Hollywood acting superstar Tom Hardy has recently shocked the world by showing off his Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu blue belt skills at separate events in Wolverhampton and Milton Keynes.
The actor, known for playing hardman roles in Peaky Blinders, Mad Max, The Dark Knight Rises and Bronson, has been training in the martial arts since starring as an MMA fighter in the 2011 film ‘Warrior’.
As of late, he’s been putting his skills to the test.
Last month, the 45-year-old picked up two submission victories at an event in Wolverhampton that was held to raise money for a charity that supports training for military personnel and first responders facing severe mental and physical issues.
This past weekend, Hardy won gold again, this time it was at a BJJ competition in Milton Keynes that was put on to help local charities and get children into the sport according to its organiser Mohamed Itoumaine.
While Hardy has surprised everyone with his grappling prowess, it’s not come as a shock to those in the Jiu-Jitsu world which is becoming overrun by celebrities.
Several other high-profile actors are actually ranked higher than Hardy in the sport although none of them are competing publicly like the Venom star.
Most notably, Ashton Kutcher of ‘That 70s Show’ and ‘Two and a Half Men’ fame, is the proud owner of a BJJ brown belt after taking up the sport 10 years ago.
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The 44-year-old trains under 8th-degree red and white belt Rigan Machado who runs ‘The Academy Beverly Hills’ which is naturally the place a lot of celebrities frequent.
Kutcher has been videoed training with UFC middleweight Paulo Costa and BJJ legend Craig Jones but there is no public footage of him competing in any form of grappling match.
Other notable actors who are highly ranked in the ancient martial art include Jason Statham and Russell Brand who both hold purple belts after years of training.
The ‘Forgetting Sarah Marshall’ star took to YouTube to react to earning his latest belt upgrade in December 2021: “What this purple BJJ purple belt means to me is that I’ve changed as a person.
“What I’ve learned from jiu-jitsu is how to handle my body. I’ve learned humility. I’ve learned that there’s a lot of people that really, really know what they are doing.
“As I’ve learned to use my own body differently, I feel more certain about it. I feel more at ease with myself. I don’t feel so edgy and afraid.”
Several other actors such as Jonah Hill, Keanu Reaves, Charlie Hunnam, Margot Robbie, Nicholas Cage, and Vin Diesel are known to train in BJJ.
The love affair between the sport and celebrities goes beyond the world of acting, with several other entertainers highly ranked in the sport.
These include UFC commentator and popular podcaster Joe Rogan and film director Guy Ritchie, who both hold black belts. WWE legend Dave Bautista is a purple belt while musician Demi Lovato is a blue belt, as is comedian Russell Peters.
It remains to be seen if any of the aforementioned people will follow in Hardy’s footsteps by putting their training to the test and proving their rankings are legitimate by taking part in competitions.
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