Tom Hardy may be best known for his acting skills in films like The Dark Knight Rises and Venom, but the 45-year-old Oscar nominee has also blossomed into quite the martial artist in recent years.
After discovering Brazilian jiu-jitsu while training for his role in the 2011 film Warrior, Hardy continued training after the production finished and now actually wins competitions in his spare time.
Last weekend, Hardy competed in a grappling competition in Milton Keynes, England, winning all of his games and being crowned champion in his division.
Photos taken by a local photographer under the Instagram handle Taped Fingers caught Hardy at work where he picked up multiple wins including an armbar submission in the finals of the competition. Hardy actually competed under his real name, Edward Hardy, which can be seen on the certificate he received for his win.
Currently ranked as a blue belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, Hardy has been busy competing in various tournaments including recently another win at the REORG Open Jiu-Jitsu Championships in Wolverhampton, England.
The promoter behind the last event called Hardy “a really nice guy” who took photos with those in attendance after his competitions.
His opponent in the last game was just as shocked as everyone else to see Hardy compete.
“I recognized him straight away,” Danny Appleby told MK Citizen. “Everyone knows who Tom Hardy is, right? I was shocked. He said, ‘Just forget it’s me, doing what you normally would.’”
Hardy has been a regular supporter of mixed martial arts and Brazilian jiu-jitsu since his appearance in Warrior. He even did a previous promo on the set of Peaky Blinders for fighter Jack McGann ahead of a BAMMA event.