Who knew Tom Hardy had a secret talent? Well, besides playing thrilling roles in movies like “Black Hawk Down,” “Mad Max,” and “The Dark Knight Rises.”
Hardy fights on-screen, but his abilities do not stop when the camera finishes rolling.
This past weekend, Hardy, whose real name is Edward Thomas Hardy, made an appearance at the 2022 Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Open Championship in Milton Keynes, England. And not only did he show up – he won.
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He mysteriously entered under his full surname and humbly rose above all the competitors to clinch the gold prize after defeating veteran martial artist Danny Appleby.
“I was shell-shocked,” Appleby said in an interview with The Guardian, after he realized he would be pinned up against the actor Hardy. But humble Hardy assured Appleby that it was not a big deal and that he was just like any other competitor.
“He’s a really strong guy … you wouldn’t think it with him being a celebrity,” Appleby added. “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.”
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Clearly Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu is one of Hardy’s favorite pastimes. He has been training at Roger Gracie’s affiliate schools and, as of December 2020, Hardy has his blue belt.
In August, Hardy won the REORG Open Jiu-Jitsu Championship in Wolverhampton, which was a tournament that helped raise funds for military personnel, veterans and service workers. The actor is a trustee for the organization.
Nonetheless, his next endeavor, that we know of, will be in acting and not in martial arts. He is currently assisting in the development of the third “Venom” movie’s script. Hardy will also be in an upcoming Netflix thriller called “Havoc,” premiering sometime in 2023.
