10 years ago the MMA world as we all knew it was changed forever when Charles 'Mask' Lewis was killed by a drunk driver. Mask was the owner of the MMA clothing brand Tapout, and has impacted countless people then, and continues to do so today.
RIP
Its a shame they took his name down off the cage, UFC lost its heart and identity I think.
Rip. I met him a few times. First time was in the rules meeting of a WCF show they were filming for their TV show in Mass that Dana and the tapout guys went to. Mask came over to our table that was full and put his boot on my leg and didn't move it. I was irrate at the time. It was like I wasn't even there to him. A little later on he and Dana saw me waiting and they were both cool as fuck. He is definitely missed by everyone involved.
Rip
rip
I think I still have some gear in storage somewhere I bought from the guys out of their van across the street from a KOTC event.
Say what you want about where Tapout ended up, but Charles was a true pioneer of the sport and help many, many aspiring fighters.
RIP.
Am I wrong for thinking he was kind of gay and the Tapout brand was total shit?
MMA Newbie -Am I wrong for thinking he was kind of gay and the Tapout brand was total shit?
This guy gets it
Crazy it's been so long. Still have my in ya face hoodie
TTT for a guy (and company) who did a tremendous amount for NHB back before it was called MMA, before Twitter divas, interim belts, or most of that other shit.
MMA Newbie -Am I wrong for thinking he was kind of gay and the Tapout brand was total shit?
I was never a fan of their stuff and wouldn't be caught dead in some of that gear, but they did a lot to help the sport grow and offered sponsorships at a time when that wasn't really a thing, which was helpful to fighters.
he was huge for mma and the ufc no one today will ever understand what went on getting this sport off the ground and how much people outside the ufc had to do with its success. mma.tv included in that.
MMA Newbie -Am I wrong for thinking he was kind of gay and the Tapout brand was total shit?
So what if he was gay? Gfy
Thank UG for keeping his name alive.
WaltJ -MMA Newbie -Am I wrong for thinking he was kind of gay and the Tapout brand was total shit?
I was never a fan of their stuff and wouldn't be caught dead in some of that gear, but they did a lot to help the sport grow and offered sponsorships at a time when that wasn't really a thing, which was helpful to fighters.
Awesome post.
TerrySilver -
rip
Boo this man!
Bad taste
NKcell -TerrySilver -
rip
Boo this man!
Bad taste
I have nothing but hespct for Charles Mask Lewis. RIP.
But I giggled a little
Stop being and uptight t-watt
last photo taken
Dana and Lorenzo honored Mask by putting his name on the Octagon cage door. unfortunately when they sold the company WME replaced it