Pitchfork

Photo by Becky Olstad

Craig Finn can rep Minnesota baseball all he wants, but his former Lifter Puller bandmate Steve Barone prefers his sports rawer and with a little bit more local color.

See, Barone is a mashed potato wrestler-- which makes him, er, a former Lifter Puller tater wrestler. He goes by the stage name of Steve-O Gratin, and Steve-O is the current defending Mashed Potato Wrestling Champion of the Universe, as crowned after a competition at the Potato Days festival in Barnesville, Minnesota.

Barone uploaded a video of his championship bout against opponent Rowdy Roddy Potato Head to a website called My Favorite Minnesota, a sub-site of the state tourism website where Minnesotans can upload photos, videos, and commentary about their favorite places and things to do in the state.

"Steve's 12 Favorite Places in Minnesota for a Festival Junkie" also includes videos of the Potato Days demolition derby, the Steele County Free Fair's human cannon, and Barone attending the Shakopee Renaissance Festival in full garb.

Get your fix of Barone's mashed potato wrestling antics below: