Evan Tanner dies in the desert (seriously)

"I plan on going so deep into the desert, that any failure of my equipment, could cost me my life."

- Evan Tanner, August 18, 2008

It appears that former UFC middleweight champion Evan Tanner could have predicted his own death less than one month ago.

The Imperial County Sheriff's Department today discovered the dead body of a man in the Palo Verde, Calif., mountain area. And it is believed - although still unconfirmed - that it could be Tanner.

MMAmania.com has placed several calls to the Imperial County Sheriff's Department and we have been unable to confirm or deny the report.

In the meantime, here's a snip from IVPressOnline.com:

"Authorities have not confirmed if the body is that of missing mixed martial arts fighter, Evan Tanner, who had fought in the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC). Tanner, 37, has been missing since last weekend. Tanner's friends from Oceanside, where Tanner resides, had been texting him without reply since Wednesday before they reported him missing on Friday. On Sunday, a campsite was discovered in the Clapp Springs area of the Palo Verde mountains. Tanner's motorcycle was found at the campsite. A body was found today when a sheriffs deputy was flying around the general location of the campsite. The Imperial County deputy coroner is being flown in to retrieve and identify body."

If it is indeed Tanner this is truly a a huge loss. He was a pioneer of the sport who had his own unique approach to fighting and to life.

He was an adventure seeker, documenting his travels in great detail on his personal blog and on Spike.com. Tanner recently overcame a dark period in his life and a battle with alcohol.

His life was an open book, which either turned fans in his favor or against him. Tanner didn't really care one way or the other how people felt - he did things his way.

He recently returned to the Octagon to recapture some of the glory from earlier in his fighting career; however, he lost his first two comeback bouts.

Tanner mentioned that he was going to take some time off and address some injuries that had been hampering him for the past several years. In the meantime, he continued his nomadic ways ... let's just hope this isn't really the end for one of the most eccentric fighters the sport has ever known.

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I help run MMA Mania, and this is a huge blow to MMA. This is a very sad and tragic day. Evan, I loved watching you give it all in the octagon and also I met you twice and you were one of the nicest guys I have ever met. Thank you for everything Evan.

That's all I really got to say. That had to be the scariest/greatest knockout that I have ever seen in my life. Chuck Liddell once again got sloppy and got caught.

Rich Franklin won via liver shot. Too bad our Ohio boys went 1-2 for tonight with Mike Patt and Matt Brown losing tonight, both were featured on the ppv.

The UFC is at it again, when possibly the biggest block buster card that has been released this year by any organization by the Affliction Brand, on July 19th, it was supposed to be their time to shine. It was supposed to be a huge mark in the MMA business with former UFC fighters such as Andrei Arvloski, Tim Sylvia, Babalu, Mike Whitehead, Matt Lindland, and also the number 1 pound for pound fighter in the world making his debut inside a cage in Fedor, this was supposed to equal huge PPV money.

Enter Dana White, who has now counter acting, and counter programming against the Affliction card. Dana White and the UFC have reached an agreement with Spike TV to host Ultimate Fight Night 14: Anderson Silva vs. James Irvin at a 205 pound weight on the same night where the Affliction was going to make its name. Also, other fighters that could be on this card are Wanderlei Silva and Brandon Vera.

While drinking my orange juice this morning, I was watching ESPN's Sportscenter while they were talking NFL Draft with Scout's Inc. Director, Todd McShay. Wide Reciever Malcom Kelly's pro day for April 9th was talking about, and Todd McShay said that there is one team that is watching Malcom Kelly very closely, and that is the Cincinnati Bengals. He is saying that they are doing something that he has really never seen. The Bengals are sending down the WR Coach, Bob Bratkowski, Marvin Lewis (I Belive..) and the rest of the 3 scouts to go watch Malcom. Then after his pro-day Malcom Kelly is hoping onto a airplane with Bob Brat, the WR Coach and the scouts and he is flying to Cincinnati to get a feel of the city, and to participate here in drills.

Todd McShay also said this could mean 1 or 2 things,

1.) This could be a smokescreen to trade down

2.) Chad Johnson is out of Cincinnati

Well, obviously Chad is not out, and who really needs a WR at 9? So the question that I have is, if Sedrick Ellis is not there at 9, do you go with another DE, that you will be overpaying in the likes of a Derrick Harvey? Do you pay once again 1st round money on a corner in Leodis McKelvin? What about a Linebacker like Keith Rivers?

Now, is it really that off to think that we could be looking at 3 players at the 9 position? Kelly, Ellis or Rivers? Because these players fill immediate needs on this team.

Chad and TJ are going to be 31 during the season. TJ IS his in final year in his contract.

Now think about it...