A new documentary titled ‘Mask’ that profiles the life of Tapout co-founder Charles ‘Mask’ Lewis will be released on April 3 and the first trailer has been unveiled.
Featuring interviews with numerous prominent figures from the sport of mixed martial arts including UFC president Dana White, former UFC owner Lorenzo Fertitta and many more, ‘Mask’ will take a look at the man behind the first major brand that supported fighters back when there were no television deals and the sport was struggling to stay afloat at all.
Lewis co-founded Tapout alongside two friends, Dan ‘Punkass’ Caldwell and Tim ‘Skyscraper’ Katz, and together they made the first real brand focused on mixed martial arts that started with the trio selling t-shirts out of the trunk of their cars at local fight shows.
Lewis became a stalwart at major MMA shows across the globe as the Tapout brand expanded to new heights and the trio behind the company even had their own reality show on Versus.
Sadly, Lewis passed away in 2009 in a tragic car accident.
Now director Bobby Razak is honoring Lewis with this new documentary looking back at his inspiration to start Tapout, his impact on the sport and how he continues to be one of the biggest influences in the history of mixed martial arts.
“I had known Charles Lewis for close to 20 years,” Razak said about his project. “He was a friend, a brother, and a confident. When I had completed my first film “Rites of Passage” we were both homeless. We made a pact to always look out for each other and to always “throw the rope down” to each other in life and in business. Making this film “Mask” was a brutally beautiful experience for me. Everything I had in me I gave to make this film a reality, and to secure the legacy of the incredible Charles “Mask” Lewis. My mission is to let the world know what a pioneer Charles was to the sport of mixed martial arts; as one of the original incubators that kept the sport alive.
“MMA was once banned from most states in the USA. Charles fought tooth and nail to support MMA in its early years and to help fighters in any way he could. The fact that his name was inducted into the UFC Hall of fame as a non-fighter is a testament to his tenacity and will power. I miss him dearly and think of him often, I hope that through my film Mask you can get to know him as well.”
Lewis remains a fixture at UFC shows with his name still appearing on the Octagon to this day.
‘Mask’ will be released on demand on April 3 through numerous formats including Amazon, iTunes, Google Play, Vimeo, Vudu, Microsoft XBOX, Cox Communications, Comcast, and Verizon Fios, YouTube-PPV.
