Birthdate -
6' 199 lbs. - Amarillo, TX
Team - Team Quest
Style - Freestyle
Career Highlights - n/a
Striking - Evan Tanner is an aggressive and talented striker, who will use knees and leg kicks when standing up and punches and elbows on the ground. He is good in either position and can put opponents away with his hard blows, typically his knees and elbows being the most dangerous. Tanner has always been a close-range fighter and adding Team Quest has improved his Greco-Roman knowledge and now he's able to use his clinch very well. Striking from a distance is an uncomfortable area from him and he usually avoids it by closing the distance.
Wrestling - Coming from a wrestling past, Tanner is conditioned like a wrestler, but doesn't work like one. A strong wrestler can easily get him down and get good positioning. Since he's started training with Team Quest, Tanner's wrestling skills have improved. Though Tanner is still not a technically strong wrestler, his power is good and he inserts strikes into his wrestling well. He likes to rip the legs out and good into simple GNP with elbows, which has been effective for him.
Hooking - Tanner used to cite Gracie instructional tapes for teaching him the fundamentals and his simple submission work is pretty solid. It's improved with time and he could be considered a respectable submission fighter with good diversity and sound technique.
Strengthes - A very hungry fighter who's been hard-working his whole career. Tanner has worked to improve all dimensions of his game. Though he might not be the most talented, he has gathered a lot of experience and knowledge that has made him a unique type of fighter. He has a good approach and does not get drawn into areas that he is not confident in. He knows not to stand a trade, try to outmuscle technically better wrestlers or go hold for hold with submission fighters. Tanner makes maximum use of his ability and that's why he's had good success.
Weaknesses - Though it seems hard to believe, Evan Tanner is a self-taught fighter, which by many people's standards is a weakness. Well, he's no Paul Varelans. Tanner's chin is kind of suspect and though he's a tough guy he does a lot to avoid getting tagged standing. He seems to lack that raw skill that really sets people apart and is a breed of cross-trained fighter who lacks great depth, which is little different than the one-dimensional fighters of the early years.
Outlook - Evan Tanner has been going strong for quite some time in the MMA world. Hopefully his toughness and hardwork will lead him to more than a career as a strong contender. While his recent loses are almost flukish, they're still loses and he needs to do something to get more "lucky." Tanner was in a tough division, so he trimmed down which will help him out for sure. He has good people behind him and if he is able to make people fight his game than he can be a top middleweight fighter.