The tech billionaire Mark Zuckerberg has revealed on his social media accounts that he entered – and won gold – in a Brazilian jiu-jitsu (BJJ) tournament.
Posting on Facebook and Instagram, both of which he owns, he said he took gold and silver in an event at an undisclosed location, though posted plenty of victorious images.
But Zuckerberg is not the first high-profile figure to reveal an interest in the martial art. Here are some of the mogul’s fellow fighters:
Tom Hardy
Hardy made a surprise appearance in a 2022 Brazilian jiu-jitsu open championship, a competition held by Ultimate Martial Arts Championships at Oakgrove school in Milton Keynes. Attenders watched the Mad Max: Fury Road star, dressed in a blue gi, subdue his opponents and win all his matches. Hardy’s certificate of achievement was awarded to “Edward Hardy” – the actor’s real name.
Russell Brand
The comedian and actor has spoken frequently since 2016 about his interest in BJJ. In 2021, he revealed he had been promoted to purple belt. He wrote on Instagram: “Big Day in BJJ. Honoured to receive my purple belt from Chris Cleere. And also a purple eye (from Jackson Kickboxing).”
Henry Cavill
The British Superman star has previously discussed his passion for the sport on social media. Writing on Instagram in 2018, Cavill said: “Jiu-jitsu has a way of kicking your arse and making you love it for the lessons you learned! Kinda like mother nature … or a big brother whom you annoyed one too many times. So good to be back on the mats.”
Guy Ritchie
The director and former husband of Madonna is a black belt in BJJ and has reportedly spent more than 20 years training in the discipline. Ritchie, director of Swept Away and King Arthur: Legend of the Sword, is also a black belt in Shotokan karate and judo.
