Remembering MW Champ Evan Tanner 10 years later

[Rondas Pillow]

It has hard to believe that it has been 10 years since he went missing.

He'll never be in any GOAT conversations, but he had a lot of natural talent. He didn't start wrestling until his sophomore year of high school and then won state his junior and senior years. He was towards the end of the era where fighters would talk about learning from studying tapes. He taught himself submissions this way. He did briefly join Team Quest.

He fought all around the world and ended up in the UFC. He beat Robbie to get to fight for the MW title and won it. He was caught in a guillotine, but amazingly got out of it and ended up winning by ground and pound. UFC has the video free to watch (you can't embed their videos):

http://www.ufc.com/media/ufc-51-terrell-tanner-free

Post your Tanner memories.

 

[Typrune Goatley]

I loved it when he smashed Dave Terrell.

Everyone thought Terrell was the next big thing. A lot of people counted Evan out but Evan went in there and destroyed Terrell!

 

[Frank McEdgar]

His beard game was legit.

Thanks for being a poineer Mr. Tanner.

 

[Arm Barbarian]

Tanner was a wild man.

INTENSE dude. Set a really good pace.

Left well before his time.

 

[Rondas Pillow]

I loved it when he smashed Dave Terrell.

Everyone thought Terrell was the next big thing. A lot of people counted Evan out but Evan went in there and destroyed Terrell!

The huge Gracie tatoo on Terrell's arm

 

[neverwas]

i always remember his words on weight cutting.

 

[An Uncertain Choice]

I always thought evan tanner deserved a spot in the ufc hof

 

[Rondas Pillow]

I always thought evan tanner deserved a spot in the ufc hof

Damn, I thought they did add him. They didn't though. I guess I was thinking of Mask. They really should.

 

[Typrune Goatley]

The huge Gracie tatoo on Terrell's arm

Hahaha. That was part of his hype.

Not only did this guy have great BJJ but we all thought he might also have serious KO power because he had just KO'ed Matt Lindland, a top 5 fighter in the world, shortly before this.

I still think Terrell was a great talent that had a lot of potential. He was just rushed into big fights too soon and then he was introduced to Evan's elbows. He also had quite a few injuries IIRC. He only had one more fight after Evan brutalized him.

 

[Toilet Cookie]

One of my all time favorites. Used to correspond with him back in the myspace days. Such a genuine, nice, motivating guy. Alcoholism and depression is a scary beast. Miss ya Evan.

 

[UPAZWITTS]

Evan had the man bun and made it cool! Unlike all those straight razor shaving, microbrew drinking, scarf wearing hipsters out there.

 

[DuncanFan819]

He had an aura about him that just conveyed a chill, cool personality. He was a great fighter with legit power and a fantastic ground game. He was/is a great loss to the MMA community.

 

[Aerosol]

Old school great.
Amazing fighter and person.
He was highly misunderstood because of his drinking. I can relate.
RIP Evan.

 

[LouisBolanos]

Evan Tanner's death got me IP banned.

 

[Medical Marijuana Man]

Evan Tanner's death got me IP banned.

You shouldnt have been bashing him

 

[Kumason]

I loved it when he smashed Dave Terrell.

Everyone thought Terrell was the next big thing. A lot of people counted Evan out but Evan went in there and destroyed Terrell!

He ko'd Lindland and everyone freaked out.I was like we'll see but I think I was picking Terrell,sucked into hype, but wasn't sold.I really disliked Terrell's personality.That shit was great,not just because I didn't care for Terrell but I really liked Tanner.It was also an underdog story and we later found out more of an underdog story than we thought with his drinking,no camp most of the time etc.

 

[Rondas Pillow]

Evan Tanner's death got me IP banned.

My last IP ban was for a thread about Conor should come out, get a sex change operation and fight Ronda to become WBW champ. Fight would do 2 million buys easy.

 

[LouisBolanos]

My last IP ban was for a thread about Conor should come out, get a sex change operation and fight Ronda to become WBW champ. Fight would do 2 million buys easy.

These days that's not even gonna get you carded, at most wasteland.

I was one of the many who said the trip was a bad idea after Tanner posted about it on social media. I think I quoted my post after it happened in a "I told you so" kind of way and got IP banned as a result.

 

[Typrune Goatley]

He also submitted Robbie Lawler with a triangle.

He also beat Tha Best Eva 2x.

Evan was a warrior and a champion

 

[Felsh]

rip in hof