Tom Hardy surprised viewers when he competed in a martial arts championship and proved he’s just as much an action star in real life when he took home the gold.
The Venom actor, 45, showed his strength as he competed in the UMAC Milton Keynes BJJ Open 2022, held at Oakgrove School in Milton Keynes on Saturday.
He had secretly arranged to attend the fight at a local school gym, where he took all of his opponents to the ground.
Shock: Tom Hardy surprised viewers when he competed in a martial arts championship and proved he’s just as much an action star in real life as he took home the gold
The crowd couldn’t believe their eyes as the Hollywood star emerged in a blue jiu-jitsu gi that showcased his toned physique and intricate tattoos.
Looking ready for action, Tom showed off his jiu-jutsu skills as he knocked down his opponents and amazingly fought his way through to the finals.
The fighter, who holds a senior blue belt in ground fighting, made short work of the competition when he won gold with an impressive armbar.
He was seen posing with his gold medal and certificate, which included his full name, Edward Hardy, but he more commonly goes by his middle name, Thomas.
Winner: The Venom actor, 45, showed his strength when he competed in the UMAC Milton Keynes BJJ Open 2022, held at Oakgrove School in Milton Keynes on Saturday
Surprise Arrival: He had secretly arranged to attend the fight at a local school gym, where he took all his opponents to the ground
According to an event description of the UMAC BJJ Open, it was open to all “BJJ belt levels in adult, youth and children’s divisions”.
Sean Rosborough, who sponsored the event, said organizers knew the global megastar would arrive at the championship a few weeks early.
But he said they kept the actor’s performance “to themselves” to prevent crowds of people “distracting” him from attending the competition.
Sean, 37, said Tom is “brilliant” with fans reaching out to him for photos, adding that the mums in the audience are “all over him”.
Shocked: The crowds couldn’t believe their eyes as the Hollywood star stepped out in a blue jiu-jitsu gi that showcased his toned physique as he wore his top partially unzipped
Unbelievable: Tom looked ready for action and showed off his jiu-jutsu skills as he knocked down his opponents and amazingly fought his way to the finals
Victory: The fighter, who holds a top-class blue belt in ground fighting, made short work of the competition and took gold with an impressive parallel bars
He said: “We found out he’s probably coming a couple of weeks before that.
“But the organizers kept it to themselves – and didn’t want crowds of people to distract him from what he was doing.
“He was brilliant. Lots of people came up to him asking for photos and he had no problem with that at all. The mothers were all over him. It didn’t bother him.
“And when he was fighting, he was focused on what he was doing. He’s great at jiu-jitsu.”
Planning: Sean Rosborough, who sponsored the event, said organizers knew the global megastar would be arriving at the Championships a few weeks early
Mystery: But he said they kept the actor’s performance “to themselves” to prevent crowds of people “distracting” him from attending the competition.
Speaking of Tom’s appearance at the event, one of his opponents – who was not named – told MKCitizen he recognized Tom immediately and said he was “shocked” by the star’s surprise appearance.
He said: Everyone knows who Tom Hardy is, right? I was shocked. He said, “Just forget it’s me doing what you normally would.”
“He’s a really strong guy … You wouldn’t believe it when he’s a celebrity.”
Tom reportedly got into Brazilian jiu-jitsu while training for the movie Warrior, where he played the role of a former boxer training to become an MMA fighter.
Art: Sean, 37, said Tom was “brilliant” with fans reaching out to him for photos, adding that the mums in the audience were “all over him”.
Moves: Tom showed off his action star moves as he defeated his opponents
Participants in the centuries-old sport tussle with their opponents on a floor mat to achieve “nonviolent” submissions.
Sean Rosborough, who watched each of Hardy’s fights, said the actor picked up quick wins in all of them to be crowned champion of his section.
He said: “I saw his matches and he had entries in all of them – and they were really fast.
“He did really, really well. He doesn’t have the highest grade but you could tell he came to win and he was impressive in every fight.
Sean said he tried not to bother the star too much, adding that he thought the actor was having a “good time” at the local event.
Overjoyed: After a fight, Tom flashed a huge grin as he was declared champion
Victorious: Tom looked serious as he was declared the winner of his fight during the competition
He said: “We tried not to disturb him too much. We didn’t crush him. We just tried to keep it as normal as possible for him. I think he had a good time.’
Last month, the Max Mad star caused a similar stir when he showed up at the REORG Open Jiu-Jitsu Championships in Wolverhampton, which raised money for military members who are dealing with mental and physical health issues.
Tom last starred as Alfie Solomons in the final season of the hit series Peaky Blinders.
And he is expected to soon reprise his role as Eddie Brock for a third installment of the superhero film Venom, which is currently in pre-production.
Podium: Tom was seen posing with his gold medal and certificate, which included his full name Edward Hardy, but he more commonly goes by his middle name, Thomas