The passing of Evan Tanner: Two years later
by Jesse Holland on Sep 8, 2010 10:09 AM EDT
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PrintHard to imagine it's been two years since we lost the former UFC middleweight champ...
For more on Evan Tanner -- the man as well as the fighter -- be sure to check out his ‘For a better world’ unreleased videos after the jump.
Part one:
Part two:
For more details on Tanner's unfortunate passing click here.
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Sucks man....
I was working on his new intro music right before he died. When I first spoke with him I literally couldnt believe I had Evan Tanner on the phone…. I was star struck. One of my all time favs.
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Me too. I was a huge Tanner fan. He was 100% class.
He was the only fighter I ever wrote to or tried to contact. And he actually wrote me back. Evan was like GSP, always gracious in victory or defeat, always complementary and respectful and even encouraging to his opponents. And a lot of people don’t know this, cause he never did anything for publicity, but he did a LOT of volunteer charity work. I’ve read testimonials about how he’d hear about something and show up and work his ass off to build something or help out some disadvantaged kids or whatever. People who worked alongside him said he motivated everyone to work harder by his example and his passion to help, no cameras, no reporters, no tooting his own horn, just trying to make a difference in people’s lives. HUGE RESPECT for this guy! As good a guy as Rich Franklin is, it still took me a couple years to forgive him for beating up Tanner and taking his title.
"Who's da MASTA?!!!"
My Evan Tanner moment I will always remember:
UFC 59, Tanner steps in against a very young replacement fighter – Justin Levens
Tanner easily schooled Justin and finished with a pretty slick triangle – It was deeeeep as Rogan says and it was the first time I saw someone trap an ankle to secure the finish. I learned that technique watching that fight. And applied it later on while grappling with some buddies of mine for jest. Tanner after the fight had nothing but high praise for Justin Levens who was taking the fight on really short notice with an UFC former champ and “old lion”.
Tanner came into this fight off two loses (Franklin and Loiseau) and was looking not bad and seemed to be rededicated to training – before quickly falling off the wagon again. Ring Rust and the evolution of MMA seemed to be too much. Yushin Okami dealt him another loss after a 2 year lay off from the Levens fight. Kendall Grove dealt another 90 days later.
Justin Levens also passed from this world in 2008.
I will always remember that fight. For a variety of reasons.
Vitor is coming. Somebody better polish up that MW belt.
Okami = Lindland & Franklin
by Bigger Zino on Sep 8, 2010 10:26 AM EDT reply actions 1 recs
good write-up...RIP
"Learn from yesterday, live for today, hope for tomorrow. The important thing is to not stop questioning." - Albert Einstein
Rest in Peace Evan !
WE MISS U EVAN ! Thanks 4 all the GREAT MEMORIES U GAVE US !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
by elguapo2 on Sep 8, 2010 10:27 AM EDT via mobile reply actions
Can't watch the video's but I remember a story
About a school wanting to build a play ground for the kids, had all the funding for material but could not afford labor so they emailed pro athletes to see if they’d do some charity work. Tanner is one of the few that showed up; his response to their email was “Your cause is a good one, I’ll be there.”
Really unfortunate that he couldn’t get it together in his personal life; but still a genuinly well meaning person.
"Long shall we remember
He who walked the road of danger
Master of revenge
Death's no stranger
Blood and death lived on his sword
The god of war his only lord
Into the depths of hell
Go all he fell"
- Manowar hymn of the immortal warriors
by O damn he got caught on Sep 8, 2010 11:04 AM EDT up reply actions
Only the good die young.
"Friends and lovers lie endlessly, caught in the web of duty. Only enemies speak the truth.
-Stephen King
Whew
Thank god I am safe then
"Long shall we remember
He who walked the road of danger
Master of revenge
Death's no stranger
Blood and death lived on his sword
The god of war his only lord
Into the depths of hell
Go all he fell"
- Manowar hymn of the immortal warriors
by O damn he got caught on Sep 8, 2010 11:49 AM EDT up reply actions
I am going to live to 125
Not only does BJ Penn quit on his stool versus guys that are bigger than him...He gets tooled by guys that are SMALLER than him. BJ should just stick to jumping out of pools, not fighting. I shoulda listened to Ulf.
Evan Tanner = The Power of 1
Evan Tanner is a true legend in my eyes. I respected him in victory and defeat. My Evan Tanner moment was when he became the UFC Middle Weight Champion by defeating David Terrell @ UFC51.
Evan Tanner is the 1st UFC Champion to have passed away.
I can't wait until someone trolls this topic.
All you guys that love Tanner are going to be really bitter.
Much respect to the guy though, great fighter and seemed like a real great guy out of the cage. Damn shame he went crazy.
Riding the Brock Train..
Jon Fitch, Gray Maynard and Chael Sonnen can suck it. If I want a blanket I'll buy it in the store, not on PPV.
GSP and Rashad are getting close to joining this list.
The guy wasn't crazy
According to those that knew him he was just adventurous; did the nature thing all the time. Personally I don’t get it cause I don’t even like camping all that much myself, but apparently he was really into it; decided to research survival in the desert, tried to test himself on what he’d learned and didn’t make it out.
"Long shall we remember
He who walked the road of danger
Master of revenge
Death's no stranger
Blood and death lived on his sword
The god of war his only lord
Into the depths of hell
Go all he fell"
- Manowar hymn of the immortal warriors
by O damn he got caught on Sep 8, 2010 11:09 AM EDT up reply actions
not crazy
you get stranded in the desert without water. Game over. It was an unfortunate accident. Kid was just different, nothing wrong with that man.
Not only does BJ Penn quit on his stool versus guys that are bigger than him...He gets tooled by guys that are SMALLER than him. BJ should just stick to jumping out of pools, not fighting. I shoulda listened to Ulf.
Could someone remind me how exactly he died?
I remember hearing something about finding him the desert?
look right above this post =P
"Long shall we remember
He who walked the road of danger
Master of revenge
Death's no stranger
Blood and death lived on his sword
The god of war his only lord
Into the depths of hell
Go all he fell"
- Manowar hymn of the immortal warriors
by O damn he got caught on Sep 8, 2010 11:12 AM EDT up reply actions
here ya go
http://lmgtfy.com/?q=How+did+evan+tanner+die%3F
visit my blog http://bear-trap.blogspot.com
How was he not crazy?
He went into the desert with a 4 wheeler with no gas and no supplies.
Would jumping off a skyscraper without a parachute be adventurous? Possibly, but also suicidal. Same thing applies.
Riding the Brock Train..
Jon Fitch, Gray Maynard and Chael Sonnen can suck it. If I want a blanket I'll buy it in the store, not on PPV.
GSP and Rashad are getting close to joining this list.
After a little reading..
He took a Dirt bike, not a 4 wheeler. and the bare essentials..
Still. Crazy.
If anyone is interested here is the blog he wrote about going in the desert.
http://www.spike.com/blog/treasure-hunting-in/67570
Riding the Brock Train..
Jon Fitch, Gray Maynard and Chael Sonnen can suck it. If I want a blanket I'll buy it in the store, not on PPV.
lol, to each his own then
Personally I wouldn’t climb a mountain, dive with sharks, sky dive etc.. but some people live for that kind of shit; Tanner was just like that imo, I guess some people would view that as crazy; I’m not gonna judge.
"Long shall we remember
He who walked the road of danger
Master of revenge
Death's no stranger
Blood and death lived on his sword
The god of war his only lord
Into the depths of hell
Go all he fell"
- Manowar hymn of the immortal warriors
by O damn he got caught on Sep 8, 2010 11:26 AM EDT up reply actions
It is all about his addiction...
To fill the void left by alcohol, Tanner chose to use “extreme-survival” as his drug of choice. It cost him his life, but he went out on his own terms and I believe he was clean.
"Learn from yesterday, live for today, hope for tomorrow. The important thing is to not stop questioning." - Albert Einstein
sober
he’d been sober for somewhere around a year. i can’t recall exactly, but it might have been a month less or a month more. he just decided to stop drinking one day and didn’t have another drink for the rest of his life, as it turned out.
by salt and battery on Sep 8, 2010 7:05 PM EDT up reply actions
I don’t feel like I am crazy, but, I enjoy rock climbing, have been skydiving several times, have flirted with sharks in hawaii, have spent some dangerous time out in the desert. I don’t see it as nuts, people like adventures man. Sometimes bad shit happens.
Not only does BJ Penn quit on his stool versus guys that are bigger than him...He gets tooled by guys that are SMALLER than him. BJ should just stick to jumping out of pools, not fighting. I shoulda listened to Ulf.
agreed
-It's Better To Be Judged By Twelve Than Carried By Six-
(In the name of the SouthCaliStunNa, amen)
by *Californication* on Sep 8, 2010 2:30 PM EDT up reply actions
he was well prepared
evan was a very intelligent guy. he was well prepared for this adventure and he’d done things like this numerous times before. never a trip so far into that kind of desert, so he did his research and had his supplies. he loved to tackle things like this by reading about it. it was the same way he taught himself submissions, plumbing, carpentry, and so on. unfortunately, the information that he had about the spring to get water had not been updated. when he got there to fill his canteens, there was no water. the spring was unusable. he had just set up camp and was doing the same thing anyone would do…going to get water. he would have been fine had there been water at the spring and had he been able to fill his canteens. he couldn’t, and sadly, he succumbed to the elements.
he was a good friend to a lot of us. it’s unfortunate you did not know him.
by salt and battery on Sep 8, 2010 7:02 PM EDT up reply actions
oh..and this..
http://www.spike.com/blog/test/68011
Riding the Brock Train..
Jon Fitch, Gray Maynard and Chael Sonnen can suck it. If I want a blanket I'll buy it in the store, not on PPV.
I was lucky enough to meet Evan Tanner at UFC 84. He was the humblest, nicest fighter you cna meet. He took pics with me and my Bro, let us hold his belt and jsut chatted with us like he knew us forever. RIP Evan Tanner .
“Hope you found what you were looking for.”
Shogun will have the longest championship reign in the UFC
Does Tanner have Kids?
I think it is sad he had to do that to fill a void. I hope he took care of his family.
by Brockness Monster on Sep 8, 2010 12:21 PM EDT reply actions
Joe Rogan said it best:
Evan Tanner has left this world a little less interesting.
by igracek on Sep 8, 2010 2:46 PM EDT reply actions 1 recs
Here Are My Thoughts From The Day They Confimed His Death
http://silverladder.com/blog/?p=20
Hard to believe it’s been two years already.
lol
you must be new.
Vitor is coming. Somebody better polish up that MW belt.
Okami = Lindland & Franklin
No, Not New
And I didn’t realize we were on Sherdog.
Interesting
It’s that difficult for you to tell the difference between a legitimate blog that I may no money off of (did you see any ads?) relevant to the topic and a pure spam post by a bot? Should I draw you a picture to clear it up?
by silverladder on Sep 10, 2010 7:03 PM EDT up reply actions
Did you write that yourself?
cuz that was deep as hell. props to who ever did write it
R.I.P Chris McCandless
jk but seriously R.I.P
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