Creator Clash brings entertainers into the ring

Are you ready to rumble?! Creator Clash has returned this week for its second annual event filled with internet personalities and influencers ready to go the distance for a good cause!

Created back in 2022 by Youtube personality IDubbbz (Ian Carter) and his spouse Anisa Jomha, Creator Clash is an amateur boxing tournament in which pairs of content creators duke it out to raise money for different causes, with all proceeds of the event going to beneficiary groups. 

The number of charities benefitting jumped from three to a whopping 14 this year, including but not limited to: The AbleGamers Charity, NAMI National, The Humane Society of the United States and the Critical Role Foundation. 

Ranging from super flyweight to heavyweight, there were a total of 12 fights in the Creator Clash 2 lineup, with the headlining card pitting the event’s creator IDubbbz against fellow Youtuber Alex Wassabi. This year’s clash featured both new and returning fighters from across the entertainment industry, including twitch streamers, voice actors, tiktokers and chess players. 

The Creator Clash is not simply a casual sports-themed fundraiser for charity. Boxing is an extremely intense and grueling sport that takes an incredible toll on its participants. This event could be categorized as “helping by harming.”

Few will forget Hansen’s iconic outfit. Photo courtesy of @TheCreatorClash, Twitter

Most creators being invited to participate actually have declined in light of how daunting these fights can be, as was the case with Youtube stars Markiplier (Mark Fischbach) and Jacksepticeye (Seán McLoughlin), who instead requested to host the event’s pre- and post-show segments. 

The participating influencers can’t just step into the ring and duke it out without care due to this sport’s inherent danger. All are required to properly learn how to box preceding the event to ensure maximum safety. Some of this year’s combative content creators got in their fair share of training time by working for up to two years in preparation for the event, while others, such as William Haynes, only had three weeks to train due to being a last minute replacement.

Of course, hosting grudge matches between entertainment personalities requires theatrical flair in and out of the ring. Viewers were treated to captivating pre-fight walkouts like that of Marisha Ray, best known for the actual-play Dungeons & Dragons live streams of “Critical Role.” Her CR co-stars followed behind in ominous black and red robes for her ring walk, referencing the ‘satanic panic’ that haunted the table top role-playing game scenes’ younger years. One of my favorite walks of the night was Abelina Sabrina’s, as she was serenaded onto the canvas by a full mariachi band! 

Costumes were another way this year’s combatants added a little bit of pizazz to this night of charity collisions. Many of the costumes worn by these influencers were inspired by their content-creating niche. Leonhart (Lee Steinfeld) wore shorts featuring the symbols for the Fire, Grass, and Water Pokémon types, as he is known for making content around Pokémon cards. 

Arin Hanson, co-creator of “Game Grumps,” was dressed in a bedazzled, bubblegum pink sailor scout inspired get-up for his fight. He certainly punished his opponent in the name of the moon as he TKO’d fellow Youtuber Jarvis Johnson in only two rounds, a huge comeback from his defeat in the first Creator Clash. 

Another memorable fight this year was Ethan Nestor’s victory over the aforementioned Leonhart with only 26 seconds left in round three by TKO. For both Nestor and his longtime fans, this is a proud and extremely impressive win, as the YouTuber has been very open with how hard he has prepared for this event. His obvious technical skills such as calculated footwork and blows indicate training paid off. 

All in all, Creator Clash was a night of fighting and fun, and whether by TKO or unanimous decision all the victories earned in the ring this week were well deserved. Bring on CC3! 

 

cgranhol@ramapo.edu

Featured photo courtesy of @TheCreatorClash, Twitter