Southeast Asia has become a hotbed for esports action for the past few years. With that trend continuing to heat up, Chatri Sityodtong, Chairman and CEO of ONE Championship declared this past week the start of a new venture for his company as ONE eSports was officially announced. Carrying that banner and bridging the gap between Western and Eastern fans is none other than former UFC champion Demetrious ‘Mighty Mouse’ Johnson as he was named the Chief Brand Ambassador for the newly crafted Championship Series.
© UFC
Starting in 2019, ONE eSports is planning to launch events alongside their ONE championship shows. The cities that have been rumoured to host these events include Singapore, Bangkok, Tokyo, Seoul, Ho Chi Minh City, Kuala Lumpur, Manila, Jakarta, Shanghai, and Beijing.
Since Demetrious Johnson’s blockbuster trade to ONE Championship via the UFC, it seemed like the road to fortune was all but cemented given Mighty Mouse’s access to sponsors through his gaming career. On top of being one of the most decorated champions in UFC history, Demetrious Johnson has grown quite the following on Twitch.
© UFC
When he isn’t playing his own likeness in UFC 3, DJ can be seen tearing up the opposition on PUBG, Fortnite and World of Warcraft. His unique blend of championship work ethic and casual gamer lingo have amassed a legion of fans unlike any other in the Twitch community, and his endeavors in esports are just getting started.
© fightersonlymag
This move is a continuation of the earlier announcement of ONE Championship investing 50 million into their esports division for these kinds of events. With an ample flag holder in Demetrious Johnson at the helm, ONE have an ideal candidate to bridge the gap between East and West as both worlds are sure to collide on the esports stage.
With plenty of music stars jumping on the esports bandwagon in North America, ONE Championship are doing their part in representing Asia and their massive esports following with a revolution of their own. Using illustrious sports stars to advertise their new endeavor is a great move, but finding a candidate like Mighty Mouse to lead the charge is the icing on the cake to really make this more than just a passion project.
© Epic Games
With the right leadership, the possibility of making ONE Championship a household name in North America and Europe is higher than ever before as they have signed Miesha Tate on as Vice President of the company. Demetrious Johnson’s Head Coach Matt Hume is also Vice President of Operations.
With a new TV deal put in place in 2019 for ONE Championship to stream abroad, the possibilities for success are truly endless if they can manage to make the fight world and gaming world coexist.
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