Much Love For 'Big Mike'

So my buddy Dave sent me this link at Westword about a bloke from our past. 'Big Mike' was one of our associates during our raving days. He dated our friend Deidre, off and on for a bit.

Although he cut quite the imposing figure, he was a pretty chill, stand up dude. Once, for some drunken reason, I had some guys in my face at Babalu, as I had probably been causing trouble. Big Mike immediately had my back, even though I was the one, probably mouthing off, and being stupid.

Even though he wasn't dating Deidre at the time, he kept an eye out for me, as I was a little dude. Much props and respect for him for that. Usually if I run in to him, he still remembers me; which is rare for most of the people I knew back in those days.

Another funny memory I have of Big Mike is when me and Deidre [my roommate at the time], both hooked up with our 'ex-s' on the same night. Her's being Big Mike, and mine; Peter from Boulder.

The next morning when Dee and I went to breakfast, she relayed that Big Mike, was kinda freaked out that Peter and I had hooked up, at the same time, in the next room. Good times.

I had no idea he was an 'Ultimate Fighter', or that he was on the show. But then again, I haven't seen him in a bit.

Shout out to Big Mike!

Twisted Sol

Westword

Spike TV

Update:: That sucks!. I just turned on Spike TV and Mike got eliminated. At least the dude he fought, ended up in the hospital.

'No Pain, No Gain'

Mike Nickels aims to knock out the competition.

Mike Nickels was closing up shop when he saw a crack deal going down right outside the door.

'"I can't have drug deals going on out there," says Nickels,
owner of the Twisted Sol tattoo shop at 1405 Ogden Street. "I've got soccer moms
bringing their sixteen-year-old daughters down here for belly-button rings."

As the dealer headed north on Ogden, Nickels grabbed him by
both shoulders and told him to take his bullshit elsewhere. He knew the dealer
could have had a knife, could have had a gun.

But no way did the dealer know that Nickels is a Brazilian
jiu-jitsu expert, that he wrestles, kickboxes and has won grappling competitions
that are all part of the sports phenomenon known as mixed martial arts. Nickels
can take care of himself. He takes care of his neighborhood, too.

Tattoos cover nearly all of Nickels's 6'4" body, and today
the 200-plus-pounder is not only an impressive sight on Capitol Hill, but on
Spike TV every Thursday night.

The day after he ran that dealer off of Odgen, Nickels made
his debut as one of sixteen tough guys on The Ultimate Fighter, the third season
of a reality show that follows fighters as they try to knock each other out of
the competition for a six-digit contract with the Ultimate Fighting Championship
-- the major league of mixed martial arts in the United States.'