UFC Star Is Found Dead In the California Desert

Ultimate Fighting Championship star Evan Tanner has died in the desert east of San Diego, possibly of heat exposure.

Sheriff's Lt. George Moreno said Tanner, 37, was found Monday about two miles from his campsite in a remote area of the Palo Verdes Mountains, where the temperature had reached 110 degrees. Moreno said a preliminary coroner's report suggests Tanner died of heat exposure.

Tanner left for the desert last week to go camping and motorcycle riding.

His agent, John Hayner, says Tanner called a friend on Sept. 3 to say the dirt bike had run out of gas. He was about 100 miles from the nearest town.

Tanner is a former UFC middleweight champion. He lost his last bout in June.

· SOCCER: In another setback to his comeback attempt, D.C. United's Ben Olsen underwent a medical procedure on his left ankle and will be sidelined four to six weeks, club officials said yesterday.

· GOLF: Unable to earn her card through sponsor exemptions, Michelle Wie has entered the LPGA Tour qualifying school and will play the first stage next week. She didn't make enough money to finish the equivalent of 80th of the LPGA Tour money list. . . .

The Nationwide Tour has changed the date for the Prince George's County Open in Mitchellville. Starting next year, the golf tournament will be June 1-7, according to tournament director Teo Sodeman.

· PRO BASKETBALL: Los Angeles Lakers star Kobe Bryant will not have surgery on his right pinkie because recovery would take too long. Bryant has played with damaged ligaments in the finger since February. . . . The Philadelphia 76ers gave Maurice Cheeks his second contract extension in seven months. Cheeks previously signed a one-year extension on Feb. 20. Terms of the latest deal were not disclosed.

· HOCKEY: With more goals than minutes in the game, Slovakia's women's ice hockey team claimed an amazing 82-0 victory over visiting Bulgaria during Olympic qualifying.

Slovakia outshot the Bulgarians 139-0 during the 60-minute game, played in Latvia. The margin of victory is a record for a women's International Ice Hockey Federation-sanctioned event.

Janka Culikova led Slovakia with 10 goals, while Martina Velickova scored nine.

· TENNIS: Top-ranked Rafael Nadal will lead Spain when it hosts the defending champion United States in the Davis Cup semifinals from Sept. 19 to 21 in Madrid.

· COLLEGE FOOTBALL: Bowie State's game at Nicholls State, scheduled for Saturday, was canceled because of structural damage to the lighting system at John L. Guidry Stadium. The nonconference game will not be rescheduled.

-- From News Services and Staff Reports