If you met Lewis, you met a person who was always willing to chat with fellow fans, whether it was to exchange pleasantries or debate the latest events in the MMA world.  This could have occurred at a huge UFC event or a small event with a few hundred fans in attendance, because like the rest of the Tapout crew, Lewis loved the sport and supported it in every possible way.

In recent years, the clothing company that had been with the sport virtually since its inception had enjoyed the same kind of boost in popularity that the sport has.  Not only did it open up more eyes to the great products of the company and its supportive attitude to the fighters, but it gave us a chance to get to know the men behind the logo via the “Tapout” reality series on Versus, which debuted in 2007.

Through the show, those that sadly never got the chance to meet Lewis were able to quickly see that his unsurpassed enthusiasm and dedication to the sport of mixed martial arts were as sincere as could be.  We also got to see how Lewis and his friends are willing to put their company name on up-and-coming and even beginning fighters, not just those that will inspire thousands of t-shirt sales.  Without sponsors for these types of fighters, we would never end up getting the blossoming athletes that end up becoming champions at the highest levels of the sport.

The events of Lewis’ life reveal a number of qualities that any person would be proud to have.  We saw the perseverance and work ethic that Lewis had by the fact that he was able to build a company that started out by selling clothing out of the trunk of a car into a multi-million dollar business.  Likewise, we saw a ceaseless dedication to a growing sport and its fighters, even in the days when there were no millions to be made by selling clothing to its fans.  Most of all, we saw a man who did not change who he was, even as his company (and the sport he loved) surpassed most of our wildest expectations.  Even then, Lewis was as approachable and down-to-earth as ever.