Originally Posted by Fabien Barthez (Post 2277250)

Keeping it short....

The difference in training and motivation in Herring pre and post Jake O'Brien are very well documented. He stepped up after that fight to be considered a contender.

Jardine and Greg Jackson openly admitted they knew Houston Alexander is a fast starting, hard hitting one dimentional fighter. Jardine just lost. The article is on Sherdog somewhere.

Not winning many fights because you haven't had many is much different from not winning many fights because you keep losing them. I don't doubt Wand, being a legend with a solid record only needs another win to put him in line, but he hasn't got it yet.

Arlovski being a top 10 Heavyweight means that that loss mattered and matters. It was his toughest opponent to date, and Werdum lost. Just because a guy leaves the promotion, doesn't mean his record vanishes.

You can talk about Vera beating Mir, and fair enough. It is his best win. But we all know How lucky Frank is to even be in the position he is now in. He sucked pretty bad the 2 fights previous.

Fact is, Rob is right about the LHW's, Wand needs another win.

As for the Heavy's, Randy's biggest conflict is about money, they have to put him in the biggest draws to make the right money for him to fight. I think Lesnar is quite lucky getting this fight, but he wouldn't have got it had he not been nearly as dominating against Herring. Werdum I don't think would represent the top guy in the division. Lesnar could.

Originally Posted by Fabien Barthez (Post 2277273)

Oh, and this cunt negged me for saying things that were true and dismissing his poor arguments against. Fuck you Reav, you stupid dick. :foc:

Originally Posted by Fabien Barthez (Post 2277276)

Call me a dumbass? You stupid motherfucker.

Originally Posted by UFC

“I believe there are people out there that just have a warrior spirit, whether it’s fighting or something, they’ve got to do it. It’s hard to identify with me; it’s just something I do.” ---Evan Tanner, 2005

On what will unquestionably be remembered as one of mixed martial arts’ saddest days, former UFC middleweight champion Evan Tanner - beloved by fans for his fighting ability and by friends for his free spirit – has passed away at the age of 37.

Tanner, on a camping trip in the Palo Verde mountain area, was found by an Imperial County Sheriff’s Department Deputy on Monday. The cause of death is not known at this time. He had not answered friends’ text messages since last Wednesday, and was officially reported missing on Friday.

On his personal Spike TV web blog, Tanner discussed the trip and how a failure of equipment could be fatal, but in a subsequent blog, he downplayed such fears, writing, “It seems some MMA websites have reported on the story, posting up that I might die out in the desert, or that it might be my greatest opponent yet, etc. Come on guys. It's really common down in southern California to go out to the off road recreation areas in the desert about an hour away from LA and San Diego. So my plan is to go out to the desert, do some camping, ride the motorcycle, and shoot some guns. Sounds like a lot of fun to me. A lot of people do it. This isn't a version of "Into the Wild". I'm not going out into the desert with a pair of shorts and a bowie knife, to try to live off the land. I'm going fully geared up, and I'm planning on having some fun.”

His agent, John Hayner, says that Tanner was excited about the trip and in a good place physically and mentally before his untimely death.

“He was in a good state of mind the last time we spoke,” said Hayner. “Everyone that was around him, and even at the gym he was training at, also said he was in a great state of mind. Living in Oceanside (California), he really liked being on the beach. His house was across from the water, he was in beautiful surroundings.”

If one thing was ever clear about Tanner, it was that he loved life, the outdoors, and adventure.

“He was always planning on going on some sort of adventure,” said Hayner. “And he never needed the finer things or made a fuss about them. He just needed enough for gas, shelter, and training.”

A native of Amarillo, Texas, Tanner worked various jobs as a bouncer, a cable TV contractor, a framer building beach houses, a dishwasher, a baker, a ditch digger, and a slaughterhouse worker before stumbling on to mixed martial arts in 1997.

Over the next 11 years, fighting would be a major part of his life, to the tune of 42 professional bouts, but as he said earlier this year before what would be his final bout against Kendall Grove, he never considered himself a fighter.

“I always thought of myself as the poet, the writer, or the philosopher – I never thought of myself as a fighter,” he chuckled. “But here I am. I always had an idea of the flow of my life, but not exactly what I would be doing day to day. And fighting definitely wasn’t something I thought I’d be doing.”

But he was good at it – very good in fact. Over the course of his career, Tanner (34-8) scored wins over Paul Buentello, Heath Herring, Ikuhisa Minowa, Justin McCully, Elvis Sinosic, Phil Baroni (twice), and Robbie Lawler. His biggest win, however, came at UFC 51 on February 5, 2005, when he stopped David Terrell in the first round to win the UFC middleweight championship.

Tanner would lose the belt to Rich Franklin in his first defense four months later, but the fans never abandoned him, and he returned that admiration, both in person and through his internet blogs.

“I wanted to give something back to the fans and let them know that I’m just a regular guy,” said Tanner in early 2008. “Some of the guys forget that and get caught up in the lights, and I never want to forget that and that I’m one of the lucky ones that got a chance to get out there and do this. There are a lot of great athletes out there, a lot of great fighters that never got the chance. I’m one of the lucky ones that did, so writing the blog and telling life as it is helps me stay grounded and it gives me a way to connect with the fans and give them something back.”

His blogs were more than just fight talk and product advertisements though. Tanner spoke frankly about life and his struggles in and out of the Octagon. And when
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he made his return to the UFC in 2008 after almost two years away, it was a triumph of the human spirit and an inspiration, regardless of whose hand was raised at the end of the fight.

“My thought was that I’m in a position where I’ve done some things and some people look up to me a little bit and maybe something in my story can help inspire them or motivate them to get through some things or do something better,” said Tanner before his return against Yushin Okami at UFC 82 in March. “If that’s the case and it helps anybody else out, then it’s worth me facing the embarrassment.”

He fell short in his final two bouts against Okami and Grove, but there was no keeping him down, and his off-time after the Grove bout was filled with more of his adventures, as well as participation in Harley-Davidson’s 105th anniversary celebration.

Sadly, there will be no more adventures, only memories of Evan Tanner.

“Evan was such a unique individual, and he was okay being an individual,” said Hayner. “He was okay with taking the path less traveled, and he often chose that harder path.”

It was simply who he was. Just read the words he spoke to me before I wished him luck for his fight against Grove in June.

“Everything’s been about the journey,” he said. “I never really set out with goals for fighting; it’s been about the adventure along the way. When you’re on your death bed, it’s those stories, those little adventures that are going to be the things that you remember. It’s not so much getting there, but how you got there.”

And he did it his way.

Leave it to me as I find a way to be
Consider me a satellite, forever orbiting
I knew all the rules, but the rules did not know me
Guaranteed
---Eddie Vedder, “Guaranteed”. The song playing on Evan Tanner’s myspace page.

Rest in Peace, Evan.

Originally Posted by Reavant (Post 2278061)

<TABLE class=tborder cellSpacing=1 cellPadding=4 width="100%" align=center border=0><TBODY id=collapseobj_usercp_reputation><TR><TD class=thead>Thread</TD><TD class=thead>Date</TD><TD class=thead noWrap>Posted By</TD><TD class=thead>Comment</TD></TR><TR><TD class=alt2>http://www.tpww.net/forums/images/re...tation_neg.gif</TD><TD class=alt1Active id=p2276988 width="50%">MMA Thread </TD><TD class=alt2 noWrap>09-08-2008 06:14 PM</TD><TD class=alt1 noWrap>Fabien Barthez </TD><TD class=alt2 width="50%">Fuck you negging me. Try and call me out on MMA because you train it a little? Negrepping me for that is such a cuntish thing to do. wanker. not just that, you are fucking wrong too. cunt</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
:rofl:

Originally Posted by Innovator (Post 2278178)

I've never wanted to see someone KO someone so bad when Tanner fought Kendall, really wanted Tanner to pull it out

Originally Posted by Fabien Barthez (Post 2278225)

Whatever fucker. You can post smiley faces all day. You still have no good arguments for me, I was right about Jardine, its an interview with himself and Greg Jackson im reffering to so it is relevant, cock.

You soon dropped any bollocks about Werdum. Way to stand by your comments.

Evans is just such a clearer choice for No 1 condenership than Wand by miles, but whatever, I conceeded nothing, your argument was that he needed another win, you disagreed with your own point, only then did I agree with it.

Hey, by your logic, Now Tanner is dead, anyone that lost to him can have that loss removed from their record right? brains?

Man, are you fucking stupid or what?

Originally Posted by legend (Post 2278508)

How factual are the rumors that Chuck is going to fight Anderson Silva?

Originally Posted by McLegend (Post 2278508)

How factual are the rumors that Chuck is going to fight Anderson Silva?

Originally Posted by Reavant (Post 2278523)

Refer to my last post on the jardine-alexander thing because odviously you were too upset to read it.

I didnt say anything more anbout Werdum because you conceded the point and I didnt feel like rubbing your face in it, other than the fact that werdum has a couple quality wins under his belt and arlovski is no longer in the ufc which means that loss has no more affect on his UFC title contension. I know your all hot and bothered right now but get a fucking sucker calm down and read that again and you will realize that is true.

Didnt disagree with my own point sorry to tell ya... go back and read it... I said that he was right in top contension because of his "legendary" status which you agreed and because of his knockout of jardine. I believe you said that you wouldnt argue if he could KO liddel. Good one there buddy.

and odviously evans should get a shot, I never said he shouldnt.... go back and look. Never said it. I did say that it wouldnt be rediculous if they gave Wand the shot, which it wouldnt because of who he is. Yes there is better contenders, like evans, or Rampage, and I never said there wasnt, I was arguing Wands case. You dont know how to read.

Oh and good one with the tanner comment, your a great guy.

Gotta love how you dont really make any points, you just argue for a little then call me names, real good.

Originally Posted by Fabien Barthez (Post 2278758)

You are boring me now idiot.

You can say I can't read, but I never conceeded anything about Werdum, Arlovski fight is the reason he hasn't already had a shot. the Jardine interview has him admitting he lost in the anticipated way which means he just basically got his arse kicked. No fluke. YOU added Wand needed one more win to be in line, not me.

Oh, and you're a great guy, too.

Retard.

Originally Posted by Rob (Post 2278730)

Not at all. Liddell is has at least a 60 day no contact suspension coming on and Silva has a fight lined up already. I think Silva's next fight will probably be against the winner of Leben vs. Bisping providing Patrick Cote doesn't get the luckiest day of his life in a few weeks.

Originally Posted by Fabien Barthez (Post 2278942)

Seems Fabricio agrees with you, man.

http://www.mmascoops.com/news.php?page=/222913063

Originally Posted by Fabien Barthez (Post 2279812)

Affliction is off. They reckon they have only sold about 10% of tickets.

Moved to the Honda Center, and now in January, but still no fight for Fedor, who you would presume would be heathy by then.

So it probably still won't go ahead.

I guess Dana buried Arlovski pretty hard..

Originally Posted by Impact! (Post 2280570)

LOL stolen from Sherdog (I think)

Originally Posted by Reavant (Post 2281369)

what the fuck could he have done?

Originally Posted by Fabien Barthez (Post 2281782)

Well, I guess if saving money is what you're after, Wolfslair is the place to go.

Rampage and Cheick might even be able to score a council house close by, if they play the immigrant card.

Originally Posted by Fabien Barthez (Post 2281676)

Last I checked, Rampage put his victory against Chuck down entirely to the wizdomonious genius of one Juanito Ibarra...

Originally Posted by Rob (Post 2287265)

They should be thinking of a way to stop it happening again is Burns can't close his fist fully. New gloves or something.

Originally Posted by Kris P Lettus (Post 2287883)

He didn't even fall like he got punched.. He grabbed his eye and slowly fell..

It in no way shape of form looked like a knock out.. It looked like an eye poke, even at full speed when it happened..

After the fact, like 30 second after Mazzagotti called it, it was exposed what happened.. At that point they should have given Johnson the 5 minutes and continued the fight or gfiven him the TKO victory..

And Fabien, you making it out like Johnson is being petty makes you look like a huge asshole.. He was nothing but a complete class act the night it happened and has continued to act accordingly since.. It was a horrid call and he in no way shape or form lost that fight.. He got poked in the eye several times, the last one bad enough to cause him to need surgery, and he loses the fight over it.. Nothing about that is right..

Originally Posted by Rob (Post 2287862)

It was a KO. The referee let it go and Burns went for it. That's a KO. Unless he was going to stop the action for an eye poke, the action continued as it should. It wasn't the eye poke that stopped the fight. An eye poke turned the fight. Big difference. Referees have missed nut shots a ton of times. Should all those matches be viewed again and have decisions overturned? God no.

Originally Posted by Rob (Post 2287953)

You Americans are obsessed with fucking replays and more referees :D

Seriously though, there ain't two refs in boxing or an instant replay and that sport has been going for over 100 years. This was one mistake in one fight. Humour error is part of life and should be part of sport.

Originally Posted by Reavant (Post 2288327)

it wasnt a KO tho. he fell back and turned away as he fell right after it happened. and he was screaming.

Im not saying that they should use instant replay for KOs in general, but in a case where a replay shows difinitively that there was not a KO then it should be overturned, especially given the fact that Burns was warned about it before it happened.

Originally Posted by Danny Electric (Post 2288633)

I think it's quite mad that they are billing the Lesnar/Couture fight as the biggest fight in UFC history.

Originally Posted by Crimson (Post 2288676)

R.I.P Tanner..good tribute video

Originally Posted by Kris P Lettus (Post 2287883)

And Fabien, you making it out like Johnson is being petty makes you look like a huge asshole.. He was nothing but a complete class act the night it happened and has continued to act accordingly since.. It was a horrid call and he in no way shape or form lost that fight.. He got poked in the eye several times, the last one bad enough to cause him to need surgery, and he loses the fight over it.. Nothing about that is right..