Tom Hardy has spoken of his love for jiu-jitsu and how it’s impacted his life following another tournament win over the weekend.

Over the course of the last few years, it’s become pretty common to see stars from the world of Hollywood test the waters in martial arts. Whether it be in jiu-jitsu, boxing or some other form of combat, more and more people are realising the benefits it can have on a day to day basis - and that includes everyone from Mark Zuckerberg to Dave Bautista and beyond.

Arguably the most notable name to enter the BJJ realm, though, is none other than Tom Hardy.

The British actor went viral earlier this summer when he won a gold medal in a jiu-jitsu tournament, surprising fans in Wolverhampton by even appearing in the first place.

It was already well known that he was a student of the sport and he clearly wanted to prove not to his fans, but to himself, that he could advance even further and climb higher up through the jiu-jitsu ranks.

The tough grind

Now, just a month later, he’s been able to repeat that success by picking up another gold, this time in Milton Keynes.

His superior grappling skills earned him the win at the ​​Ultimate Martial Arts Championships Milton Keynes BJJ Open, further cementing his status as one of the coolest celebs out there.

In the wake of his triumph, he took to social media and explained just how impactful jiu-jitsu has been for him.

“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.

A lifelong journey

“It is an honour to be able to represent the charity and my team REORG and the great work they do supporting the mental health and well-being of veterans of service, military and first responders through the therapeutic benefits of Jiu Jitsu and fitness training.

“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.”

Hardy was one of the leading roles in the MMA film Warrior back in 2011, playing Tommy Conlon, and even back then you could tell he had the kind of frame that would’ve made him an absolute machine if he’d ever decided to step into the cage.