RIP Evan Tanner

Former UFC MW Champion Evan Tanner was found dead yesterday, 09-Sept-08.

Prayers to Evan's friends and family - Evan will be sorely missed.

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MMA Weekly's article on the circumstances surrounding Evan's death can be found here:

http://www.mmaweekly.com/absolutenm/anmviewer.asp?a=7059&z=2

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I just posted this on the Underground Forum:

I didn't know Evan. I never corresponded with him via myspace, email, or the like. I never got to meet him. Hell, I never even got to see him fight live.

Yet, his death is really hitting me hard.

Somebody else said it might be somewhat strange to feel this way about somebody that you've never met. I agree, b/c I feel the same way.

One of the things that originally drew me to MMA (originally via the UFC) was that it wasn't glitz. It wasn't glamor. It wasn't about pretty boys or prima-donnas.

MMA was about regular guys, who had worked their asses off, wanting to test themselves. At the time, there was no (at least very little) money in the sport. Fighters had to still work full-time jobs, and many times put their fighting careers on hold just to support their family.

It wasn't about riches, or fame, or fighting in front of crowds, or getting your face on a reality TV show. It was about being a warrior, and testing yourself as one.

This is what Evan Tanner was - a warrior for the sake of being a warrior.

Most people in the limelight have issues - as do most folks. But issues generally aren't allowed in the limelight. Unless it's for deliberate attention, or a matter of public record, these issues are buried - buried deep down so that others may not see that the image of our favorite personality just *might not* be what everybody thinks it is.

Not Evan.

As was said, he wore his heart on his sleeve. He fully embraced something I try to do, and that's to fulfill the old computer term - WYSIWYG - What You See Is What You Get.

No facades, no acts, no gimmicks, no lies from Evan - just the genuine article.

And in this fast-growing, seemingly almost over-popular sport we call MMA, that is what I'll miss most.

RIP Evan - you will be missed.

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Wiggy