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"I Just Wanted To Do The Biggest Stunts." Travis Pastrana and Brian Deegan Swap War Stories And Talk Rivalry
TL;DR
Travis Pastrana and Brian Deegan reflect on their intense rivalry in freestyle motocross, revealing mutual respect despite their past conflicts. Their dynamic was fueled by contrasting personas that captivated audiences in the late '90s and early 2000s.
Key points
- Travis Pastrana and Brian Deegan had a heated rivalry in freestyle motocross.
- Deegan took on a punk-rock persona while Pastrana was seen as wholesome.
- Their rivalry was significant for the popularity of freestyle motocross in the late '90s.
Travis PastranaBrian Deegan
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From the outside, the beef between Brian Deegan and Travis Pastrana went deep in the early days of Freestyle Motocross. But in hearing them talk about their past to one another, there was more respect.
Travis Pastrana and Brian Deegan, if you believe the lore, as well as what your own eyes saw at the time, heated rivals. No, not the hockey show everyone's crazy about. But real, embittered, punch each other in the face sort of rivals. The sort that made excellent television in the late '90s and early aughts.
The freestyle motocross legends routinely were pitted against each other, with Deegan taking on the scumbag, heavily tattooed, punk-rock persona, and Pastrana the good-boy, wholesome stalwart. At least, that's how they were portrayed, and how they both played it up for the cameras, each understand the business side of things far better than either let on.
For what it's worth, I identified way more with Deegan's "Metal Mulisha" crew than Pastrana's more straight-edge identity, though again, both were playing parts, something I see more with clear eyes 20 years on—God, we're all old.
Reality being what it is, however, the two never seemed to actually hate each other. In fact, there's a lot of mutal respect, as they've both shown over the years, talking each other up. But this sit-down between the two of them really lays it all out, as they swap war stories of the old days, and more.
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"I was just this dork who wanted to ride my motorcycle," says Travis to Brian, "And you guys found a way that, all of a sudden, NBC and ESPN in the heyday of X Games and FMX and this whole culture and Crusty Demons of Dirt, but before YouTube, and people watched the video parts. It wasn't good vs. evil, you know..."
"But that's how it was portrayed," interjects Deegan. "And people chose sides. It wasn't fake," says Pastrana, adding, "It wasn't fake like the WWE. But people remembered the characters."
Q&A
What was the nature of the rivalry between Travis Pastrana and Brian Deegan?
The rivalry was characterized by intense competition and contrasting personas, with Deegan portraying a punk-rock image and Pastrana as the wholesome counterpart.
How did Travis Pastrana and Brian Deegan's rivalry impact freestyle motocross?
Their rivalry brought significant attention to freestyle motocross, creating memorable moments that captivated audiences and contributed to the sport's popularity.
What do Travis Pastrana and Brian Deegan say about their past rivalry now?
Both riders express a sense of mutual respect for each other, acknowledging the business side of their rivalry while reflecting on their shared history.
