Tom Hardy is famous for his acting skills — but did you know he’s a legitimate brown belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu?
He’ll choke you out as Bane…and then on the mats with a rear-naked choke.
In this article, I’ve curated everything you want to know about Tom Hardy’s jiu-jitsu:
Tom Hardy At A Jiu-Jitsu Competition Wearing A REORG BJJ Gi
Tom Hardy Background & Stats
Tom Hardy is an English actor, producer, and screenwriter. He’s famous for his roles in films like Inception, The Dark Knight Rises, Warrior, and many more.
He’s also an avid BJJ practitioner who competes on the local scene.
And despite an estimated net worth of ~$60 million dollars, he attends normal BJJ classes just like the rest of us:
Here’s Tom Hardy’s background & stats relevant to jiu-jitsu:
Tom Hardy’s BJJ Stats: By The Numbers |
|
|---|---|
| Name | Edward Thomas Hardy |
| Age | 45 years |
| Date of Birth | September 15, 1977 |
| Height | 5’9″ |
| Hometown | London, England |
| BJJ Weight Class | 82-85kg |
| BJJ Belt | Brown |
| BJJ Coach | Carlos Santos |
| BJJ Team/Association | REORG |
| BJJ Competition Gold Medals | 3 |
“He doesn’t ask for special treatment, and I’ve personally witnessed him say yes to every person that asks him to roll (which [in my opinion] we should be a bit more selective when rolling, as Tom is going in there just for some friendly rolls and some dudes may truly think they are rolling against Bane.”
-Tom Deblass
Tom Hardy’s Jiu-Jitsu History
“I love Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. I just want to go and roll and get all sweaty in spandex. With everyone. It’s such a lovely sport.” – Tom Hardy
Tom Hardy first started training BJJ in 2011 when he was preparing for his role as Tommy Conlon in the film Warrior.
Tom suffered a broken toe, ribs, and finger while training for and filming Warrior. Despite that, he wanted to work through his injuries, and he took his first jiu-jitsu class. His first class was with his BJJ coach Carlos Santos. Tom’s been hooked since he first jumped on the mats.
“He will never stop doing jiu-jitsu anymore,” Santos told MMA Fighting. “Jiu-jitsu is in his blood, in his soul, in his heart.”
After getting into jiu-jitsu, he began taking private lessons for up to 3 hours a day.
Today, Tom Hardy continues to train BJJ around the world when he’s filming for his acting roles.
He’s trained with BJJ legends like Renzo Gracie, Roger Gracie, John Danaher, Tom Deblass, the Daisy Fresh team, and many more.
Tom Hardy With Jiu-Jitsu Legend Renzo Gracie
When he’s on set, he’ll train with his stunt double who’s also a BJJ practitioner.
“I’ve rolled with his stunt double a couple of times, also a blue belt very tough. I believe they train together while on set so not surprised that Tom is legit.” –u/jumbohumbo
Tom also competes in local BJJ competitions in the UK.
There was a rumor that he was going to fight Mario Lopez in a celebrity BJJ match in 2022, but the match never happened.
John Danaher and Tom Hardy
On June 19th, 2023, Tom was promoted to purple belt by Tomasz Rydzewski (a Roger Gracie black belt).
On February 1st, 2026, Tom was promoted to brown belt by Tom DeBlass.
“Simple training, for me (as a hobby and a private love) has been fundamentally key to further develop a deeper sense of inner resilience, calm and well being. I can’t stress the importance it has had and the impact on my life and my fellow team mates.”
–Tom Hardy
Tom Hardy consistently speaks about the therapeutic benefits of jiu-jitsu.
He serves as the lead ambassador for the REORG Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Foundation, a charity dedicated to using fitness and BJJ to support the physical and mental well-being of veterans, military, and emergency services personnel.
“Practicing juijitsu and/or functional fitness can make a massive difference in so many different ways. It gives a healthy outlet for your energy and gets you training with a group of people like-minded who are focused on the same goal. This small step can be a life saver.” -REORG Charity
Tom Hardy As A 2-stripe White Belt With His Jiu-Jitsu Coach Carlos Santos
Tom Hardy’s Jiu-Jitsu Tournament Performance
Rolling with Tom Hardy would be extremely painful…for you.
(Get the reference?)
Unlike many other celebrities who do BJJ (Joe Rogan, Jonah Hill, Ashton Kutcher, etc.), Tom Hardy actually competes in local BJJ tournaments.
He’s won several gold medals and has many submission finishes in his matches.
He competes in the masters division (41+ years) between the 82-85kg (180-187lbs) weight class.
Here’s a list of his placements at local jiu-jitsu competitions in the UK:
- Gold Medal at the ReORG Open 2022 (August 2022)
- Gold Medal at the Ultimate Martial Arts Championship (September 2022)
- Gold Medal at the REORG Open 2023 (June 2023)
One of his BJJ tournament competitors Darren said this about Tom Hardy:
“He turns up at this comps like any other dude, no special treatment. I get anxious before matches so I can only imagine how he must feel with all those eyes on him. He could quite easily just train BJJ and not compete like many people do, but it just shows what type of guy he is”.
I’ve watched his tournament footage, and I’ve noticed he tends to go for high-percentage submissions:
“He’s actually quite an athlete — he’s in great shape. Strong and flexible.”
–John Danaher
It’s awesome to see a celebrity BJJ practitioner (like Mark Zuckerberg as well) who actually competes in tournaments instead of only taking private classes.
That’s why Tom Hardy gets so much respect from the BJJ community. And it’s a big reason why he’s helping to grow the sport.
Tom Hardy’s BJJ Gear
What BJJ gis and rash guards does Tom Hardy wear when he’s on the mats?
According to the photos I’ve found across the web, Tom sports many different BJJ brands.
Most of his gear is affiliated with REORG.
Tom Hardy in a REORG BJJ
When he’s competing in the gi, he wears a blue REORG gi. He wears a custom belt created by Iron Belts.
When he’s training in no-gi, you can find him wearing REORG rash guards, Gracie Barra ranked rash guards, Tatami, Scramble, and Venum.
REORG regularly collabs with many of these BJJ brands. You find the BJJ gear that Tom Hardy wears on their website.
REORG BJJ Gis
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Does Tom Hardy Do Jiu-Jitsu?
Yes — not only does Tom Hardy participate in BJJ classes, but he enters and wins BJJ competitions as well.
Most celebrities who do jiu-jitsu tend to take private 1-on-1 classes with their instructor and don’t compete.
This makes Tom Hardy different (and some would argue, more legitimate) than other celebrities who do BJJ.
What Color Belt Is Tom Hardy In BJJ?
Tom Hardy is a bown belt in BJJ.
He was awarded his brown belt by Tom DeBlass on February 1st, 2026.
Tom has been training BJJ on and off for 13 years. According to the statistics, the average time spent as a brown belt is 3 years and 10 days. (BJJ Belt Checker)
After brown, Tom will be awarded his black belt — the most prestigious BJJ belt.
Is Tom Hardy A Jiu Jitsu Champion?
Yes, Tom Hardy has won gold medals in the following BJJ competitions:
- Gold Medal at the ReORG Open 2022 (August 2022)
- Gold Medal at the Ultimate Martial Arts Championship (September 2022)
- Gold Medal at the REORG Open 2023 (June 2023)
Takeaway Thoughts & Discussion
So there you have it — everything I’ve found about Tom Hardy’s jiu-jitsu.
What’s your take on Tom Hardy’s jiu-jitsu? If you’ve had the chance to roll with him, what was it like?
Was there any info I missed or that you would like to know?
Leave a comment below with your questions and comments.
And if you want to become a real-life badass like Tom Hardy, take your first jiu-jitsu class.
Happy rolling.🤙
Tsavo Neal
Tsavo is the founder of BJJ Equipment, author of BJJ For Beginners, creator of the BJJ Missions app, and a brown belt instructor at InFighting. He launched BJJ Equipment to help grapplers at every belt level train smarter, make faster progress, and find the best gear for their game.