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R.I.P.
UFC Fighter Found Dead

Posted Sep 9th 2008 11:20AM by TMZ Staff

TMZ has learned former UFC middleweight champion Evan Tanner went missing in the California desert and his body was found yesterday.

Law enforcement tells us the 37-year-old went out into the desert near San Diego last Friday. That same day, Tanner sent a text message to a friend that he was out of water and needed help. There was a massive search that ended abruptly yesterday.

Tanner blogged last month he was going to the desert because of his friends talking about "treasure hunting and lost gold, and my own insatiable appetite for adventure and exploration." Tanner continued, "I plan on going so deep into the desert, that any failure of my equipment could cost me my life."

Tanner's song of choice on his MySpace page was "Guaranteed" by Eddie Vedder from the movie "Into the Wild." The movie was about a guy who goes off into the wilderness against the advice of everyone he knows. Guess how it ended.

Tanner was featured on Spike TV's, "The Ultimate Fighter." He lost his last bout in June at the Ultimate Fighter 7 finale.

Cause of death is undetermined.

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91. Youtube: or Google: THE GREAT GIG IN THE SKY RACHEL

video ode 2 Evan

The Great Gig in the Sky
(Wright) 4:44

"And I am not frightened of dying, any time will do, I
don't mind. Why should I be frightened of dying?
There's no reason for it, you've gotta go sometime."

"If you can hear this whispering you are dying."

"I never said I was frightened of dying."

Posted at 10:08PM on Sep 9th 2008 by JEN2K

92. Sounds like a real rocket scientist who did quite a bit of planning before venturing out.

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

Duh.

Posted at 1:43PM on Sep 9th 2008 by bob

93. why coulnt it have been one of the Hogans instead..

Posted at 1:16PM on Sep 9th 2008 by mike

94. I'm just glad no one lost HIS life looking for the guy.

Posted at 1:31PM on Sep 9th 2008 by Kay

95. WATER ISSUE - Ok, many people on here keep posting how he could run out of water. Instead of waiting for the details, everyone assumes he took one or two damn bottles of water. You HAVE to realize that he was in 115 degree weather. I'm sure when he started to overheat, he began to poor water on himself and over his head to cool off and keep his body temperature low. Why does everyone believe the first thing they hear without even thinking about being in his situation? Are you the same people who buy those damn QVC gadgets that don't work? Use your head and think about the situation before posting dumb and irresponsible comments. It just makes you look retarded.

Posted at 1:41PM on Sep 9th 2008 by matt

96. Matt,
The man ventured into the desert and you think he took along a couple of bottles of water?

If that's the case, why would you be surprised he's dead?

Posted at 1:52PM on Sep 9th 2008 by bob

97. Seems to me that he should have contacted help earlier and since he finally contacted his friend, I don't see why the friend "waited" and then contacted authorities a day later, I believe. WOW for him and wow for his friend. RIP though..

Posted at 3:08PM on Sep 10th 2008 by GOD

98. fact-checker: "Tanner was featured on Spike TV's, "The Ultimate Fighter.""
Tanner was never on The Ultimate Fighter.

Posted at 10:43PM on Sep 9th 2008 by pmhapp

99. THIS JACKASS IS A CERTIFIED LOON. HE'S OBVIOUSLY BEEN DROPPED ON HIS HEAD ONE TIME TOO MANY. MOTHER NATURE OFTEN ELIMINATES THE DEFECTIVE ONES TO PROTECT THE SPECIES - SO IT IS WITH THIS MORON. PEOPLE THAT LIVE IN THE DESERT KNOW THEIR LIMITATIONS - THIS PUTZ THOUGHT IT WAS LIKE ON TV. WHAT AN IDIOT. HE DIDN'T NEED WATER, HE NEEDED BRAIN CELLS. ON THE POSITIVE SIDE, HE'S OUT OF THE GENE POOL!

Posted at 5:10PM on Sep 9th 2008 by Dick Pudenda

100. we all have that adventure in our inner throughts... searching for treasures .... its sad what happened... the only advice for treasure hunters is to have a gps along with back up batteries...and if your serious about searching for lost treasures out in the desert, rent a magnetometor for that purpose ..... i have some crazy friends looking for treasures out in arizona....many years now looking for a lost treasure... sad story..

Posted at 7:48PM on Sep 9th 2008 by anthony

101. ok, instead of focusing on running out of water what im wondering is how he ran out of gas, he should of know right away that he was out of gas and called right away, instead of waiting until he ran out of water. His biggest mistake was that if any of his equipment failed he could have easily rode back to the closes town to get help, but obviously he wasnt thinking,

Posted at 1:13AM on Sep 10th 2008 by papasmurf

102. I THINK IT WAS A VERY TRAGIC THING THAT HAPPENED, BUT AT THE SAME TIME: WHAT WAS HE THINKING? DID HE ACTUALLY THINK HE WAS GOING TO FIND LOST TREASURE AND GOLD?!

Posted at 2:21AM on Sep 12th 2008 by april

103. TO ALL THESE PEOPLE TALKING SMACK!!!!! ....... MAYBE HIS "TREASURE" WAS HIS OWN KIND OF TREASURE...SUCH AS A 'SPIRITUAL AWAKENING' TYPE THING.....DONT DISS THE DEAD...HAVE SOME RESECT

Posted at 7:20PM on Sep 12th 2008 by IE_MINDY

104. R.I.P my friend. You will never be forgotten!

Posted at 1:31PM on Sep 14th 2008 by Big Stinky

105. What a shame. He was hot. Yes. He. Was.

This is why married men live longer, people.

Posted at 1:42PM on Sep 20th 2008 by ckit

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