Tom Hardy has reached another milestone in his Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu journey, earning his brown belt in January 2026. The 48-year-old Venom and Mad Max star received his promotion from Sonny Weston, head instructor at SWBJJ Horsham BJJ, during a recent seminar.
Another black belt who attended the seminar shared images online of Hardy wearing his new brown belt, congratulating him on the achievement. The promotion marks the latest step in what has become a serious competitive journey for the Hollywood actor.
Hardy‘s Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu timeline has been marked by consistent dedication and competitive success. He began training around 2018 at age 40 at a local gym in West London, initially intimidated by the martial arts community but finding it welcoming. He earned his blue belt in 2020 before making waves in the competition scene.
The actor credits BJJ with providing him a sense of “honest confidence” and a meditative escape from the high-stakes, competitive nature of his acting career. “Now it’s more of a meditation or relaxing… I have no competitive spirit,” he explained several years ago, describing how the martial art helps him unwind. Hardy added: “I don’t need to win, I don’t care… I always get beaten, but that’s okay,”.
In 2022, Hardy competed at blue belt level in tournaments in Wolverhampton and Milton Keynes, winning gold medals at both events. One competitor famously described him as probably the toughest competitor I have ever had, he certainly lived up to his Bane character.
“probably the toughest competitor I have ever had, he certainly lived up to his Bane character.”
Following his competitive success, Hardy was promoted to purple belt in June 2023 by Tomasz Rydzewski, a Roger Gracie black belt. At the time, some questioned the legitimacy of celebrity belt promotions, but Hardy‘s credentials were publicly affirmed by Tom DeBlass, a Ricardo Almeida black belt of Renzo Gracie lineage, as well as Craig Jones.
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Hardy‘s commitment to the art has come at a physical cost. He has undergone two knee surgeries related to Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu training, one from a sweep and another from a meniscus tear. Despite these setbacks, he continues to train 2 to 3 times per week while filming, increasing to 5 times per week when not on set.
The actor has also trained with some of the biggest names in jiu-jitsu, including Renzo Gracie, Roger Gracie, John Danaher and members of the Daisy Fresh team. He serves as head ambassador for REORG charity, which provides jiu-jitsu training to military veterans and first responders.
What sets Hardy apart from other celebrity martial artists is his willingness to compete against unknown opponents in local tournaments, putting his skills to the test without the safety net of his fame.
