Former UFC champion Evan Tanner's body recovered after solo hiking trip

Former UFC champion Evan Tanner dead at 37

Fighter's body is recovered after reported missing on solo camping trip

By Mike Chiappetta
NBCSports.com

Former UFC middleweight champion Evan Tanner was found dead in the Palo Verde mountain area of California, the UFC confirmed Monday night.

Tanner, who most recently fought for the UFC in June, had been reported missing by friends who were concerned they had not heard from him in a few days while on a solo camping trip, according to a report from the San Diego Union-Tribune.

Tanner’s manager John Hayner told MMA news site CagePotato.com that Tanner had run out of gas and was attempting to walk back to civilization, but died of exposure in the triple-digit heat, which reached 114 degrees on Sunday.

An air-and-ground search for the 37-year-old was launched, and his body was spotted by a Marine Corps pilot.

Tanner was known as a sensitive man and a free spirit, and on his blog on Spike.com, explained his reasons for exploring the desert prior to his trip, writing, “And to think, there are still places in the world where man has not been, where he has left no footprints, where the mysteries stand secure, untouched by human eyes. I want to go to these places, the quiet, timeless, ageless places, and sit, letting silence and solitude be my teachers.”

Tanner was a highly regarded fighter who began his professional career in 1997, compiling a record of 32-8. Despite being the underdog, he captured the UFC middleweight championship in February 2005, defeating David Terrell by first-round TKO. He later dropped the belt to Rich Franklin in a bout that exemplified the heart with which Tanner fought.

After Tanner hurt Franklin early, the tide soon shifted. Tanner was systematically battered by Franklin over the course of the next 15 minutes, his eyes swelling and cuts on his face, but he refused to stay down although it became clear Franklin was in complete control. Eventually, the ringside doctor stopped the fight to spare Tanner any more damage.

After defeating Justin Levens at UFC 59, Tanner took a self-imposed exile from fighting, but spent much of the time battling issues as diverse as financial troubles, a drinking problem, and his dream to build a home for at-risk young men who had an interest in becoming pro mixed martial artists. Tanner often spoke and wrote courageously and honestly about his life, telling NBCSports.com prior to his UFC 82 comeback fight against Yushin Okami, “I’m just a man with problems, meaning I’m just a man.”

Tanner was known for a big heart in fighting and in life. He was unable to complete funding for his fight house, but he had a reputation for helping others. Last November, a Fort Worth, Texas Parent Teacher Association was building a playground for children in a low-income area. Someone posted the need for help on the popular MMA website, MMA.tv. Tanner simply responded, "Your cause is a good one. I will be there." He flew in from Las Vegas on his own dime, worked the entire day and signed autographs for anyone who wanted them, writing inspirational messages on each.

His comeback fight against Okami, however, did not go well; he was overpowered and suffered a second-round TKO in March. When he fought Kendall Grove in June, many felt that the loser of the bout would be cut from the UFC; Tanner lost a split-decision. Shortly afterward, Tanner wrote on his blog that if he couldn’t get his health problems fixed, he’d be retiring.

The free-spirited Tanner was known for doing things his way. He was hardly a fan of the sport he practiced, focusing hard on his own game, but paying little attention to the sport at large. He preferred books to sports. His initial entry into MMA was on a lark. The former Texas high school state wrestling champion entered a one-night mixed martial arts tournament in his hometown of Amarillo, and won all three matches in springboarding his career. Tanner rarely trained with the same camp, and spoke of his life’s chapters as “adventures.” More than one friend was known to describe him as “restless,” with a built-in yearning to experience new things. He liked to surf and ride motorcycles. He lived simply, often in spartan conditions, and drove a 30-year-old Toyota Land Cruiser. He kept a journal documenting his life. He’d just relocated to Oceanside, Calif., when he started his latest adventure to burrow into the desert, which he characterized as a “journey to solitude” on his blog.

When friends voiced concern about his solo trip, Tanner tried to allay their fears, writing, “So my plan is to go out to the desert, do some camping, ride the motorcycle, and shoot some guns. Sounds like a lot of fun to me. A lot of people do it. This isn't a version of Into the Wild. I'm not going out into the desert with a pair of shorts and a bowie knife, to try to live off the land. I'm going fully geared up, and I'm planning on having some fun.”

On Tanner’s MySpace page, visitors are hauntingly greeted by a song from Eddie Vedder, one of his favorite artists. The song is “Guaranteed,” which plays over the credits as the movie Into the Wild ends.

The lyrics close with words that echo Tanner’s life:

Leave it to me as I find a way to be
Consider me a satellite, forever orbiting
I know all the rules, but the rules do not know me
Guaranteed.

It always makes me sad to hear about folks who don't make it out.

I wonder if he had much (or any) knowledge about desert survival. I'm not trying to trivialize his loss, but every time someone dies in the wild, I'm reminded that I better keep learning; the rules are different out there.

And I'm glad I spend most of time in a mild climate.