Frederico Lapenda

Frederico Lapenda is a movie producer and fight promoter. He is regarded as one of the founders of Mixed Martial Arts (MMA). In a visionary move he introduced the first mixed martial artist, Marco Ruas, to the world in UFC 6, changing no-holds- barred to mixed-martial-arts forever. Lapenda is credited, along with Ultimate Fighting Championship co-creator Art Davie, as being responsible for the globalization of MMA. Lapenda is also the president of the Beverly Hills Film Festival Grand Jury. He has produced feature films, vídeo games, MMA events, Master classes, and documentaries including Kidnapping and The Smashing Machine, which became a 60 million dollar movie featuring The Rock. After spending 30 years promoting Brazilian culture around the world he was appointed Brazilian Tourism Ambassador along with Ronaldinho, Vitor Belfort, Renzo Gracie, and Romero Britto. He co-created Allies of the Amazon, a children's book about four super-powered talking animals who protect the Amazon rainforest, with Marvel Comics founder Stan Lee, co-creator of Spider-Man, X-Men, Iron Man, Thor, Hulk, Ant-Man, Fantastic Four, Black Panther and many others. In 2011, Lapenda produced the first pay-per-view event on YouTube on his Fight Game Channel, broadcasting a Moscow event worldwide. In 1998, he became the first producer to broadcast MMA on US TV on channel 22 in Los Angeles. In 1997, he introduced PPV to Brazil with his World Vale Tudo Championship III (WVC) event in São Paulo, and in 1997, his WVC event aired on US PPV, making him just the fourth producer to promote MMA on US PPV.