Evan Tanner Officially Signed; Kos May Not Be Televised
January 26, 2008 by Sam Caplan
It’s official. Following rumors and speculation, UFC.com has listed a match between middleweights Evan Tanner and Yushin Okami at UFC 82. The event takes place Marh 1 in Columbus, Ohio.
This adds to what is already a stacked card and the result is bad news for Josh Koscheck and Dustin Hazelett. The fight between the two welterweights will occur prior to the live telecast and will only appear on the pay-per-view if time allows.
Former UFC middleweight champion, Tanner last fought in 2006 when he defeated Justin Levens at UFC 59. He then dropped out of fighting despite numerous rumors of his return. He has had a string of bad luck, including the sinking of his boat, much of which he has attributed to his problems with alcohol.
Okami holds a 21-4 record, including five wins and one loss in the UFC. He has recently defeated Jason MacDonald and Mike Swick. His single loss in the UFC has come at the hands of former champion, Rich Franklin.
The rest of the card officially includes:
- Anderson Silva vs Dan Henderson for Silva’s middleweight title.
- Heath Herring vs Cheick Kongo
Read more Evan Tanner, Josh Koscheck, and UFC 82 content on FiveOuncesOfPain.com.
yesss!
tanner’s back!
and L&P Kos not on tv! Happy Sunday.
Very nice to hear that Tanner will be back. I wonder if he has been keeping himself fit and sharp? Guess we will find out on the night.
I can barely contain my excitement at Silva vs. Henderson though, and the promos haven’t even started!
Based on Kongo’s last fight, Herring is in trouble.
yea.
it’s GREAT that evan’s back.
but that’s one helluva fight to come back to.
Yushin’s been destroying the MW division.
i say evan catches him in an armlock during a quick scramble.
maybe 2nd round.
ya.
Herring REALLY needs to step it up!
glad i will be there in person and wont have to miss the nontelevised fights…. although i could pretty much say your going to see either sanchez or koscheck fight be broadcast…. i dont see them both no making it to TV maybe just one of them
the ufc needs to stop BSing. if okami wins this fight, he deserves a shot at the MW title.
ya.
maybe.
but, whether he faced silva or henderson, he’d still probably lose.
Rich,
remember that okami has a DQ win over silva. he illegally up kicked okami while okami was attempting to ground n pound him.
ya.
you’re right.
but first of all.
anderson’s grown since then. and gotten better.
and… although okami left w/ the W… he’s also the one who had to take a trip to the hospital.
the fight w/ okami would def. last longer than some of anderson’s others in the UFC.. but it would most likely end the same way.. or maybe w/ a sub.
I’m honestly hoping silva beats hendo and okami beats tanner so we could answer the question of what might have been. AND I LOVE IT CUZ I WILL BE THERE!!!!!