With over 52 million subscribers on YouTube alone, it’s easy to say that IShowSpeed is the man of the hour. He just got finished putting Logan Paul through a table at WrestleMania 42, seemingly adding another title (professional wrestler) to the long list of accomplishments he’s been able to achieve. Over the last five years, Speed has found a way to evolve, growing from the brainrot-spewing rager that you always saw going crazy on TikTok to the world-traveling soccer fan, becoming internationally known for his free spirit and “try it” attitude.
The thing is, after spending so much time with Speed on stream, discovering new foods and locations, hopping into the Royal Rumble, or leaving Ashton Hall in the dust, there are likely things you don’t know about Speed, which is dope. Live in the moment and all! But for those who want to get more acquainted with the world’s biggest streamer, here are 10 things you didn’t know about IShowSpeed.
The meaning behind his gamertag
Speed was always fast; the “Speed” in his gamertag is for “Speedy,” which is what he was called due to his abilities. Knowing that “speed” was something he wanted to showcase, he added “I Show” to the front. A gamertag is born!
Speed really lives up to his nickname
During an NFL Draft 2024 event in Detroit, Speed did a 40-yard dash in 4.4 seconds, IN FOAM RUNNERS. That’s quicker than Cam Newton, and fractions of a second behind Randy Moss. And that’s in foam runners. Speed once raced against Olympic medalist Noah Lyles, and gave Lyles a run for his money.
Speed’s YouTube channel was first set up in 2016
Funny enough, while Speed reportedly set up his channel in 2016, his first upload wouldn’t happen for another year, and to be honest, it took Speed some time establishing himself in the gaming scene (2K, Fortnite) before blowing up for his big personality.
It took Speed five years to reach one million subscribers
In 2021, during the pandemic, Speed’s content started to click, with clips of his streams turning into interest in his channel. How big was Speed’s growth? His subscriber count went from 100,000 in April of 2021 to one million in June of 2021. Yes, that fast.
Speed’s hair was NOT up for bid on eBay
In July 2024, Speed’s tour of Europe made a stop in Norway. While exiting a souvenir shop, Speed was met by scores of fans, and in the middle of the swarm, grabbing at his entire body as his security tried to remove him from the area (Speed had injured his ankle earlier while interacting with fans). While reports said that a few of Speed’s locs had been removed from his head and were up for bid on eBay (to the tune of $1,700!), internet sleuths say that the image of the dreads in question had been lifted from Reddit.
Speed is the first English-speaking streamer to have 1 million concurrent viewers on a livestream
This happened in September 2024, during Speed’s tour of Southeast Asia. While livestreaming in Indonesia, Speed hit 1.04 million viewers, which was reportedly a 70 percent increase for him.
Speed has Ghanaian citizenship
After visiting Ghana during his Speed Does Africa tour, Foreign Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa said that Speed’s Ghanaian passport would be approved due to "confirmation of the irrefutable ties of IShowSpeed to Ghana."
WrestleMania 42 wasn’t Speed’s first WrestleMania
Sure, wrestling alongside Logan Paul and Austin Theory was Speed’s first WrestleMania match, but Speed got involved during WrestleMania XL, attempting to help Logan Paul. Speed disguised himself as a bottle of PRIME and ate an RKO as a reward.
Speed’s Royal Rumble appearance was not improvised
During Speed’s 2025 Royal Rumble spot, it looked like the chaos of a streamer backstage during WWE’s most involved match resulted in an impromptu entry into the Royal Rumble for Speed. Netflix’s WWE Unreal docuseries would reveal the reality of the situation, with Triple H laying out the entire scenario for Stephanie McMahon earlier in the day.
Speed’s a two-time Streamer of the Year winner
As Speed has become an internationally-known streamer, mostly for his travels across the globe, he’s remained in the awards conversation every year. In 2024 and 2025, he won Streamer of the Year at the Streamer Awards; in 2024, Speed also took home awards for Best International Streamer and Get Off Your A** Award (Best IRL Streamer). In 2025, Speed also won Best IRL Streamer at the Streamer Awards, also being nominated for Best Marathon Stream for Speed Does America. Something tells us he could be in a similar situation for 2026!
