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Joe Rogan is typically celebrated for his keen insights and boundless energy on his podcast, but he encountered an emotional moment when he fought back tears while reflecting on the devastating loss of a former UFC champion.
During an episode of The Joe Rogan Experience in May 2023 featuring American rapper Jelly Roll as a guest, the veteran UFC commentator stumbled upon an old photograph of his late friend, Evan Tanner.
This prompted Rogan to share the tragic tale of the former UFC middleweight champion's untimely death from hyperthermia while camping alone in California's Death Valley in September 2008:
"There's a dude named Evan Tanner; he was a UFC champion and a very interesting guy. He would do these things where he would go on a walkabout to try to find himself. He did one in Death Valley, and heat stroke apparently affects your ability to think straight. He couldn't figure out where the water was."
Rogan added:
"I've never had a heat stroke, but the way it's described, no matter how tough you are, your brain doesn't work right... Like you're about to die, and then he died."
Check out Joe Rogan's comments below:
Check out the full podcast episode below:
Tanner was a mainstay on the UFC roster beginning in 1999, competing in a total of 17 bouts and amassing a record of 11 wins and 6 losses. He captured the 185-pound championship with a first-round knockout victory against David Terrell at UFC 51: Super Saturday in February 2005.
When Joe Rogan shared the impact of Evan Tanner's blog post on his life
In addition to being a talented mixed martial artist and adventurer, Evan Tanner was also an outspoken blogger who candidly shared his unfiltered thoughts through his written posts.
Among Tanner's most ardent admirers was Joe Rogan, who revealed in a September 2008 blog that he regularly read the late UFC fighter's writings and found deep inspiration in his unconventional perspectives:
"He would write with painful honesty and admirable vision about every aspect of his journey through this life, and when I would read his words, I would always get food for thought... Reading Evan Tanner’s blog has on many occasions inspired me into that conclusion. His blog was a porthole into the window of his soul, and reading his brave, uncensored thoughts gave me an invigorated sense of purpose to do the same." [h/t Pearl Jam]
