He’s known for his incredible physical transformations on screen, morphing into characters that have come to be regarded as some of the most iconic in pop culture history. But it seems that the dedication Tom Hardy shows towards his acting roles also translates to those hobbies he pursues outside of his Hollywood career – namely that of martial arts. If you weren’t aware that Hardy was quite the formidable opponent when it comes to fighting of the martial arts variety, know that while he might not have an Academy Award to his name (yet), he’s now the gold medal winner of the 2022 Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Open Championship.
At 45-years-old, Hardy is showing no signs of slowing down, having brought as much gusto to the Open Championship as he did his roles in Inception, Mad Max: Fury Road and the Venom franchise. Recently, the star competed as a “high-level blue belt” in the category of men 41-and-older and took out the top prize at the UMAC Milton Keynes Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Open held on September 17.
????️ Taped Fingers on facebook 17/09/2022#TomHardy #JiuJitsu #reorgcharity #taboo #HAVOC #venomlettherebecarnage pic.twitter.com/tXjtUs8XzU
— Tom_Hardy_Italia (@Tom_Hardy_Itali) September 22, 2022
In a career that relies rather heavily on aesthetics, Hardy wasn’t afraid to get rough with his opponents and according to local paper, the Milton Keynes Citizen, he even told one opponent: “Just forget it’s me and do what you would normally do.”
It’s not the first time the star has tried his hand at jiu-jitsu, which appears to be something of a passion for Hardy. In August, he won another event, taking out the top prize in Wolverhampton for the REORG charity that he works with after defeating a 40-year-old fighter named Danny Appleton. As Appleton explained to The Northern Echo, “He’s just a top guy – he’s very strong which surprised me and a very good fighter. But he’s probably the toughest competitor I’ve had – he certainly lived up to his Bane character, that’s for sure.”
Story by @umac_uk on ig
— Tom_Hardy_Italia (@Tom_Hardy_Itali) September 17, 2022
18/09/2022#TomHardy #JiuJitsu #HAVOC #venomlettherebecarnage #taboo pic.twitter.com/d1oGEDkKf9
Though Hardy’s burgeoning career in jiu-jitsu might come as a surprise for some, if any actor was going to do it, surely it would be the man who played one of England’s most notoriously violent prison inmates in the form of Charles Bronson. With a number of action roles under his belt, Hardy has continued to prove himself as a go-to action star, capable of throwing hard knocks on the screen and cementing his presence with formidable force. And when it comes to preparing for these roles, he’s known to knuckle down on his workout and diet routine, even incorporating jiu-jitsu as a form of training as he looked to get in shape for Venom.
British rapper Tinie Tempah even said that he and Hardy were part of a group of fighters who trained together a few times a week before Covid-19 lockdown began, suggesting that jiu-jitsu is a little more than a hobby for the action star. With several films in the works, including thriller Havoc, Venom 3 and a 60’s motorcycle gang film titled The Bikeriders, it’s hard to say whether Hardy will have much time on the cards for more jiu-jitsu competitions, but it’s certainly a nice little boost to his resume.
