In honor of Evan Tanner, this week’s edition of Historic MMA Fights is a classic bout Tanner had with Heath Herring.  It was only Herring’s second pro mma fight.  You can really understand maybe one of the reasons Herring got the nickname “Crazy Horse” by watching this.  His style was wild and flamboyant.  The fight was held in Texas at Unified Shoot Wrestling Federation 7 on October 18th, 1997.  It was Evan Tanner’s fourth professional mma fight.

It is significant because Tanner beat Herring on this night. However, it was Herring who three fights later, in Tanner’s seventh professional fight and his third of the evening, would serve him his first professional loss. Tanner fought seven times the year of this match, 1997 and he fought ten times the next year. Evan Tanner had seventeen professional fights before ever entering the UFC Octagon to become one of the most beloved and respected combat athletes of our time.

Here is the article about Evan Tanner’s passing.
To view our previous editions of Historic MMA Fights check our archives HERE. They are now using evantanner.net as a memorial site where friends and fans can leave a message in remembrance of this very special person.

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