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Oliver Lee Bateman

Oliver Bateman is a contributing writer to MEL Magazine. He writes about the extreme sides of fitness, the weirder sides of MMA and pro wrestling, and the unorthodox lifestyles of professional athletes. His writing on these topics has appeared in publications such as the Paris Review, the Atlantic, and the New Republic. Ever since he was a little kid, he's been really good at exercising.

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Two Pittsburgh Tough Guys Made MMA Safe for Everyone But Themselves

To hear the media talk about it today, MMA was born when the first UFC tournament was held in 1993 and came of age after…

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All Fitness Influencers Are Full of Shit

Whenever I log on to Instagram, my heart drops a little. After years of living the lifestyle and covering the subject, fitness influencer behavior shouldn’t…

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The NFL’s Shocking Income Inequality

The NFL is America in a microcosm: a vicious protection racket obscured by layers of phony patriotism and conspicuous consumption that props up some rich…

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The Flaming Table Is Wrestling’s Greatest Stunt and Most Poignant Metaphor

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The Unheard History of Bodybuilding Forums, as Told by the Trolls and Counter-Trolls Who Made Them Huge

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My Three Months on Kratom, the ‘Miracle Drug’ for Bodybuilders and Opiate Addicts

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The Ineffable Bro-ness of Rob Gronkowski

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From Working Men to World-Class Athletes, Stone Lifting Has Always Been the Ultimate Feat of Strength

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The Dystopian Future of Extremely Expensive Fitness Equipment

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Enormous, Blood-Hungry Muscle Monsters Take Top Billing in Poland’s MMA

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How Much You Can Bench Has Absolutely Nothing to Do With Strength

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A Brief(s) History of the Pro-Wrestling Posedown