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Evan Tanner set to make run at UFC comeback?

Former UFC middleweight champion Evan Tanner is ready to make a run at the 185-pound title one more time, according to a recent message on his Web site.

For the last few months, Tanner has provided detailed accounts about his dream to start a foundation that provides disadvantaged fighters with the tools and resources to become competitive.

To read more about that cause click here.
Evan Tanner set to make run at UFC comeback
However, things haven't gone as planned. And Tanner feels that he — and the foundation — would be better off if he regained his title.

Here's a snip:

"Although I still plan on setting up the foundation, I'm going to be putting it's further development on hold for a little while. There is something I want to do first and I want no distractions. I think I'd be in a much better position to make things happen for the foundation as the UFC Middleweight Champion. I've been fighting for a long time and I may be getting a little older, but I'm not too old to still kick a little ass."

At 36 years old, some might argue that the sport has passed him by. But look no further than current Heavyweight Champion Randy Couture (43) and Light Heavyweight Champion Chuck Liddell (37) for proof that "old" dudes can indeed still "kick a little ass."

Tanner hasn't fought in more than a year — a submission win over Justin Levens at UFC 59 in April 2006.

Without a doubt, it'll be a challenge for him to get back into form and compete with the top guys in the division.

But it'll be great to watch if he can work his way back up the ladder. If nothing else, Tanner is known to leave everything he has inside the Octagon.

And that's got to count for something.

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he’s def a good fighter and pretty exciting to watch, but i’m not sure he’s got what it takes to win the belt, i can see him beating guys like kampmann and leban and mcdonald and them maybe, but franklin, def not, thats proven, silva, def not, okami, maybe, marquardt or lutter, maybe, i’m sure he’s still good enough to be competitive in a weak division, but i doubt he’ll ever win the belt…

by tha spida on May 11, 2007 10:38 AM EDT reply actions   0 recs

I don’t mind seeing Evan Tanner comeback. If he wants to take another run at the title then all the power to him. I don’t see him winning the middleweight title or even getting a shot at fighting for it but i’ll definately support him.

by Money$Mic on May 11, 2007 10:48 AM EDT reply actions   0 recs

i think he will do just fine,as long as he gets his personal issues in order. i like seeing the old guys do well.

by bw on May 11, 2007 10:58 AM EDT reply actions   0 recs

The 185lb division isnt far off from what the heavyweight division was this time last year… sparce.
Tanner can still win against almost anyone you put him in there with, unfortunately for Tanner, two of those ‘almost’ fighters are Franklin and Silva. Still a great thing to see him back in the UFC though.

by Luppers on May 11, 2007 11:33 AM EDT reply actions   0 recs

Well, I gave the guy $20 for a foundation that didnt happen. I hope he uses the money to win his title back. Listen Evan, I wanna see MTU on your left butt cheek for my sponsorship.

by MoreThanUFC on May 11, 2007 12:03 PM EDT reply actions   0 recs

Tanner if anything else will give some depth to the lack luster division. Just the mention of him fighting someone makes the fight interesting. So, he’ll definately be good for business, but I doubt he’ll win the belt.

by getrawbc on May 11, 2007 12:06 PM EDT reply actions   0 recs

“The winner and the new middleweight champion of the world…. Evan Tanner!”

He can do it, it’s a matter of if he really wants to.

by Hoodlum on May 11, 2007 12:42 PM EDT reply actions   0 recs

Tanner vs Silva will be a great fight. and unlike alot of doubters, I see him not only earning this shot, but also winning! He’s like a middleweight Couture. very intelligent fighter with a knack for putting together a good gameplan. I think he will take the fight to Silva in a different way than what we’ve seen. Bottom line is he is an exciting addition to the weakest division in the ufc.

by BLOodyMEss on May 11, 2007 12:50 PM EDT reply actions   0 recs

RUMOR **** RUMOR **** RUMOR

One fight IS left on his contract, and Kendall Grove at 74 is being tossed around.

RUMOR **** RUMOR **** RUMOR

by MoreThanUFC on May 11, 2007 12:56 PM EDT reply actions   0 recs

oohh Grove vs Tanner, I’m hoping thats not all rumor…

by BLOodyMEss on May 11, 2007 1:00 PM EDT reply actions   0 recs

that would be awesome…im sure evan has lossed a step or two, but hes still gonna be a force, grove is improving daily, i would love to see it

by MMA Dude on May 11, 2007 1:14 PM EDT reply actions   0 recs

would evan train with anyone from team quest, or even randys team….or would he train himself in oregon???

by MMA Dude on May 11, 2007 1:15 PM EDT reply actions   0 recs

FINALLY, the middleweight division needed some love bad, and Tanner may just be the one to do that. Besides Okami, Silva, Swick and Franklin, there just aint that much excitement there. C’mon old man, you can do it!

by c-war on May 11, 2007 1:36 PM EDT reply actions   0 recs

I say send him a message via MySpace and see if he’ll give UFCMania an exclusive.

by MoreThanUFC on May 11, 2007 1:36 PM EDT reply actions   0 recs

FINALLY, the middleweight division needed some love bad, and Tanner may just be the one to do that. Besides Okami, Silva, Swick and Franklin, there just aint that much excitement there. C’mon old man, you can do it!

Marquardt? Damn, no one knows him. Screw the UFC and their great marketing machine. Sorry, just still pissed they bury Fitch and Nate like this.

by MoreThanUFC on May 11, 2007 1:38 PM EDT reply actions   0 recs

Marquardt? Damn, no one knows him. Screw the UFC and their great marketing machine. Sorry, just still pissed they bury Fitch and Nate like this.


I was waiting for someone to say that. I like Marquardt, I just dont feel as if he would come to mind as the others do when you think about the Greats of the Middleweight division.

by c-war on May 11, 2007 1:47 PM EDT reply actions   0 recs

Only two other guys are even close to him and that’s RF and AS in that division. Swick and Okami are good, but not on Nate’s level.

by MoreThanUFC on May 11, 2007 1:58 PM EDT reply actions   0 recs

oh I could totally see Tanner v- Grove. Grove wins, Dana has another lil golden boy to protect… Tanner wins, they can say he is back, and the young bucks got nothing onhim.

by Luppers on May 11, 2007 2:05 PM EDT reply actions   0 recs

HE HASNT GOT A SNOWFLAKES HOPE IN HELL OF GETTING THAT BELT NOT IN A MILLION YEARS MABY HIS ONLY CHANCE IS IF JESUS IS RESURECTED AS AN MMA COACH AND TRAINS HIM,BUT EVEN THEN HE PROBABLY STILL WOULDNT GET THE BELT
THERE IS A VERY DANGEROUS GUY CALLED ANDERSON SILVA IN THE MIDDLEWEIGHT DIVISION AND I CANT SEE ANYONE TAKING HIS BELT FOR A LONG TIME.

by mcanena on May 11, 2007 2:15 PM EDT reply actions   0 recs

Evans tough but he’s also tough to watch. He has a style like Lindland’s and it’s tough and hard to counter and overcome because of their strength and skill, but it still a grind fight that can turn hard to watch more times then not. Yet Tanner will get in there and fight and bleed so I say more power to him. At least he can really fight and does have some talent. More then I can say for alot of people lately.

by Tommy on May 11, 2007 2:33 PM EDT reply actions   0 recs

would evan train with anyone from team quest, or even randys team….or would he train himself in oregon???

He’s mentioned an invite to train with the American Chute Box team. He’ll need a good crew to kick his ass back into shape. I’d love to see him tear through the competition, but I don’t know… Even in his prime he just couldn’t beat the best. I hope something about the layoff will help him turn the corner.

by Hyde on May 11, 2007 2:49 PM EDT reply actions   0 recs

Couldn’t Beat the best?!?!?

Look him up on Sherdog, he beat the best.

by Hoodlum on May 11, 2007 2:59 PM EDT reply actions   0 recs

Who in the 185lb division was ‘the best?’ to be honest… it was just Tanner. The 185lb division has ALWAYS been very inconsistant in the UFC. Lots of 1-2 and done champs. Hence why Im really REALLY surprised GSP, Hughes, and a few other top teir 170s dont go to 185. The division isnt chalked full of heavy competition…

by Luppers on May 11, 2007 4:40 PM EDT reply actions   0 recs

Finaly I’ve been waiting for Tanner to come back. The guy has to be one of the most well rounded fighters in the sport. I think not only is he gonna get the title shot he’s gonna win.

by broncos12405 on May 11, 2007 5:05 PM EDT reply actions   0 recs

Well, I gave the guy $20 for a foundation that didnt happen. I hope he uses the money to win his title back. Listen Evan, I wanna see MTU on your left butt cheek for my sponsorship.

hey i’ll get the tatoo for 40

by RoB on May 11, 2007 6:29 PM EDT reply actions   0 recs

He would always be one of those fighters who is constantly a top contender but never gets past that top guy,I feel sorry for those type of guys it must be very frustrating.

by mcanena on May 11, 2007 7:01 PM EDT reply actions   0 recs

I hope he comes back but being out of a sport at top level is hard to comeback from.

by jason bang on May 11, 2007 7:31 PM EDT reply actions   0 recs

I would love nothing more than to see Tanner come back strong and go all the way. He’s “good people” as my Mom would say and that counts for a lot in my book. If you look at how well he fought when he was still partying, who knows what he’s capable of now.

by Dave on May 11, 2007 9:01 PM EDT reply actions   0 recs

He would always be one of those fighters who is constantly a top contender but never gets past that top guy,I feel sorry for those type of guys it must be very frustrating.

Haha, when you said that I thought of none other than Tito Ortiz.

by The Anomaly on May 11, 2007 9:54 PM EDT reply actions   0 recs

He’s mentioned an invite to train with the American Chute Box team. He’ll need a good crew to kick his ass back into shape. I’d love to see him tear through the competition, but I don’t know… Even in his prime he just couldn’t beat the best. I hope something about the layoff will help him turn the corner.


franklin and who else? kicked everyone elses ass. the crow got lucky

by GasManShad on May 11, 2007 10:38 PM EDT reply actions   0 recs

HE HASNT GOT A SNOWFLAKES HOPE IN HELL OF GETTING THAT BELT NOT IN A MILLION YEARS MABY HIS ONLY CHANCE IS IF JESUS IS RESURECTED AS AN MMA COACH AND TRAINS HIM,BUT EVEN THEN HE PROBABLY STILL WOULDNT GET THE BELT
THERE IS A VERY DANGEROUS GUY CALLED ANDERSON SILVA IN THE MIDDLEWEIGHT DIVISION AND I CANT SEE ANYONE TAKING HIS BELT FOR A LONG TIME.

Really?
http://2.upload.dailymotion.com/relevance/search/ryo+chonan/video/x8buh_ryo-chonan-vs-anderson-silva

by MoreThanUFC on May 12, 2007 7:23 AM EDT reply actions   0 recs

He’s mentioned an invite to train with the American Chute Box team. He’ll need a good crew to kick his ass back into shape. I’d love to see him tear through the competition, but I don’t know… Even in his prime he just couldn’t beat the best. I hope something about the layoff will help him turn the corner.
franklin and who else? kicked everyone elses ass. the crow got lucky

Yup. The Crow won on cuts ( elbows as usual ).
http://www.sherdog.com/fightfinder/fightfinder.asp?FighterID=212

by MoreThanUFC on May 12, 2007 7:30 AM EDT reply actions   0 recs

I wouldn’t say he got lucky, those rocked him aswell. Sure it did get stopped with the cut, but the crow would have finished tanner via tko

by jason bang on May 12, 2007 8:26 AM EDT reply actions   0 recs

Really?
http://2.upload.dailymotion.com/relevance/search/ryo chonan/video/x8buh_ryo-chonan-vs-anderson-silva

that fight was quite a while back now but granted he looked pretty awful in every aspect of it but there can be no denying how talented a fighter Silva is and I dont think Tanner could hang with him,but Tanner is himself a good fighter but I just dont think a great fighter.

by mcanena on May 12, 2007 8:56 AM EDT reply actions   0 recs

RUMOR **** RUMOR **** RUMOR

One fight IS left on his contract, and Kendall Grove at 74 is being tossed around.

RUMOR **** RUMOR **** RUMOR

that would be cool, a real test for grove…

by tha spida on May 12, 2007 3:17 PM EDT reply actions   0 recs

that fight was quite a while back now but granted he looked pretty awful in every aspect of it but there can be no denying how talented a fighter Silva is and I dont think Tanner could hang with him,but Tanner is himself a good fighter but I just dont think a great fighter.

It was only 2 years ago. AS is a stud, plain and simple, but statements like
“I CANT SEE ANYONE TAKING HIS BELT FOR A LONG TIME” smatters of nuthugging. After all the recent upsets in the UFC and elsewhere, it’s a reminder that in MMA, anything can happen. I personally didnt see anyone head kicking Crocop or KOing GSP, but when fighters dont prepare correctly ( again, we’ve seen a lot of this lately ), you never know what’s gonna happen. I do agree that Anderson has always prepared for his fights, it’s the Brazilian way, but he does have weaknesses and a smart fighter could exploit them. ( NM, maybe? )

by MoreThanUFC on May 12, 2007 3:40 PM EDT reply actions   0 recs

Sorry about the double posts lately, no idea what the heck is going on.

by MoreThanUFC on May 12, 2007 3:41 PM EDT reply actions   0 recs

“The winner and the new middleweight champion of the world…. Evan Tanner!”

He can do it, it’s a matter of if he really wants to.

I’d love to see Evan win the belt, but unless he’s improved a hell of a lot I can’t see him beating Franklin. I think he would match up well with Silva though because he’s strong in the clinch and I think he could get Silva to the ground witch would negate Andersons superior striking.

by Gord on May 12, 2007 3:43 PM EDT reply actions   0 recs

HE HASNT GOT A SNOWFLAKES HOPE IN HELL OF GETTING THAT BELT NOT IN A MILLION YEARS MABY HIS ONLY CHANCE IS IF JESUS IS RESURECTED AS AN MMA COACH AND TRAINS HIM,BUT EVEN THEN HE PROBABLY STILL WOULDNT GET THE BELT
THERE IS A VERY DANGEROUS GUY CALLED ANDERSON SILVA IN THE MIDDLEWEIGHT DIVISION AND I CANT SEE ANYONE TAKING HIS BELT FOR A LONG TIME.

A Guy named Nate is going to take his belt next time he fights. A weak and dehydrated Lutter showed some of Silva’s weaknesses and Nate (7 times king of pancras) is bigger, stonger and a better striker than lutter.

by Gord on May 12, 2007 3:54 PM EDT reply actions   0 recs

the only thing on his side is experience, and all the other fighters in Middleweight have gained heaps more, He will try but fail.

by anusmaximus on May 12, 2007 8:45 PM EDT reply actions   0 recs

evan tanner can chop wood and drink beer at the same time. what more could you want in a fighter?

by bw on May 13, 2007 12:37 AM EDT reply actions   0 recs

I’d like to see him re-match Ortiz.also is his dad a coal miner or something?

by suspiria on May 13, 2007 1:28 PM EDT reply actions   0 recs

he’s def a good fighter and pretty exciting to watch, but i’m not sure he’s got what it takes to win the belt, i can see him beating guys like kampmann and leban and mcdonald and them maybe, but franklin, def not, thats proven, silva, def not, okami, maybe, marquardt or lutter, maybe, i’m sure he’s still good enough to be competitive in a weak division, but i doubt he’ll ever win the belt…

True…True…True….very true

by Stafo on May 14, 2007 2:23 PM EDT reply actions   0 recs

I’d like to see him re-match Ortiz.also is his dad a coal miner or something?

Suspiria, I’m with you on this. Let’s see a rematch of the fight that was’nt really a “fight” but more of a lucky win by Ortiz. I’ve been saying I wanted this rematch since I saw their 1st encounter.

by Machine on May 14, 2007 9:13 PM EDT reply actions   0 recs

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