Evan Tanner’s UFC 60 absence

[FieldingMellish]

Taken from the latest Wrestling Observer:

“The 5/27 PPV match with Evan Tanner vs. Jeremy Horn is out. Tanner is going through major depression apparently. On his myspace site, he talked about drinking heavily (he had a reputation for years for that as his main undoing) and needing to move out of state because he wasn’t happy where he lived, talking about himself like he’s a gypsy. He wrote about how he was mad people were critical of him for drinking beer with his breakfast and [asking] what was wrong with that.”

As a big Tanner fan, was very sad to read this. Hope he can sort his problems out and come back as he still has a huge amount to offer. Obviously Zuffa won’t be particularly happy about this situation but with Tanner’s track record with the company you’d hope they’d be sympathetic.

Normally I wouldn’t have posted something like this but Tanner himself made it public so I suppose it becomes a genuine topic for discussion rather than just unsubstantiated gossip. This was the first I’d heard about his drinking heavily and it’s surprising (more like amazing) he’s been such an elite fighter for so long while doing that if its anything like as bad as it sounds.

[HolyRamenEmpire]

He used to post his Las Vegas diary on insidefighting.com He sounded rather empty. From the little I read about him, he seems like a mildly sociable guy in the surface, who can get moody when you get deeper with him - he may swing from being very emotional to being very pragmatic. I guess he uses alcohol to fill the emptiness. His mild qualities may reflect the atmosphere that surrounds him, of a rather uncharacteristic figure. He is a tough, tough fighter, but he seems so uncharistmatic that a little touch of difference of his hair stands out above all his other features.

I tend to like to judge a fighter from what I see him doing after he or she retires. And I haven't gotten a good vibe from Tanner in that aspect. I don't think one should expect much out of him beyond the ring. Hopefully he'll find a few good friend or a life partner to help him out of his darkness and onto whatever journey he wants to undertake to find his peace of heart. He seems to be a true adventurer at heart. An adventurer who sometimes sits down to find that he's a little empty afterall?

Poop, I'm being so analytical... I don't know what's his full deal, I'm doing some wild guesswork... but I wish him luck... I guess my bottom line is, "as a fan, don't expect much out of him outside the ring"? Moody depression usually swings back and forth... He'll probably be back on track after a few good weeks of pondering and resting... Cheers.

[Titan]

Wrestling Observer is paraphrasing some. This is Tanner's myspace:

http://blog.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=blog.ListAll&friendID=26028435&MyToken=9cb6faef-fee3-4871-9bbf-1b381d356991ML

[HolyRamenEmpire]

Tanner reminds me of College... He remind me of a bunch of guys from my college days. He's an ordinary duude, who happens to have a saving and a connection, thx to his mma career, and who's going through another phase of home searching. And no, drinking beer from the morning is not necessarily bad. Tanner sounds like he's in his usual cycle. Cheers to him.

[Grant Ellis]

Speaking as a moody mixed martial artist myself (alliteration combo+2 points!) I hope he overcomes whatever is bringing him down.