The World Vale Tudo Championship
These two fought in the 8-man tournament and the Superfight featured UFC 7 Champion Marco Ruas and UFC 2 runner up, Patrick Smith. WVC IV expanded its PPV to be broadcast in the United States and was the last MMA PPV in the United States (for 2 years) due to prohibitions placed on MMA spearheaded by Senator John McCain.
While UFC’s business was suffering due to the lack of PPV revenues and Senator McCain’s success at getting UFC banned in all 50 states, the WVC was thriving and it became the #1 event in the world. Lapenda issued a challenge in April 1997 through Black Belt Magazine to the UFC for a co-promotion that pitted each promotion’s top fighters in what would have been the most complete card ever seen in MMA.