About Us

Darin Harvey entered mixed martial arts management after a successful career in commercial real estate development. He is however no newcomer to the sport of mixed martial arts holding a brown belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu under Marcus Vinicius, a black belt in Tae Kwon Do under Olympic Tae Kwon Do hopefull and Kick Boxer Josh Brenner and having been trained in boxing and Muay Thai under Rob Kaman and Peter Cunningham.

With this background, Harvey understands the fight game to its core. He has managed the likes of former UFC heavyweight champion Bas Rutten, and currently manages UFC and WEC fighters. His interest lies in the development both of the sport of mixed martial arts and its fighters. With that primary goal, Fight Tribe Management came to fruition.

To pursue his passion, Darin not only manages his fighters but works with them in evolving their skill to its peak ability. His strong ties with world class trainers, promoters, sponsors, strength and conditioning and sports medicine doctors, have made fighters’ dreams come to reality. Darin is immensely resourceful and is closely tied to a vast and respected network in the MMA community.

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Frederico Lapenda, a leader and pioneer in the ultimate fighting and mixed martial arts industry, was born and raised in Brazil before moving to Los Angeles in 1987 where he studied film. Frederico is one of the pioneers of the sport of Vale Tudo and mixed martial arts and is widely credited along with Ultimate Fighting Championship creator Art Davie, as being responsible for creating the worldwide MMA movement.

Lapenda’s insightful and perceptive marketing paved the way for the creation of the Pride Fighting Championship and made Japan the world’s biggest mixed martial arts (MMA) market. Lapenda’s WVC became one of the biggest international fighting franchises in the world.

Through the WVC, Lapenda became the most prolific global MMA television producer/promoter of live reality fighting shows, staging events in Brazil, Russia, Israel, Holland, Jamaica, Ukraine, Belgium, Croatia, Bosnia, Japan and Aruba.

Lapenda also created the Brazilian Dream Team, which was to have all the major Brazilian fighters training together in Luta Livre, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, wrestling, and Muay Thai under Carlson Gracie. Lapenda actually opened an academy in Los Angeles in 1995 near UCLA in Westwood, California, for Carlson Gracie. The Brazilian Dream Team eventually became the Brazilian Top Team and was composed of those same people Lapenda brought together under Carlson to cross-train.

Lapenda was acknowledged as a “true visionary” by Grappling magazine, which ran a two-part 12-page article on his life and accomplishments, and was also featured on the cover of Gladiator magazine in 2007 and was publicly honored, along with UFC creator Art Davie, as one of the two men who created MMA.