Escamilla, 34, rolled onto the BMX scene when he was just 14 years old, landing first place podium finishes in contests like the 1996 ESPN X Trail Street Contest and the ’98 Hard Trick Contest at the Goodwill Games. Named one of Ride Magazine’s most influential riders of the 1990s, his accomplishments include breaking the world records for the longest BMX back flip—measuring 62 feet 2 inches—and the longest 360 performed on a BMX bike, both at X Games 11 in August 2005 at the Staples Center in Los Angeles.
Escamilla is the current co-host of Fuel TV’s “Strangers in Danger” with BMX rider Zack “Catfish” Yankush. The pair travels the world taking part in strange rituals and bizarre stunts such as eating a live octopus, working as sewer divers in Mexico and occasionally breaking bottles on their foreheads. The show is in its second season.
“Mike’s career as an athlete and in media embodies the values that XYIENCE supports—creating a lifestyle that’s centered around one’s passion for a sport,” says John Lennon, XYIENCE president. “He’s been a pioneer in BMX and the audience he reaches is inclusive of MMA fans, but also enables XYIENCE to communicate with a broader group of those committed to an active lifestyle. We are looking forward to a successful relationship.”
The show isn’t Escamilla’s first on-screen appearance, however. He made his feature film debut in 2002, alongside Vin Diesel in “XXX” playing a ramp truck passenger. He’s also spent time doing stunt work for NBC’s “The Cape,” “Chuck” and “Outsourced.” Escamilla is also a regular on The Learning Channel’s (TLC) hit show, “LA Ink.”