Hollywood megastar Tom Hardy first discovered Brazilian jiu-jitsu during training for his role in the 2011 MMA film Warrior.
Hardy found a love for the art and has since continued training after production wrapped.
Now 45-year-old Hardy is turning heads outside of Hollywood and actually winning competitions in his spare time.
Tom Hardy Wows Spectators
Tom Hardy currently holds the rank of blue belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu and is proving a very capable practitioner at both gi and no-gi disciplines.
Hardy has been busy competing in various tournaments throughout the UK, including a recent win in the REORG Open Jiu-Jitsu Championship in Wolverhampton, England.
Hardy was also victorious at a recent grappling competition in Milton Keynes, England.
Showcasing a vast array of techniques with wins via armbar and a stray ankle lock on the way to being awarded the championship in his division.
A spokesman at the recent event said, “Everyone recognized him, but he was very humble and was happy to take time out for people to take photographs with him…It was a real pleasure to have him compete at our event,”.
Hardy Shares Love for Bjj
In a recent socially media post, Hardy, who has played some of the biggest characters of recent memory in “The Dark Knight Rises,” “Mad Max: Fury Road,” and “Venom,”.
“Addiction is difficult and complex stuff to navigate; as is mental health,” he wrote. “Subjects which are both deeply personal for me and extremely close to my heart.
“It is an honour to be able to represent the charity and my team REORG and the great work they do.
Supporting the mental health and well-being of veterans of service, military and first responders through the therapeutic benefits of Jiu Jitsu and fitness training.”
Hardy has been a big supporter of REORG and is a trustee of them.
REORG is a non-profit and uses Brazilian jiu-jitsu training to help people with physical injuries as well as PTSD and depression.
The organization works with military veterans, active military and first responders to use Brazilian jiu-jitsu for therapeutic purposes.
In another recent post Hardy wrote “Their work has changed and saved lives around the world by not only providing an effective, positive means for navigating and managing the challenging psychological aspects of military and first responder careers, but also has allowed many to find a renewed sense of purpose, identity, and community that’s often lost when transitioning to civilian life,”.
How impressed have you been with the transition of Tom Hardy from Hollywood to martial arts?
Image Credit Mark Ormrod MBE
