Masticator

"Ears yum"

- The Masticator

Mike "The Masticator" is the heavyweight fighting champion at the outset of Fallout 2.

Background
He can be found in New Reno, training at the Jungle Gym, although he actually lives in the basement of the Bishop family's casino, the Shark Club. He is a towering mass of muscle, with each arm looking like it could double as a tank barrel, complimenting his face, which looks akin to a raw slab of meat. He is mentally underdeveloped, kept in a cage in the casino basement, where his aggression and relentlessness are fine tuned and maintained.

The fighter
Of all the New Reno boxing favorites, hopefuls, and wannabes, Mike "The Masticator" stood unopposed at the top of the heap. His championship came from two sources. In the first place, Mike is an outstanding fighter, boasting strong skills in unarmed combat. However, Mike also owes his standing to fear. Many boxers are afraid to challenge the champ.

Odd habits
Mike earned his nickname of "masticator" through his very unusual tendency to bite at opponents' ears. Many a challenger has found out the hard way that Mike does not believe in clean fighting. Losing a fight to Mike "The Masticator" usually means losing an ear, as well. In fact, if the player loses his fight against Mike, they stand almost a certain chance to receive the unique item Player's Ear.

Other interactions
The fate of Mike "The Masticator" is largely up to the player. As he is not involved in the plot of the game, he can be - and often is - bypassed entirely. Should the player enter the New Reno boxing circuit against Mike, he is never heard from again, regardless of winning or losing the fight. If the player boxes against Mike, and wins, they will receive the special reputation 'prizefighter'.

Appearances
The Masticator appears only in Fallout 2.

Behind the scenes
Mike "The Masticator" is a reference to boxer Mike Tyson. His fight with Evan Hollyfeld, based on Evander Holyfield, in which Evan loses his ear is a nod towards the infamous fight between Tyson and Holyfield where Tyson bit off Holyfield's ear.

Masticator means chewer.