Digital Titan vs. Bane: Fans discuss potential BJJ showdown between Mark Zuckerberg and Tom Hardy after actor gets promoted to purple belt

Tom Hardy is among the most popular English actors today, but not much is known about the Academy Award nominee's love for Brazilian jiu-jitsu. The 45-year-old, who played the iconic role of Bane in The Dark Knight Rises, was recently promoted to purple belt.

Given his latest achievement, many wondered how Hardy would fare against fellow jiu-jitsu enthusiast Mark Zuckerberg. Like the English superstar, the Meta Platforms CEO also regularly trains in jiu-jitsu and recently accepted Elon Musk's challenge for a cage fight.

After @BloodyElbow reported that Hardy had been promoted to a BJJ purple belt on Twitter, fans took to the comments section to debate a potential Hardy vs. Zuckerberg matchup.

Former UFC lightweight Din Thomas called for the super fight to happen, tweeting:

"We need a Tom Hardy vs Mark Zuckerberg BJJ match. @UFCFightPass you know what to do."

One fan claimed that Zuckerberg would beat Hardy in a potential showdown and wrote:

"Zuck beats Hardy."

Another fan joked:

"Winner of Musk vs Zuck gets Tom…"

This user referenced two of Hardy's iconic roles and joked:

"Imagine getting put in a Kimura by Alfie Solomons/Bane."

Another user posted a picture of Zuckerberg's tournament win and asked:

"Mark Zuckerberg vs. Tom Hardy. When?"

This user simply wrote:

"Tom Hardy vs. Mark Zuckerberg in a jiu-jitsu tournament WHEN."

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Tom Hardy jiu-jitsu: When Joe Rogan explained to Mark Zuckerberg why he was impressed with English actor

Joe Rogan is arguably the most famous advocate of Brazilian jiu-jitsu in popular culture today. He hosts the famous The Joe Rogan Experience (JRE) podcast and has earned a black belt in gi jiu-jitsu under Jean Jacques Machado and a no-gi black belt under Eddie Bravo.

During an episode of JRE with Zuckerberg (#1863) last year, Rogan talked about jiu-jitsu and how impressed he was after seeing actors like Hardy and Mario Lopez competing in the sport's tournaments.

The podcaster and UFC commentator pointed out that Hardy and Lopez were essentially beginners and praised them, stating:

"Tom Hardy is like an a** kicker. Him and Mario Lopez are out there competing in jiu-jitsu tournaments. Like this is wild. And they're both beginners, they're both like blue belts."

Watch the full episode below:

Zuckerberg and Hardy are among the many high-profile personalities who have taken up 'The Gentle Art' in recent years. They are joined by comedian Russell Brand, Hollywood director Guy Ritchie, and Hollywood star Henry Cavill, among others.