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"I don't want it to be my livelihood" - ONE Championship's Demetrious Johnson backs out of video game Twitch streaming

ONE Championship's Demetrious Johnson remains an avid video gamer away from the Circle. [Photo: Demetrious Johnson on Instagram]
ONE Championship's Demetrious Johnson remains an avid video gamer away from the Circle. [Photo: Demetrious Johnson on Instagram]

Demetrious Johnson seems to be done with the video game streaming lifestyle.

The ONE Championship star has won championships, defeated the greats and etched his name alongside the greatest of all time in combat sports.

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Johnson can endure hardships unlike any other. However, streaming just doesn't cut it for 'Mighty Mouse'.

In an interview with The Washington Post, the 35-year-old 'Mighty Mouse' conceded that the lifestyle of a streamer is just too much for him to bear at this stage of his life:

“Wake up every day and stream full time? Oh god no. I couldn’t do it. Sometimes I feel bad for some of the streamers; one moment they have a s**tload [of subscribers], and then next thing you know, they take a little time off and their subscriber numbers just drop. I’ll play video games because I enjoy it, but I don’t want it to be my livelihood.”

When he was still with the UFC, Johnson routinely streamed games in between fights. He went as far as telling Kotaku.com in 2017 that streaming was his "second career."

One of the current top attractions in ONE Championship, Johnson strictly adhered to the rule that he would not talk about his in-ring career while streaming games. This was a testament to the work-life balance he was trying to maintain.

However, he told The Washington Post that he would be a regular gamer like everyone else moving forward. After all, video gaming is a way to relax and is typically not another source of stress:

“My schedule basically consisted of this: I would go to the gym, train for a session, stream afterward, then get my second session in, come home, eat dinner, kiss my wife, and then go downstairs and stream for another two hours. But then it came to a point where I was like, ‘Why am I doing this? I don’t get to go to bed with my wife. I’m absolutely exhausted. It’s just not worth it.'”

Demetrious Johnson prepares for video game-like special rules fight

Demetrious Johnson may not have to worry about his post-Circle streaming life, as he is already living a video game-like career in it.

On March 26, Johnson is set to face one of ONE Championship's top strikers, Rodtang Jitmuangnon, in a four-round special rules fight at the ONE X 10th-year super-show.

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The stipulation of alternating Muay Thai and MMA rounds is something straight out of a fight game's custom settings. No one knows what to expect apart from a smashing good time.

Will 'Mighty Mouse' get stomped with lethal kicks? Will the 'Iron Man' get shut down from a sudden armbar? Who knows? Tune in on March 26 to see the madness unfold, only at ONE Championship.

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