Tom Hardy: footage shows Mad Max actor as he wins Jiu-Jitsu martial arts contest in Milton Keynes

Mad Max actor Tom Hardy showed up at the contest in Milton Keynes at the weekend.

And after expertly flooring his opponents, Hardy emerged as outright winner in his section.

The actor, known for his hardman roles in Mad Max, The Dark Knight Rises as well as blockbuster hits like Venom, is a high-level Blue Belt in Jiu-Jitsu in real life.

He entered the 2022 Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Open Championship, held at Oakgrove School in the city on Saturday.

The event was organised by Ultimate Martial Arts Championships.

‘He was very humble’

And their spokesman could not speak highly enough of the world famous actor.

“Tom was a really nice guy,” the spokesman told The MK Citizen.

"Everyone recognised him but he was very humble and was happy to take time out for people to take photographs with him.

"It was a real pleasure to have him compete at our event.”

BJJ is a self-defence martial art and combat sport and involves on grappling, ground fighting and submission holds.

The aim is to take an opponent to the ground, control them and force them into submission using joint locks or chokeholds.

Last month 45-year-old Tom caused a similar stir when he turned up unannounced at the charity REORG Open Jiu-Jitsu Championship in Wolverhampton to raise money for military personnel and first responders dealing with mental and physical issues.

‘Everyone knows who Tom Hardy is, don’t they?’

Again he made short work of the competition and won gold with an impressive arm bar.

His opponent said: "I was waiting match-side for the semi-final when Tom showed up. I didn't know he was going to be there. And they expected me to remain composed," he laughs.

"I recognised him straightaway. Everyone knows who Tom Hardy is, don't they? I was shell-shocked. He said 'just forget it's me and do what you would normally do'.

"He's a really strong guy...You wouldn't think it with him being a celebrity.”

Tom started to learn basic martial arts in 2011 while filming Warrior, in which he played a marine turned fighter. He has also trained in mixed martial arts (MMA) and boxing.

A photographer who goes under the name of Taped_fingers on Instagram at was Saturday’s event in Milton Keynes to capture Tom in action.

You can see more of his images below.