambled it away. Some people can’t be saved from themselves.
good story. if someone gave me 5g when i was down on my luck i would have remembered it for life. he was probably drunk when you gave it to him or afraid that you might ask for it back when you saw him again backstage. i admire your disposition on this, but evan sounds like a real douchebag to me. i for one dont feel sorry for him one bit. ive said it before and i’ll say it again, its a priveledge to be a professional athelete, no mater how much you make. im sure he did alright money-wise but squandered it. he was def an exciting fighter and gave it his all, but was never good enough to beat the top fighters of his day (tito,rich, etc) and def cant beat the mid-level fighters of today. he should get on his bike and right it straight to an aa meeting or rehab imo.
funny coincidence! my buddy was saying that he prob thought i would ask for it back- like u said-
but i talked with the tan-man for an easy 45 min and we talked about how he was done with fighting and how i won the lotto
so if he did remember me he would of remembered i won 23 million.
he was drinking but not wasted-
i just think he has got alot of handouts in life and forgot.
great post b.w
i pretty much agree with everything.
will you give me some money?
only if u do tricks for me.
kinda like a court jester.
u up for it?
What like homer simpson when he’s Mr. Burns “Prank Monkey” yeah id do that haha. But seriously give me a handout, you can’t take the money with you when you die, share that wealth out lol.
LOL make him dance!!!
“Dance Goose”
Problem is he was too drunk when you gave him the 5k and then when you met him after the TUF finale those vicious knees that Kendall dished out had fried his memory. Shame really. I presume you were looking for that 5k back eh…Hahaha.
i met him before the fight at the weigh-ins.
the tan-man had to go straight to er to get a catscan after the fight.
plus the tan-man would have been way to depressed to talk to anyone after he lost.
won the lottery, gave tanner money, home boy with the diaz brothers, whats next? i smell b__ls____t
i’ll tell u whats next.
um? can i buy a vowel?
id like to buy an i.
- and its not bullshit you smell
its my fingers.
hater!
Stinky-
I love ur posts, kid.
Definately
brightens
my day.
You are
ok
and i dont
mean
that
in a
gay way.
i guess you won on jeprody also cause you were quick to buy the vowels im not buying your shit bro
dont even get me started with how good i am at jeopardy.
OJR at least u give me rspect.
son u know i got the posts
with the mosts.
right?
say word.
LOL.
Word.
I love reading
these posts
They are just amazing
You must be smoking some of nate’s weed
tanner’s a beast. keep ur head up!
I have been a Tanner fan since the time he fought Minowa in pancrase back in 98. Whats so funny about Evan is that you dont like the guy just cause he’s an mma legend and pioneer, who had some of the best submissions in history, but you liked the fact that he was human, and was never trying to be something or someone he wasnt. He didnt hide from his problems and he never hid them from us. I think thats what made him so much of a “Johnny Everyman”. He was the kind of guy you just wanted to be around because you know that you would have tons of stories to tell for the rest of your life. Ive been there through all of them, Baroni twice, lawler, terrell, even the beatings at the hands of franklin and tito. But man these last two fights hurt alot. Mainly cause one of my heros was stepping back into the octagon, but also because one of my heros had persevered through something in life many couldnt, and got back in the right frame of mind. Evan was back and so many were happy. It had story book ending written all over it, and thats what i think hurts the most. Its that realization you come to…where life doesnt always work out perfect, hell it doesnt even come close sometimes. I think thats what hurt so much watching that fight saturday. Knowing, watching Evan fight. Into the third round you knew, somehow you just knew, and then you say it “This is the last time ill ever see one of my favorite fighters ever, step into the octagon”. My night was ruined, i didnt want to go out, i just went home pissed. Ive been pissed ever since the fight, and id be lieing if i were to tell you that reading this didnt make it worse, but the fact is I realize, he is such a talented human being that never has and never will let life bring him down again, and i truly wish him the best of luck in whatever life brings his way. Though i do wish i could have seen my heros arm raised one more time…
great post Dave.
he might have a really bad memory but everything u said was true.
long live the tan-man!
You know what, I thought that he looked like a different fighter, and I don’t me an age wise either. I compliment him on coming out and saying that he has something medically wrong that has been going on with him. Evan is and always will be a pioneer of the UFC.
Also, a big thank you to everyone that has commented on this story for keeping it real. This is showing why MMAMANIA is the only place to get your UFC news.
Godspeed Mr. Tanner and good health. You’ve beaten so many tough guys inside the cage, now lets see you beat the hell out of whatever you may be fighting medical wise.
Peace.
Standing Ovation Dave.
Well done
Well put I hope he can pull of a cinderalla man
That blows for sure.
The ufc and other mma organizations need to do the right thing and force this guy into retirement by saying they will never put him on there card. I like Evan but he’s is not physically or mentally able to fight anymore. Dana white kicked off Jesse Taylor saying he couldn’t handle it but he lets Tanner be the main event on the same card. Evan would be best served as a coach for younger fighters at a great camp. The ufc should pull some strings and try to get him aligned with a great camp like ATT or Greg Jacksons and allow Tanner to pass on his knowledge to other fighters. This seems to be a growing trend similar to that in boxing where guys don’t know when to call there career over and promoters don’t care b/c they just want to make $$$
The ufc and other mma organizations need to do the right thing and force this guy into retirement by saying they will never put him on there card. I like Evan but he’s is not physically or mentally able to fight anymore. Dana white kicked off Jesse Taylor saying he couldn’t handle it but he lets Tanner be the main event on the same card. Evan would be best served as a coach for younger fighters at a great camp. The ufc should pull some strings and try to get him aligned with a great camp like ATT or Greg Jacksons and allow Tanner to pass on his knowledge to other fighters. This seems to be a growing trend similar to that in boxing where guys don’t know when to call there career over and promoters don’t care b/c they just want to make $$$
Same post, two names. Interesting!! Not the first time I have seen this either.
I gotta give Grizzly Tanner props for coming back in the third round against Groves. Still, I’m not a fan of many “submission specialists,” Tanner included. I do wish him the best and hope he gets his “health problem” figured out, whatever it is.
Dana, DON’T let Evan retire, UFC needs this type of facial hair. AA had a great beard back in the day, Dantes pre-fight interview beard was a disgrace and shouldn’t have been on the same card as Evans.
Only people that are on the juice change size like Evan.
Look at the picture on this website. Am I the only one
that thinks this? I am not an Evan Tanner hater, but I lost
a lot of respect for him to see him have to juice up extra
hard for this fight and he still lost. Obviously, they are
not testing him or they are not able to detect what he is
taking. Dana needs to keep Tanner retired this time. It is
bad for his health.
I saw Evan in Vegas about a year and a half ago and being a huge fan I went up and got my pic with him and asked him when he was coming back. He said that he wasn’t sure if he would ever get back in the cage again and that he wished he got paid like some of the other fighters. He didn’t look real good and he was obviously out of shape and down on his luck. I reached in my pocket and gave him all the $$ I had… $5. I had just won like $60 on a hand of blackjack so I really didn’t mind. I told him that this was for all the great wars and thanked him for being such a great fighter all these years. He took the money and started to go down on me, but I caught him under the arm and lifted him back up and said, “no man– it’s a gift.” He gave me a hug and thanked me. Ever since then, he calls me all the time asking me for $$ and advice and shit. He’s going blind in one eye and that is the medical problem that he’s talking about.
This post is cruel and funny at the same time…
lol funny
hahha
One of my favorite fighters. He should go put another beat down on Baroni.
groove should win for a unanimous decision not a split
yes, he looked away like 4 times and grove took advantage of that and hit him…
forget the doctor hit the gym, all you did in that fight was take punishment and clinch. Reminded me of the sylvia/vera fight. Lift some god damn weights and work on your standup i cant even believe they let you in the octagon. Tanner you looked great against bums in the past and now you have to be a professinal if you want to even compete in the ufc not a hobo scavenger. steaM!