Los Angeles – Matt Buyten soared above the competition – by two feet to be exact – to take home X Games gold in the Moto X Step Up finals on Sunday at The Home Depot Center. Buyten cleared 23 feet in the competition, enough to edge out Brian Deegan and Jeremy McGrath, who both cleared 21 feet. 

“I just went into that thing as hot as possible and held it wide,” said Buyten following his victory.  “I really look up to (McGrath). To sit here and battle with him is a dream come true.”

McGrath made his X Games debut at X Games 10 marked by a memorable showdown between himself and Buyten, when the Step Up final became the longest Moto X competition in X Games history.

“All the stars have to line up for this event to be as dramatic as 2004, and I was disappointed because I know we can all go like 10 feet higher,” McGrath said about tonight’s final.