Tom Hardy is a well-known actor in Hollywood, to say the least. Most recently, the star is most known for his role as Eddie Brock in both Venom and Venom: Let There Be Carnage. Before that, some of his biggest hits were The Dark Knight Rises, Inception, and Warrior.
Usually, in many of his performances, he plays the tough guy—with Eddie Brock being somewhat of an exception since there's Venom in play.
With that tough guy persona, a lot of the time comes some fighting, whether that be against dream constructs or the Dark Knight himself. Needless to say, he ends up kicking some ass more often than not.
Well, it seems that Tom Hardy's combat skills aren't just an on-screen trait. Based on his performance in a real-life martial arts tournament in the UK.
Tom Hardy Competes In Brazillian Jiu-Jitsu
Dark Knight Rises and Venom star Tom Hardy has shown the world that his combat experience extends far beyond the screen.
On Saturday, September 17, the star participated in the UMAC Milton Jeynes Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Open at the Oakgrove Sports Hall in Milton Keynes in the United Kingdom.
An epic photo of Hardy participating in the event can be seen below courtesy of Facebook user and photographer Taped_fingers.
Not only did he compete, but he won first place in his Division (MALE GI / BLUE / MASTER 3 (41+)).
To further clarify, his division puts him at a high-level Blue Belt, which is the 2nd ranking color out of five, with a Black Belt being the highest.
Taped_fingers provided another awesome black and white shot of Hardy preparing for his turn on the mat.
According to the MK Citizen, the aim of the competition is to "take an opponent to the ground, control them and force them into submission using joint locks or chokeholds."
The outlet also reported how the star started to learn some basic martial arts while filming the movie Warrior in 2011. On top of his BJJ experience, he has also trained in mixed martial arts (MAA) and boxing.
The spokesman of Ultimate Martial Arts Championships, the organization that put together the event, had the following to say about Hardy's participation:
"It was a real pleasure to have him compete at our event... 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"
Facebook group Harlow Combat Team provided a great picture of Hardy taking the time to grab a photo with a fan.
According to one opponent of Hardy's, they "didn't know he was going to be there," and they definitely started feeling a little star-struck:
"I was waiting match-side for the semi-final when Tom showed up. I didn't know he was going to be there. And they expected me to remain composed... I recognised him straightaway. Everyone knows who Tom Hardy is, don't they? I was shell-shocked. He said 'just forget it's me and do what you would normally do.'... He's a really strong guy... You wouldn't think it with him being a celebrity."
More photos of the star at the event can be seen in the below batch of photos, again, thanks to Facebook user Taped_fingers.
Thanks to Smooth Comp, Hardy's journey in the competition can be seen in the Tournament rankings below, which start from the Quarterfinals.
This isn't the first time that the star has shown up at a Jiu Jitsu tournament. As reported by SBNation, previously, he competed in the REORG Open and won first place. The event itself was all for charity, raising money for military personnel and first responders who are dealing with mental and physical issues.
Taking Some Time Off Before Venom 3
Seeing celebrities at events always has an air of wonder to it, as they are often seen by many as figures that simply don't do normal stuff. Yet, instead of making a movie, Hardy spent his time competing in a local BJJ tournament—and was humble to those he came across while doing so; a class act.
Maybe the actor just needed a reprieve from the craziness of Hollywood. It sure does sound like a tiring plane of existence, after all.
It's great that Hardy is participating in combat competitions and not voice ones—seeing as he has previously been ranked as the top celebrity with the most confusing voice. It's honestly surprising it took so long for him to get that honor, seeing as his version of Bane is a decade old now.
The star seems to be taking some time off for himself, which is always a healthy course of action. It's also something the actor can certainly afford to do, seeing as his salary for the next entry in the Venom franchise will be upwards of $20 million.
