Tom Hardy is used to playing a tough guy on screen, but it turns out he can walk the walk off of it as well. Hardy was taking part in a charity Brazilian jiu jitsu contest over the weekend and made short work of the competition, winning gold with an awfully impressive arm bar.
Tom Hardy went full Bane and won a jiu jitsu tournament with a beautiful arm bar
Turns out Hardy is a tough guy off the screen as well.
James Dator has been covering a wide range of sports for SB Nation for over a decade, with a special focus on the NFL.
Before anyone gets too outraged, yes, we know this wasn’t an event against professional fighters. The REORG Open is a charity event that raises money for military personnel and first responders who are dealing with mental and physical issues. So while Hardy was fighting bonafide badasses, they weren’t pro fighters.
Hardy, a BJJ blue belt, dominated the competition and surprised his semi-final opponent, army veteran Danny Appleton. Speaking to local reporters, Appleton acknowledged that he was stunned Hardy was such a proficient fighter.
“He’s a really strong guy. You wouldn’t think it with him being a celebrity. I do okay, I’ve done about six tournaments and I’ve been on the podium in every one. But he’s probably the toughest competitor I’ve had - he certainly lived up to his Bane character, that’s for sure.”
It wasn’t until 2011 that Hardy had any fight training at all. He needed to learn basic MMA while filming Warrior, in which he mixed it up with real-world mixed martial artists while playing a marine turned fighter. This, coupled with his work on Black Hawk Down turned Hardy into an advocate for veterans, and now he’s marrying these two passions by competing in events like this.
There aren’t many stars in Hollywood who could go toe-to-toe with Tom Hardy, except maybe Ed O’Neill (oddly enough). The Married with Children and Modern Family star has a BJJ black belt from Rorion Gracie. Still, Hardy is a certified badass, and a great guy to boot.
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