It’s interesting how so often death brings out the best in life.
Such is the case with the late Evan Tanner, whose body was discovered on September 8 by Yuma Search and Rescue Marines in the Palo Verde Mountain range.
The coroner who responded from El Centro, Calif., reports that Tanner succumbed to heat exhaustion after setting off on sort of a middle-aged Walkabout, where the former UFC middleweight champion spent his final days testing his physical limits and finding his spirituality.
Now that the initial shock of his passing has worn off, both fans and media from the world of mixed martial arts are trying to find his rightful place in the annals of UFC history.
Recently I came across a public petition to have Tanner posthumously inducted into the UFC Hall of Fame. While the argument has merit, it’s hard to take seriously when it’s signed by many of the same people who called Tanner “washed-up” after his recent 0-2 run in the UFC.
But that pales in comparison to the abundance of Tanner quotes now making the rounds on the MMA Internet boards. A year ago they were a punchline … now they’re gospel.
I admire people who are sincere in their efforts to restore nobility to the memory of a great fighter, but I ask you, where were all these good Samaritans when Tanner was broke, unemployed and suffering from alcoholism?
I can’t say for sure, but I do know they are there for him now that he’s passed. In fact, it was a mere 48 hours before his estate was contacted about securing the publishing rights to his life story.
Evan Tanner has my respect because he conquered his personal demons with the support of a few loyal fans and little else. From rock bottom, he scratched and clawed his way back onto a major UFC pay-per-view, even if his return to the fight game didn’t go exactly as planned.
The point is he returned.
It’s not that his skills had declined over the years, it’s that they didn’t continue to evolve. And being paired with Japanese juggernaut Yushin Okami at UFC 82 after a two-year layoff wasn’t exactly the best place to work out the kinks.
No matter. His return to action made headlines and for the first time in ages they were because of his accomplishments inside the Octagon and not outside it.
True, most of his big fights in the UFC were losses, but his status as a grizzled and talented veteran was able to elevate not just the wins, but the overall presence of his opponents.
Kendall Grove may have a second shot at UFC super stardom because he defeated Evan Tanner. Grove enjoyed hype that he may not have otherwise experienced had he instead been paired with someone like Sean Salmon.
And how far did Evan Tanner bring Rich Franklin? They had two magnificent battles, with Tanner almost stopping “Ace” with a crushing left at UFC 53. That was Franklin’s coming-out party, where he was able to establish himself as one of the better strikers at 185 and his wins mattered because Evan Tanner mattered.
Even David Loiseau wouldn’t have had his crack at Franklin’s title had he not stopped Tanner at Ultimate Fight Night 2.
But for me his biggest contribution to the relevance of a current star was his fight against Tito Ortiz at UFC 30 back in 2001. At the time Tanner was a staggering 23-2 and 3-0 in the UFC with 17 submission wins. The up-and-coming Ortiz was coming off back-to-back victories over Wanderlei Silva and Yuki Kondo after giving Frank Shamrock all he could handle at UFC 22.
Tanner lost just 32 seconds in, but the hype surrounding the fight and the KO finish solidified Ortiz as a major player in mixed martial arts and gave birth to the Ortiz Era (for better or worse).
Evan Tanner may be gone, but his legacy lives on in the success of fighters that he helped create. Whether or not he ever makes it into the UFC Hall of Fame is of little importance. This sport wouldn’t have been the same without his contributions.
And he doesn’t need his picture hanging in the corridors of the UFC to prove it.
Check out the short and sweet tribute to Evan Tanner at UFC.com after the jump, as well as one from NBCSports.com.
39 Comments »
Tanner just seemed like one of those guys (everyone knows at least one) that weather or not you agree with their life philosiphies or poltics, they are (or were) just good people.
Tanner was interesting
The first part of this is almost luaghable saying ,they didn’t know why he should be inducted,Saying he lost his last 2 so what. Chuck has lost 3 out of 4 does that mean if he retired today he would not be inducted? What about Cotoure when he was inducted he lost his last 2.,Then there is Shamrock,and Severn. The fact of the matter is he was a hell of a fighter,he was a ufc champ a fan favorite. The people that signed the Petition using Dumb names,were most likely not real big mma fans,that may have just started watching the sport. In Evans Prime he was truely a pioneer.
if evan hadnt died, would you still think he should be hof worthy? he was avery good fighter, but not a great one. Jesse brings up some good points about people dissing him when his blog to go out into the desert 1rst came out and then now singing his praises. as far as being a pioneer of the sport, i think he is somwhere in the middle. he was a ufc mw champ, but so was dave terrel, and dave mene. does dying young (fairly young at 37) make someone a great man? i mean no disrepect towards evan, but his untimely death is the only reason some are giving him so much repect. if he hadnt died and retired from the cage for good, were would he stand against the chucks and the randys and the other all-time greats.
It’s kind of like Heath Ledger, no one cared really when he was alive and now he’s dead they praise him as a acting god. I did like Tanner but being brutaly honest I’m not sure he deserves to be in The HOF. If you asked me like a week ago I’d be unsure, most people would of said no but now he’s dead everyone’s saying yes.
Thats complete bullshit. Heath Ledger was a very respected actor before his death. He was nominated for an oscar in 2006 and there was a lot of buzz about his Joker character even before his death. He wasn’t as recognized as he is now in death but “no one cared when he was alive” is completely false.
The same thing goes for Tanner. He is going to reach legendary status because of his death. Does that mean he belongs in the hall of fame? Maybe not but i think he deserves all the praise he is getting. Accomplishing what he did while learning from video tapes and never training full time is nothing short of amazing and will probably never be duplicated.
B.W. Not callin u out personally, but wanted to correct that David Terrell was never champion. Dave Menne was the 1st middleweight champion when they were trying to establish a credible champion.
Both these guys didn’t have that many UFC fights.
Evan Tanner had like 17 fights in the UFC, that’s more than both of those guys combined, that’s more than Hall of Famers, Coleman, Shamrock or Severn. All were Champions. Evan was the 1st 185lbs Champion in the UFC that fans and fighters really felt deserved the title. He just got knocked off by Rich Franklin and reigned as long time middleweight champ, no shame there.
There are always going to be a number of hall of famers that stand head and shoulders above the rest that doesn’t mean the ones that accomplished less shouldn’t be there.
Evan Tanner learned MMA by reading books on fighting and watching dvd’s featuring MMA instruction at a time when there were few or no MMA gyms or even good trainers, very few fighters even applied cross training techniques.
This would indeed be “learning the hard way,” but this is the way it was back then and Tanner was one of the 1st to add techniques of Jiu-Jitsu, Muy Thai Knees and vicious elbow striking all added to his wrestling base. I believe he warrants serious consideration to entry into the UFC Hall of Fame.
Even if he hadn’t died, I would easily put Tanner in the Hall of Fame.
If Mir can get a title shot, Tanner can get in the HOF!
Thorazine, all good points that a lot of people forget to take into consideration! Nice post.
So ur saying Ken Shamrock is a better fighter than Evan tanner that Ken deserved it and Evan didnt, I dont think dave mene,orDave terrel, Yes if Evan was still alive and had anounced his retirement i would pull for the UFC to Induct him with his record, why not. No one ever said that just because he died young made him a great man. The way he battled his Demons the way he looked at life, that made him a respectable man, The way he treated his fans aswell, Working hard,being a great fighter,becoming a champ,what else does it take to become a hall of famer
Plus Severn 7 wins ufc -pretty sure? Ken Shamrock 7 wins Ufc-Evan Tanner 9 wins In ufc Do the Math, if they are respected enough with there 7 wins alone in the ufc to be hall of famers why not a guy with better records than bolth in the ufc
Tanner deserves to be inducted into the UFC Hall of Fame. His name should have been brought up allot sooner. Tanner showed that any regular guy could (with the right training) could become someone in a sport like this. I have always respected him. I looked forward to his return fights, and even in his losses I never lost the hope that he would return. The people that commented that he was washed up are the people that make the saying “you are only as good as your last fight” true! He helped many fighters become who they are today, and at the same time held a UFC title himself.
Tanner was a great guy, and deserves to be in the UFC Hall of fame for what he did for the sport, and his achievements in the UFC.
I’m completely with you on (and Jesse) on this one. He made his mark to some extend, but dying can hardly be a reason to make someone bigger than life.
He was a good fighter, but no where near other pioneers of this sport like Bas Rutten or Dan Henderson.
I don’t mean to be rude or hurt anyones feelings here, but walking into the desert and as a result of that dying is darwinism. People call this a tragedy, but real tragedy is when people suffer without wrongdoing on their part, i.e. so-called collateral damage in war or victims of car accidents and so on.
RIP Evan Tanner - good fighter - no hall of famer
You Tapped, sounds like u may be missing the point? It’s the ‘UFC’ Hall of Fame…. not ‘MMA’ Hall of Fame. Bas only fought 2 times in the UFC, won a title and retired. Henderson up to now only fought 4 times and no title.
Bas & Hendo have made considerable contributions to MMA, and should be in the MMA Hall of Fame.
evan tanner was fucking great fighter . hall of famer
Well the shock has not worn off yet, maybe it has for some. Arlovski posted a story about Evan, he was in line for a physical and all the fighters had their ipods on, but Tanner was standing quietly reading a book. He was an original, and a former champion. I wanted so much for his comeback to be successful, and absolutely think he should be inducted.
I’d just like to clarify that the amount of people who genuinely supported him is being grossly underestimated here. The guy was being paid by Spike TV to do something he was already doing for free, give his readers and fans some fucking credit.
At the end of the day he came into the sport as an outsider and he fought his way to the top of it for a short time. He made more experienced, stronger and intelligent fighters look foolish and he did it all with a smile. Being in the hall of fame is a statement of not only ability but of character. This is a man who put his life out there for everyone to see and still had the courage to step into the cage with whoever was put in front of him.
No one will convince me he isn’t worthy. Was his career in a downswing? Absolutely but does that preclude his achievements? NO. Liddell has only won one of his last four but nobody is reconsidering his HOF standing. Once a fighter, always a fighter and Evan Tanner was a fighter to the bones, even if he never admitted it.
Great article. Good points made, now everyone is kissing his ass, but he doesnt need it to prove his legacy
i wouldn’t say ledger was someone no one really cared about. Ledger had a very devoted following from his earlier movies and from his sheer fearlessness of the parts he took. To me, Evan Tanner is in good company with Ledger. They both had different takes on life from the average, Tanner fought of his demons, returned to the ring, shared far more with his fans than the average fighter. I would say Tanner is HOF worthy bc of his original run and his return. He was not the best, by any means, but I dare you to find someone who always brought his A game and always put on a fight. He could take it, give it back, sometimes win, sometimes lose, but always give his all. He did it in the cage, he did it in his life. I’ve been a fan since seeing him get dominated by some newcomer, then reversing and pounding out a tko. I can’t even remember who he was fighting right now, but just seeing that made me a huge fan.
just listening to how open he is about his battles..amaing.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bEIjTMWa6QM
RIP Tanner, definitley will be missed. As for a place in the HOF, i would have said definitely if he’d retired at the end of the Grove fight. His record speaks for itself,17-6 in the UFC, 32-8 overall….the longevity is amazing and his last fight, while not spectacular, definitely showed he could still bring it.
Anyway, I have been a tanner fan since the first day i saw him, i loved his blog, his ideals and just the free spirit. I think he was a class act.
From what I gather, Tanner himself probably couldn’t care less if he was inducted into the HOF.
probably not. it would be nice if the ufc set up some sort of charity foundation in tanner’s name.
Evan does deserve it, he was one of the first “mixed” matial artists in the ufc. and as far as heath ledger, well he did the best on screen version of the joker. i doubted heath before seeing the movie and i am the first to admit i was wrong. dead or alive he did a great job in that role and the same goes for tanner.
and tanner was a fighter with great heart and a good record
32-8-0 is impressive period.
Perhaps there were more true and loyal fans of Evan than the writer gives credit for. And not quite as many far weather fans as indicated. What is it that they say about the squeaky wheel?
Speaking for myself, and maybe others can relate, I have always been a huge fan of Evans, and not just for his fighting. It is what Evan Tanner possessed inside of himself, that same thing that is completely missing from other fighters like Matt Hughes, that made me a fan. Whether he was a fighter, a line cook, a dentist, or an accountant, it wouldn’t have mattered to me. How many people do you know of that put themselves second to total strangers? I know that he was a better man than I’ll ever be.
No he wasn’t the greatest fighter that ever was, but in the earlier part of his career he was indeed one of the best. I, like many others, may not have participated in “Team Tanner”, but that doesn’t mean that we were not true and loyal fans - whether or not he has just gotten a W.
Can Some one tell me y the hell is heatth ledger is being talked about in a mma forum. ps the patriot was a great movie, but y is he in this forum
jesse….. that was a good read. So true about people coming out of the woodwork now that he is gone too.
I think his accomplishments are on par with Rich Franklins if not better, and they will put Rich into the hall of fame for sure.
Hopefully they do not make the mistake of passing over Tanner for the same honor.
Tanner was very spiritual from what I took away after reading his myspace blogs.
isn’t it funny how msnbc’s video and commentary is way way beter than the flimsy ufc’s thanks ufc!!!
You know…RIP Evan Tanner, but does every fucking so-called sports writer have to spew the same story 45 times just so they can have their name attached to it?
Seriously…take a look at all of the stories regarding Evan Tanner on this website…..it’s the same thing over and over and over.
I say if you didn’t do stories on Evan when he was alive, then fuck off with your non-original, same ol’ same ol’ stories now.
My vent for the day.
I understand what mania means by people changing opinions quickly but I don’t think it should have been posted
Yeah you’re after catching some people jumpin ship, which I always thought was bull. A man’s death shouldn’t make you love or hate him unless thats when you really get to know them
I’ll admit I wasn’t a Tanner fan until ye had a post about his alcohol addiction I think it was, thats when I stumbled onta his blogs and understood how honest, real and great a man Evan was
I’ll also admit that after his 2nd loss I thought he shoulda retired
But 2 recent losses doesn’t change how much Evan’s done in his life in and outta the octagon and I feel he defo needs to be acknowledged with and induction, I signed it and I only hope more will do so
I happily signed the petition and never did I saw he was “washed up”. I just think he got matched up with guys that he probably just couldn’t hang with…yet…If he could’ve fought another guy that may have given him some hope for a better future, maybe this wouldn’t have ever happened. But no use to argue what if’s, the MMA community definitely lost a monumental figure.
I don’t really like it when people point out hypocracy that they can’t really prove. It says something about their own self righteousness. In any case, I really like that Tanner was always searching. He took life seriously, and though it was at times self-destructive, he at least didn’t whittle it away in quiet desperation like so many of us. As far as HOF, I don’t really care. It doesn’t really change anything.
SHUT UP JESSE HOLLAND
You sir, are an idiot
Trying to be creative and write an editorial piece like this…well you fell FLAT ON YOUR FACE.
I used to like this site, not after this CRAP. Bash someone who is already moved on from this world…great ethics.
Questioning the “motives” of fans is a complete JOKE. You are speculating on your own opinions, not that of others.
If what I wrote is such crap, then why are you so upset over it?
I read in Big John McCarthy’s article on Fox Sports that the Tanner/Ortiz fight you mention actually resulted in *redesigning* the UFC octagon to better absorb impacts of the fighter’s bodies slamming into it as a result of Ortiz’s KO-slam of Tanner.
Do I think Tanner will be inducted ? No, I’m sorry to say I do not. Do I think he should, and that inducting him would be something to be damn proud of ?
Absolutely.
And yeah, blaming his fans for his tough times and personal struggles, which just made the man that much more of a champ, a legend, is *B*S*. HE would have had none of that, and neither should his fans be conned into thinking that their burning desire to see him posthumously inducted is just to assuage their own guilt. You wonder why you were called out for being a hack over that, it is self evident, you are a prick for doing it, plain and simple. After all, YOU were the one that had the nerve to title your article “finding closure”.
Look, if someone is contacting his estate for the rights to his story, it’s because it’s a damn impressive one. Maybe you should look into it sometime.
Character goes a long way.
Tanner was MW Champ. He didn’t hold the belt for long, but still, he was a legitimate Champion. That alone isn’t enough to make the HOF, but I perceive any sport’s hall of fame as the story of the sport, and as such, memorable personalities and characters count for something.
Tanner didn’t have the most talent, but he was the journeyman par excellence. The journeyman as Champion. His maverick ways outside the cage and the purity of his approach is something worth taking note of and including in the great figures of the sport. There isn’t another guy quite like him.
He was an original. And he will be missed.
We need more like him,he had great heart in the ring and it seem’s he lived his life outside the ring the same way, GOD BLESS Evan Tainer and the Evan family.