Is Former UFC Champion Evan Tanner Dead?

Tanner, 37, had embarked on a camping trip some time around Sept. Tanner was reported as missing near a camp ground near Palo Verde, CA, and a body, presumed to be that of Tanner’s was found near the campsite where he had been staying.

An autopsy is said to be scheduled for Tuesday. Deana Epperson, who grew up across the street from Tanner and his family in his hometown of Amarillo, Texas, said she’d been told that the fighter had texted friends in Oceanside as late as Thursday, telling them that he’d run out of water and gas for his motorcycle.

After losing his belt, Tanner began training with American Top Team, but lost his next fight to David Loiseau at Ultimate fight Night 2.

Tanner then won the UFC Middleweight title at UFC 51, stopping David Terrell with strikes in the first round.

He was an American professional mixed martial arts fighter. Tanner won his first championship when he defeated Heath Herring at USWF 7, and went on to successfully defend that title five times.

Tanner was awarded the belt and became the first UFC Middleweight champion since Murilo Bustamante held the title before leaving for PRIDE Fighting Championships in 2002. Tanner was given the opportunity to avenge his loss to Rich Franklin at UFC 53, who had also decided to drop down to the Middleweight division after fighting as a Light-Heavyweight for years.

With three victories in the UFC, Tanner received a title shot against UFC Light-Heavyweight champion Tito Ortiz at UFC 30. It was after this defeat that Tanner began to become a more disciplined fighter.

Tanner’s fight against Franklin at UFC 53 was for more than just the UFC Middleweight title, as the winner of the fight would also become one of the coaches for the The Ultimate Fighter 2 reality show. Tanner expressed a lot of interest in being one of the coaches, stating that the opportunity would give him tremendous exposure.

Tanner’s only fight during the hiatus was at a charity event hosted by the Full Contact Fighting Federation. Tanner was victorious against Shannon Ritch, submitting him with a triangle choke in the first round.

Tanner won five fights overseas and competed in the USWF once more before the UFC came calling. Tanner made his UFC debut in 1999 at UFC 18, submitting fellow Amarillo native Darrell Gholar by rear naked choke in the first round.

Tanner won the tournament, defeating three fighters including former UFC Heavyweight contender Paul Buentello, in one night. Tanner, with a wrestling background, began fighting in 1997 when he was convinced by friends to enter a local MMA tournament, hosted by the now defunct Unified Shoot Wrestling Federation.

Tanner credits his ability to enjoy success while standing with Baroni because of training with his newly hired boxing coach, Curtis Crawford.

Tanner then faced Phil Baroni in consecutive fights at UFC 45 and UFC 48 respectively. Baroni maintains that it was a verbal miscommunication and he never asked for the fight to be stopped.

Tanner was ahead on points until the fight was stopped in the second round due to a cut Tanner received from Loiseau’s elbow. After this defeat, Tanner took time away to deal with some personal issues but stated that he would become an official member of the Chute Boxe team.

Tanner was able to knock Franklin down with a right hand in the first round of the bout but Franklin took control from there, dominating Tanner until the fight was stopped by the ringside doctor due to a TKO by Franklin.

Levens was a late replacement for Jeremy Horn who was originally scheduled to fight Tanner but was forced to withdraw after a training injury. Tanner returned to the UFC in April of 2006 at UFC 59, defeating Justin Levens by way of triangle choke.

Tanner would be victorious three more times in the UFC before taking another hiatus from June 2002 to April 2003.