Finding closure in the loss of Evan Tanner

It’s interesting how so often death brings out the best in life.

Such is the case with the late Evan Tanner, whose body was discovered on September 8 by Yuma Search and Rescue Marines in the Palo Verde Mountain range.

The coroner who responded from El Centro, Calif., reports that Tanner succumbed to heat exhaustion after setting off on sort of a middle-aged Walkabout, where the former UFC middleweight champion spent his final days testing his physical limits and finding his spirituality.

Now that the initial shock of his passing has worn off, both fans and media from the world of mixed martial arts are trying to find his rightful place in the annals of UFC history.

Recently I came across a public petition to have Tanner posthumously inducted into the UFC Hall of Fame. While the argument has merit, it’s hard to take seriously when it’s signed by many of the same people who called Tanner “washed-up” after his recent 0-2 run in the UFC.

But that pales in comparison to the abundance of Tanner quotes now making the rounds on the MMA Internet boards. A year ago they were a punchline … now they’re gospel.

I admire people who are sincere in their efforts to restore nobility to the memory of a great fighter, but I ask you, where were all these good Samaritans when Tanner was broke, unemployed and suffering from alcoholism?

I can’t say for sure, but I do know they are there for him now that he’s passed. In fact, it was a mere 48 hours before his estate was contacted about securing the publishing rights to his life story.

Evan Tanner has my respect because he conquered his personal demons with the support of a few loyal fans and little else. From rock bottom, he scratched and clawed his way back onto a major UFC pay-per-view, even if his return to the fight game didn’t go exactly as planned.

The point is he returned.

It’s not that his skills had declined over the years, it’s that they didn’t continue to evolve. And being paired with Japanese juggernaut Yushin Okami at UFC 82 after a two-year layoff wasn’t exactly the best place to work out the kinks.

No matter. His return to action made headlines and for the first time in ages they were because of his accomplishments inside the Octagon and not outside it.

True, most of his big fights in the UFC were losses, but his status as a grizzled and talented veteran was able to elevate not just the wins, but the overall presence of his opponents.

Kendall Grove may have a second shot at UFC super stardom because he defeated Evan Tanner. Grove enjoyed hype that he may not have otherwise experienced had he instead been paired with someone like Sean Salmon.

And how far did Evan Tanner bring Rich Franklin? They had two magnificent battles, with Tanner almost stopping “Ace” with a crushing left at UFC 53. That was Franklin’s coming-out party, where he was able to establish himself as one of the better strikers at 185 and his wins mattered because Evan Tanner mattered.

Even David Loiseau wouldn’t have had his crack at Franklin’s title had he not stopped Tanner at Ultimate Fight Night 2.

But for me his biggest contribution to the relevance of a current star was his fight against Tito Ortiz at UFC 30 back in 2001. At the time Tanner was a staggering 23-2 and 3-0 in the UFC with 17 submission wins. The up-and-coming Ortiz was coming off back-to-back victories over Wanderlei Silva and Yuki Kondo after giving Frank Shamrock all he could handle at UFC 22.

Tanner lost just 32 seconds in, but the hype surrounding the fight and the KO finish solidified Ortiz as a major player in mixed martial arts and gave birth to the Ortiz Era (for better or worse).

Evan Tanner may be gone, but his legacy lives on in the success of fighters that he helped create. Whether or not he ever makes it into the UFC Hall of Fame is of little importance. This sport wouldn’t have been the same without his contributions.

And he doesn’t need his picture hanging in the corridors of the UFC to prove it.

Check out the short and sweet tribute to Evan Tanner at UFC.com after the jump, as well as one from NBCSports.com.

Source: UFC blog for UFC news, results, videos, rumors, fights, pics and tickets — MMAmania.com