411 Remembers Charles ‘MASK’ Lewis Jr.

Posted by Larry Csonka on 03.16.2009

"I think the sport is still so small, as big as it's getting, it's still so small that if I can put our money back in it, the better. I want to build the sport, and make the fighters' lives easier." -Charles "Mask" Lewis Jr.


"Just take a step towards your belief daily, fearlessly, wholeheartedly, digging and dreaming within yourself, believing that as you push on through sacrifice, you will one day stand alone on top of a hill that you created that now encourages and inspires others to chase their dream." - Charles "Mask" Lewis Jr.

INTRODUCTION:
On Wednesday March 11th, 2009, the world of MMA was stunned as they lost a true pioneer of the sport. Early that morning, Charles Lewis Jr., better known as Mask from TapouT, died in a horrific car crash. Today, the 411 staff remembers the life of Mask as well as his contributions to the sport of MMA.

THE STAFF REMEMBERS MASK
Jeremy Lambert: I didn't know Charles "Mask" Lewis Jr. so I can't comment on how he was as a person. I found his TV persona to be everything TapouT represents, "American, Arrogant, and In Ya Face" and pretty annoying at times. I can't even say that I own a TapouT shirt despite having plenty of MMA shirts in my closet. All that said, I respect "Mask" for what he's done in MMA. He stuck by the sport and fighters through the best of times and worst of times. Even if you didn't like the antics of "Mask" and the TapouT crew, you have to appreciate their love for the sport and their desire to succeed. I'll remember "Mask" for little things like gracing the cover UFC videogames, being an unlockable in most games, and introducing Chuck Liddell at UFC 43. "Mask" was TapouT and he'll continue to live on through that name.
***

Samer Kadi: I don't think it would be a stretch to call Charles "Mask" Lewis Jr. a pioneer of the sport. He made "Tapout" synonymous with MMA.

You can say whatever you want about his antics or his persona, but you can't question Mask's dedication and passion for the sport. And he wasn't a man who capitalized on the ever-growing popularity of MMA, he was there way before the sport of Mixed Martial Arts became what it is today. In many ways, Charles Lewis Jr. contributed the growth of mixed martial arts and its increasing popularity.

And most importantly, Mask wasn't a millionaire who one day decided to help the sport. His journey is very similar to that of the UFC and MMA in general. He started out with almost nothing, selling T-Shirts out of the back of his van, but turned that business into a million dollar company.

I don't know much about Charles Lewis Jr. the person, but based on the things stated before by myself and the other writers, it is fair to say that MMA has lost one of its most dedicated and passionate personalities.

My condolences go to the family and friends of Charles Lewis Jr. in these rough times.
***

Chris Robinson: It's tragic when anyone dies, but especially in the manner that Charles "Mask" Lewis did. I'm not going to comment on who he was or what he did for the sport. My fellow writers will handle that. What I will say is that any time you get behind the wheel of a car, terrible things can happen if you're not a responsible person. Mask died at the hands of someone who obviously doesn't have a responsible thought in his head. I hope the Tapout company makes a concentrated effort to further the prevention of drunk driving. I've seen it happen in my own life, and I'm sure countless others have as well. So along with praising Mask for his contributions to MMA, take a moment and promise yourself you'll never forget the horrible effects of drunk driving.
***

John Curry: Charles "Mask" Lewis was and always will be an icon in the sport of MMA. A man whose passion for the sport extended simply beyond business. He began his MMA life as a fighter, constantly training for in Jiu Jitsu. One day he realized that he wanted to do something in MMA so he took his love for comic books and their characters and created the TapouT logo. The TapouT logo came to him from the Batman series. He began selling his T-shirts out of his trunk at local MMA shows. Slowly but surely Charles company would become the most recognized brand of fighter clothing in the world. The UFC's Octagon is adorned with the TapouT logo, nearly every fighter has TapouT on their shorts, and even more important, many fighters owe their careers to TapouT sponsoring them. Mask and the other guys dedication to their sport has been showcased on Versus in a weekly show that has brought us some of the sports up and coming fighters such as Don "Cowboy" Cerrone, Damacio Page and Pat Curran to name a few. Charles Lewis is often overlooked but he deserves as much credit as Dana White and the Zuffa brothers for making the UFC and MMA as a whole more acceptable to the mainstream fans. I for one will be wearing my TapouT shirt with a heavy heart this weekend.

Mask will always be remembered as the face of TapouT but Charles Lewis will always be remembered by the MMA world as a man who personally made sure his company was running strong, always oversaw every aspect of his company, dedicated his life to traveling around the country to a different MMA event, sometimes nightly. He was a man of passion who had his life taken from him by a drunk driver who ran him off the road.

I send my deepest condolences to his family, his company, and his friends. The sport lost someone bigger than a logo. It has lost a true innovator.
***

Jonathan Solomon: I want to send my condolences to Mask's family and friends and wish a recovery for his female passenger.

The MMA world lost one of the more influential people last week. Make no mistake about it, Mask and TapouT have been pretty damn important to the growth of MMA over the past decade. He may have reached a new sort of fame when the TapouT show started on Versus nearly two years ago. From my knowledge, it showed what Mask and the TapouT crew have been doing forever; seeking out talented young fighters, giving them some exposure, sponsoring them and sometimes more. I would be led to believe that the number of fighters whose careers were made possible due to the TapouT gang is substantial. Even during the "dark ages" of the sport at the turn of the 21st century, Mask was as motivated to boost the sport and its fighters as he was when his business became a massive success.

You have to respect a man who started his own business, selling t-shirts out of his car at small martial arts shows; ten years later, you can find the brand at most popular retailers worldwide. That type of story is the perfect metaphor for what MMA can do, help someone better their life and be a positive influence on others.
***

Matt Welch: For many fans, TapouT is as synonymous with MMA as the UFC and Dana White, and my prayers and condolences go out to the friends and family of Charles "Mask" Lewis Jr. While I admit that the costumes and attire of the TapouT crew have always been a bit over-the-top for my tastes, the passion and dedication exhibited by Lewis for this sport is unparalleled. I know I'm not alone in saying that one of the perks of being a fight fan is not only enjoying the superstars of today, but getting a look at the possible champions of tomorrow, and Mask and the TapouT crew have been as powerful an outlet for that as could be. Before we saw Damacio Page wrecking shop in the WEC or Donald Cerrone tearing it up against Rob McCullough and Jamie Varner, we saw them ply their craft in front of Mask, Punkass and Skyskrape.

The life of Lewis and his co-founding of the TapouT clothing brand is one of the vintage rags-to-riches stories in all of mixed martial arts. One moment Lewis is selling MMA apparel out of the back of his van and 10 years later, he's the mastermind behind a multi-million dollar clothing entity. I've since read that he had no business degree or marketing plan, which makes it all the more amazing. While MMA is still growing, a number of the sport's legends and icons are in place. If one day we decide to kick around just who would be engraved atop an "MMA Mount Rushmore," no doubt Charles "Mask" Lewis Jr. would have a place right beside the sport's other pioneers.
***

Robert Steele: The story of Charles "Mask" Lewis is inspiring. It's a story similar to so many others involved in MMA, whether they be those involved on the business side, or fighters themselves. It's the story of pure dedication, passion, and hard work eventually leading to great success. He will sorely be missed by many, but his inspirational story will always remain. My condolences go out to his family and friends.
***

Dan Plunkett: Charles Lewis Jr, better known as Mask, had a passion for the sport of mixed martial arts that is equaled by very few. Mask and the entire TapouT company benefited greatly by the explosion of MMA in North America, and deservedly so. In a time when the sport was largely ignored and there wasn't much money to be made off of it, Mask stuck with the sport because of his undying passion and love for it. Mask helped this sport come to where it is today, whether it be through sponsoring fighters or showing his colorful personality at events and on the TV show "TapouT." Mask will be remembered for his passion of MMA, his kindness, and his unique choice of wardrobe that always made people take notice. Thank you Mask.
***

Larry Csonka: One thing I think is very important here is for me to be honest. I didn't know Charles Lewis. I wouldn't classify myself as a "fan" of Charles Lewis. I don't own a lot of TapouT gear. I say this because all too often that when people pay tribute they end up being a bit too fake about it. So that's why I want to be honest. But I did know about "Mask." I saw the TapouT drew and himself at so many MMA events, that it is hard NOT to know who he is. As I became more of am MMA writer these past few years, I got to know about him. He was a man that loved the sport of MMA, and wanted to see it succeed. He was passionate about it. This man was able to take something he believed in from $30,000 and the trunk of his car to a $100 million global powerhouse. Mask, TapouT and MMA all grew together, and that was something amazing to watch, considering how most never thought MMA could get anywhere near where it is today. He was dedicated to the sport he loved, the business he built and the future of both. While many may have hated the "TapouT" show, the one thing that it proved was how hard Mask and his boys believed in their product and the sport of MMA. I admire that. RIP Mask, thanks for all you did, and I hope that you're not easily forgotten.

***

Steve Gustafson: It's unfortunate but too often true that it's not until someone leaves this Earth, do we wait to praise them for their deeds. I didn't know Charles Lewis. I never spoke with him, emailed, or hung out with him. What I know about him comes from interviews, television shows, and what those who did know him have said.

Charles Lewis loved mixed martial arts. He loved the fighters. He loved his friends and family. It was no secret that he wasn't an educated man. What he knew of business, marketing, and design was self-taught through years of reading comics and watching cartoons. He was an example to those who have been given little, but made much with what he did have. Passion. It took a man with passion to take the money he had and invest it in making t-shirts for a sport struggling to find its identity. It took a man with passion to venture out, approaching people, and hand selling those t-shirts. It took a man with passion to build on those humble sales, reinvesting the money earned back into the company. You can't dismiss his success as luck. It was forged through determination, hard work, and his belief in himself and in the sport.

It's fitting that he started out the underdog and affiliated with mixed martial arts, a sport that even with its success, is still considered an underdog. That carried over to the show, itself a risky venture, partnering with a channel that while up and coming, is an underdog. But the thing about underdogs, they have something to prove. Everything to gain. Nothing to lose.

Even as the company he was building and nurturing was growing quickly he never lost site of what he was doing, on the effect he was having on MMA. Before you judge Charles Lewis, ask those who he helped about him. Ask them if he was good or bad for the sport. I'm sure their words will have much more weight than mine ever will.

He never lost the awe of his surroundings. Even as he attended the biggest events, hung out with the biggest fighters, and mingled with the biggest celebrities, he would turn to his partners, his friends with a look of amazement. He would mention it in interviews and reflected on it with those around him.

I'll close with Charles Lewis's words. They speak to what his passion was. Where his heart was. Where his deeds touched. And it's his deeds that I praise.

"I think the sport is still so small, as big as it's getting, it's still so small that if I can put our money back in it, the better. I want to build the sport, and make the fighters' lives easier." -Charles Lewis
***


R.I.P. Charles "MASK" Lewis Jr.
1963-2009