Hardy plays a blinder to win jiu-jitsu crown
TOM Hardy has turned in a surprise performance – winning a martial arts tournament in Milton Keynes.
The Hollywood actor, who starred in Mad Max, Venom and TV’s Peaky Blinders, entered the 2022 Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Open Championship and emerged victorious in his section.
The 45-year-old star has a blue belt in jiu-jitsu after learning martial arts in 2011 for his film Warrior. The Buckinghamshire tournament was organised by Ultimate Martial Arts Championships, whose spokesman told The Daily Telegraph that Hardy was a ‘really nice guy’, adding: ‘It was a... pleasure to have him compete at our event.’
Hardy’s opponent in the final was 42-year-old sales manager Andy Leatherland, who is also a blue belt. He said of the match: ‘I made a mistake and [Hardy] capitalised on that. He absolutely nailed it.’ Brazilian jiujitsu is a self-defence combat sport, with the fighters aiming to take their opponent to the ground.