Hollywood superstar Tom Hardy – known for Dunkirk, Inception, Venom, and more – took part in a martial arts competition, Jiu-Jitsu, where he eventually triumphed.
The 45-year-old actor participated in the 2022 Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Open Championship. It is a contest organized by the Ultimate Martial Arts Championships in Milton Keynes.
Hardy wrote in a post uploaded on his Instagram handle, “Addiction is difficult and complex stuff to navigate, as is mental health. Subjects which are both deeply personal for me and extremely close to my heart.”
Hardy has formerly participated in such competitions, and he won the REORG Open Jiu-Jitsu Championship in Wolverhampton, which took place in August.
“Everyone recognized him, but he was humble and happy to take time out for people to take photographs with him. It was a real pleasure to have him compete at our event,” a spokesperson for the championships said,
Danny Appleby, the actor’s adversary at the tournament’s semifinal, praised Hardy for putting up a great show. “I was shell-shocked. [Hardy] said, ‘Forget it’s me and do what you would normally do. A solid guy … You wouldn’t think it with him being a celebrity.”
Referring to Hardy’s character from the hit movie The Dark Knight Rises, Appleby said, “I’ve done about six tournaments, and I’ve been on the podium in everyone. But he’s probably the toughest competitor I’ve had – he certainly lived up to his Bane character, that’s for sure.”
The competition was a charity event, and the revenue generated will go toward emergency service workers, military personnel, and veterans.
Hardy is a trustee for REORG, a charity that teaches jiu-jitsu to those suffering from depression, PTSD, and other significant injuries.
