Mike Metzger

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Mike Metzger

Mike Metzger (born 19 November 1975 in Huntington Beach, California) is an American Freestyle Motocross (FMX) rider. In the 2002 X-Games he won the Freestyle and Big Air events and got second place in Step Up, earning him an estimated $100,000 in three days. In 2003 he also got first place in Big Air. On May 4, 2006, at 9:26, Metzger completed "The Impossible Jump", doing a world record backflip over the fountains in front of Caesar's Palace, Las Vegas, seen live on ESPN. He is the first person to complete a backflip over the fountains, and only the second person to ever successfully land that jump. The others to attempt the jump over Caesar's Palace's fountains include Evel Knievel, Gary Wells, and Robbie Knievel, of which only Robbie landed successfully. Not only did Metzger complete this jump whilst performing a backflip, but he also set the record for distance, landing 125 feet from the takeoff ramp.

[edit] Personal information

Nicknames: The Godfather of Motocross/FMX, Metz
Height: 5 ft 10 in (178cm)
Weight: 150 lbs (68kg)
Hometown: Menifee, California
Occupation: Professional Freestyle Motocross rider.
Status: Married, 2 children.

[edit] Trivia

Has many tattoos, including one of the word "Pain" on the inside of his mouth.
Appeared in the 2002 video game Freekstyle by Page 44 Studios under the EA Sports BIG license.
He was the first person to complete back-to-back-flips (two flips on two consecutive jumps) at the X-Games.
Has had 8 teeth "capped and iced" (covered in 24-karat platinum).
Was a founding member of the Metal Mulisha.
He had a cameo in a 1999 promotional video for Soap shoes.
Defeated Larry Linkogle in a 2006 episode of the Discovery Channel's hit show Biker Build-Off.
Has appeared numerous times on the Discovery Channel's extreme sport show Stunt Junkies in which the last episode he appeared he seriously injured himself attempting to execute a back-flip while jumping from one barge to another.