It was really sad to hear about the passing of Evan Tanner. Evan was a true pioneer of MMA and someone whom I really looked up to and I enjoyed watching him fight. Evan made an impression on many fighters and fans so he may be gone but he will not be forgotten. RIP Evan - Fighters.com's fifth-ranked lightweight “Muscle Shark” Sean Sherk (32-3-1) ...

Evan Tanner was one of the guys I watched and was in awe of before I seriously got into fighting.  I was lucky enough to train with him a few times, and am glad I had the opportunity to do so.  I had one of those "wow I'm fighting on the same card as this guy I look up to" moments when I realized we shared a warm-up room during my last fight.  He will missed and remembered by us all. - Amir Sadollah (1-0), TUF 7 Champion ...

It always saddens me when we lose a fellow MMA fighter, especially one like Evan.  His memorable fights and his class act will be missed greatly.  RIP Evan and relax and enjoy you are in better place! - "Yamato Damashi" Enson Inoue (11-8), former Shooto Heavyweight Champion ...

I think that Evan Tanner is a legendary man, and unfortunately like all true legends, has passed.  I didn't have the opportunity to really get to know the man, so really, who am I to say anything about him, but I know this- he lives on in his warrior spirit- something we can all just attempt to emulate. - Fighters.com's tenth-ranked middleweight "Mayhem" Jason Miller (20-5) ...

Evan Tanner was one of the pioneers of the sport that I looked up to when I started my MMA career. Its sad to see him go and I hope he is resting in a better place. - "Quick" Mike Swick (12-2), UFC welterweight ...

I'm really saddened by the news... Evan first fought for me in 1998 and was one of the guys I always enjoyed seeing at the shows, whether he was competing or not.  He always had a big smile and a handshake waiting whenever we bumped into each other.  The MMA community and everybody who was touched by him  will miss him greatly. - Monte Cox, Adrenaline MMA President and MMA Agent ...

Former UFC Middleweight Champion Evan Tanner's (32-8) body was discovered Monday in the Sonoran Desert, between Los Angeles and Phoenix, by a helicopter pilot from Marine Corps Air Station Yuma. Tanner was 37-years old. A search for Tanner began Friday when friends became concerned about Tanner's solo camping trip in the desert. "The idea going into the desert came to me soon after I moved to Oceanside," said Tanner at his SpikeTV blog 16 August.  "It was motivated by my friend Sara's talk of treasure hunting and lost gold, and my own insatiable appetite for adventure and exploration.  I began to imagine what might be found in the deep reaches of the untracked desert. It became an obsession of sorts. "'Treasure' doesn't necessarily refer to something material." Tanner returned to the Octagon in 2008 after a two-year absence, but suffered losses to "Spyder" Kendall Grove (9-5) in June and Fighters.com's sixth-ranked middleweight "Thunder" Yushin Okami (22-4) in March. Tanner won the UFC middleweight title in a first-round TKO over "Soul Assassin" David Terrell (6-2) in February 2005. ...

Evan Tanner (32-8) announced on his SpikeTV blog Tuesday that he may retire. Tanner lost to “Spyder” Kendall Grove (9-5) in a split decision on The Ultimate Fighter 7 finale Saturday night, and has been taking the loss hard. “I was pissed off about the fight, fucking sad, fucking raging, on edge, all of it heavy with me, trying to maintain, trying not to explode.” “I haven’t seen anything about the fight. I know I looked really bad. I don’t need to see it, or hear about it to know that,” he added. Tanner mentioned “serious health problems” that he has been dealing with, that have affected his daily life and his training. He said, “If we can’t get this health issue figured out, I’m done, I’m retiring.” “I don’t want to step back into the Octagon unless I’m 100%, and I can give the fans the type of fight they deserve to see. I don’t see it coming to that though.” Tanner will be taking time off to see a doctor, and has “a good feeling about things.” ...

Three TUF champions highlighted the action in Las Vegas Saturday night: the original, the past, and the future. The future shines brilliantly for The Ultimate Fighter's newest blast into the mainstream consciousness, Amir Sadollah (1-0). In his professional debut, Sadollah tapped "Doberman" CB Dollaway (6-1) in an armbar at 3:02 of round one to win the seventh season of the popular SpikeTV reality show contest. "Nightmare" Diego Sanchez (19-2), one of the two original Ultimate Fighters, looked physically fitter than ever in his third-round TKO of American Top Team's Luigi Fioravanti (12-4) at 4:07. After back-to-back "embarrasing" losses, "Spyder" Kendall Grove (9-5), TUF 3 champion, recaptured past glory in a three-round split decision over former UFC titlist Evan Tanner (32-8). The likeable young TUF walk-on from Virginia, Sadollah, versus the cocky All-American favorite, Dollaway, was a rematch of an exhibition fight fought on the final episode of last season's The Ultimate Fighter. Saturday's finish was almost a replay of that fight's end. ...

It's with a heavy heart that Fighters.com's June Middleweight Rankings saw legendary "Hollywood" Dan Henderson (22-7) fall from the top ten. But, the cold, hard ledger reveals Hendo' hasn't had a win at 185-pounds in two years. Hendo's previous rank was filled by tenth-ranked "Mayhem" Jason Miller (20-6), falling a notch to newly ninth-ranked "Jacare" Ronaldo Souza (9-1). Souza debuted in the top ten after pulling off a tight two-round unanimous decision over Miller in DREAM's Middleweight Grand Prix 15 June. Also in June Japanese action, "Grabaka Hitman" Kazuo Misaki (20-8-2) cemented his seventh ranking with a UD over "Pink Pounder" Logan Clark at Sengoku. Misaki now seeks revenge over new Sengoku add-on, seventh-ranked "Twinkle Toes" Frank Trigg (16-6). No Sengoku match-up has been announced for Trigg; but, one would assume Misaki's home nation promotion wants to match the old enemies as soon as Trigg is ready. Sixth-ranked "Ruthless" Robbie Lawler (15-4) was pulling away from "Hands of Stone" Scott Smith (13-4) in the third round of their EliteXC title fight 31 May in Newark, west of New York City, when a thumb to Smith's eye rendered the result a No Contest. Lawler held steady in June, as did the entire middleweight top five. ...

Fighters.com's second-ranked heavyweight,current UFC co-Heavyweight Champion, and UFC Hall of Famer "The Natural" Randy Couture(16-8) spoke exclusively with Fighters.com from his Xtreme Couture gym in Las Vegas Monday afternoon. Couture graciously confronted and answered questions about his beef with the Zuffa, LLC and UFC President Dana White and third-ranked "Maine-iac" Tim Sylvia's (24-4) and his own prospective fight with sixth-ranked "Last Emperor" Fedor Emelianenko (27-1), shared opinions about fifth-ranked welterweight Matt Hughes (42-7), "Kimbo Slice" Kevin Ferguson (3-0), and Brock Lesnar (1-1), and made picks on future fights. Fighters.com: You've said you've accepted that you might get a bad court ruling and not fight again. Have you lost some competitiveness from being inactive for so long? The Natural: I still want to compete. I'm still in training as much as I can be with all this other stuff going on. I still seem to be able to hold my own, even with the lack of serious, hardcore training, with all the top guys that I have in the gym. I'm having fun being in the gym learning new tools, new skills and being there with a lot of the other guys that have been there for me, so I'm not too worried about that. The courts are going to do what the courts are going to do. We'll deal with it when it comes in. Fighters.com: Not many fighters have wives who also train. Does that give you both a different perspective and more understanding? ...

The UFC has officially announed the finale of The Ultimate Fighter 7 to be held 21 June live from The Pearl at the Palms Casino Resort in Las Vegas. As reported by Fighters.com, the card's main event will feature former UFC Middleweight Champion Evan Tanner (32-7), coming off of a knockout loss to Fighters.com's fifth-ranked middleweight "Thunder" Yushin Okami (22-4).  He's matched versus TUF 3 champion "Spyder" Kendall Grove (8-5). The co-main event pits Fighters.com's eighth-ranked welterweight and TUF 1 champion "Nightmare" Diego Sanchez (18-2) versus American Top Team's Luigi Fioravanti (12-3). The event will also feature the final bout in the middleweight tournament on the current season of The Ultimate Fighter. ...

TUF 3 Champion "Spider" Kendall Grove (8-5) has posted at his website that he'll fight former UFC Middleweight Champion Evan Tanner (32-7) in Las Vegas 21 June on the finale of the current TUF season. The match-up has not been confirmed by the UFC. Both fighters are coming off disappointing losses. After a two year hiatus from professional MMA battling alcoholism, Tanner returned to the Octagon last March to be knocked cold by top middleweight "Thunder" Yushin Okami (22-4). Grove has posted a 2-2 record since winning season three's TUF Championship over "Short Fuse" Ed Herman (14-5). In January, "Spider" was squashed by "El Conquistador" Jorge Rivera (15-6) in a first-round knock out.  UFC "Beastman" Marvin Eastman (15-7-1) has let his cat out of the bag too, posting on his MySpace blog that he'll follow-up February's unanimous decision over Terry Martin (16-4) with a match-up against Andrew McFedries (6-3) 21 June. McFedries was TKO'd by "The Predator" Patrick Cote (12-4) in January. The fight will conclude Eastman's contractual obligation to the UFC. ...

Former UFC Heavyweight Champion, "Pitbull" Andrei Arlovski pocketed the biggest purse Saturday night in Columbus, $105,000 to show plus a $65,000 win bonus.  His victory over "Irish" Jake O'Brien completed his UFC contract. However, it was UFC Middleweight Champion "Spider" Anderson Silva who left Nationwide Arena big pimpin' with a total disclosed payday of $260,000 for his second round submission of "Hollywood" Dan Henderson. Silva received $70,000 to show, a $70,000 win bonus, a $60,000 Submission of the Night bonus, and a $60,000 Fight of the Night bonus.  Mo' money, mo' money, mo' money! Henderson received a $60,000 bonus for participating in Fight of the Night.  "The Crippler" Chris Leben received $60,000 for Knockout of the Night in his victory over "Legionarius" Alessio Sakara. Despite making the PPV broadcast in an non-stop stand-up war, Josh Koscheck and Dustin Hazelett lost out to Silva v Henderson for Fight of the Night. The entire run-down below: Andrei Arlovski: $170,000 Anderson Silva: $140,000 Heath Herring: $140,000 Dan Henderson: $100,000 Diego Sanchez: $60,000 Chris Leben: $50,000 Cheick Kongo: $30,000 Yushin Okami: $28,000 Evan Tanner: $25,000 Josh Koscheck: $20,000 Alessio Sakara: $17,000 Luigi Fioravanti: $16,000 Luke Cummo: $16,000 Jorge Gurgel: $14,000 Dustin Hazelett: $12,000 Jake O’Brien: $11,000 David Bielkheden: $8,000 John Halverson: $3,000 ...

On a night in Columbus when the original UFC Heavyweight Champion and tactician behind the ground'n'pound "The Hammer" Mark Coleman became a legend joining the UFC Hall of Fame, UFC Middleweight Champion "Spider" Anderson Silva knocked on that same hallowed door. The kickboxer from Curitiba vanquished former PRIDE Middleweight and Light Heavyweight Champion "Hollywood" Dan Henderson in a rear naked choke at 4:52 of the second round. The first round illustrated why Henderson, 22-7, was pegged as Silva's last great challenge at 185-pounds. The wrestler from California nixed the champion's world class stand-up with lateral movement that prevented Silva from setting and delivering his laser-like strikes. Henderson grabbed hold of the "Spider" and dumped him to the mat in an awkward half guard that allowed "Hollywood" to smother Silva while peppering him with hammer fists. The frustrated champion endured to the second frame. In a sloppy Thai clinch, Silva slammed a knee to Henderson's chiseled chin, causing the the top contender to crumble. Silva pounced!  A barrage of strikes convinced Henderson to give up his back, the fatal flaw leading to a rear naked choke submission with just eight seconds to spare in the round. While UFC broadcasters Mike Goldberg and Joe Rogan wondered allowed who could challenge the champion, Silva seemed to indicate a third tussle with former UFC Middleweight Champion "Ace" Rich Franklin was due. In the broadcasted card's only heavyweight rumble, "The Texas Crazy Horse" Heath Herring tumbled into a split decision "W" over Cheick Kongo of France. The Parisian kickboxer insisted on wrestling, to the surprise of everyone including Herring.  Kongo dumped the Texan by force of will, but never capitalized on his advantageous ground positions as Herring consistently swept and reversed into safer territory. In the end, Herring's pitter-patter of pounding and Kongo's cluelessness on the mat served Herring the "W" and a possible rematch with current interim UFC belt holder Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira, whom Herring came within a hair of beating last year. In untelevised heavyweight action, former UFC titlist "The Pitbull" Andrei Arlovski wrapped-up his current UFC contract and possibly his Octagon career with second round TKO of Jake O'Brien. Arlovski has openly entertained the idea of quitting the UFC for greener opportunities. Another pair of middleweights made the PPV broadcast when former UFC Middleweight Champion Evan Tanner was knocked silly...er with a knee from the Thai clinch by Yushin Okami. The fight was Tanner's first since April 2006 and the vet seemed to gas late into the first round before eating the death blow at 3:00 of the second. 18-4 Chris Leben TKO'd 185-pound newbie "Legionarius" Alessio Sakara of Italy at 3:16 of round one. "The Crippler" Leben knocked Sakara to his back with a left hook behind the ear, then pounced on the Roman with six unanswered punches before referee Herb Dean waved the affair closed. Welterweights Josh Koscheck and Dustin Hazelett lit each other up for a round before a Koscheck kick found the button behind Hazelett's ear a minute into round two.  Koschek pummeled the fallen fighter until the referee called it a TKO for Koscheck. The PPV opened with the longest three rounds of my life between welterweight contender Jon Fitch and UFC-debuting Chris Wilson of Team Quest. Wilson spent most of his Octagon initiation on his bicycle while Fitch tried to chase him down.  The judges awarded Fitch a unanimous decision for aggression and superior wrestling positioning. The rest of the untelevised portion of the card included a unanimous decision  "W" for 12-3 welterweight Luigi Fioravanti over Luke Cummo, who falls to 6-5. "Nightmare" Diego Sanchez was tossed a bit of red meat in Sweden's David Bielkheden after dropping two consecutive fights.  Sanchez devoured Bielkheden in a first round strikes submission. Lightweight Jorge Gurgel took a unanimous decision over John Halverson to improve to 12-3, 3-2 in the Octagon.  UFC 82 sold out Nationwide Arena in Columbus, Ohio. ...