The popularity of the UFC brought mixed martial arts (MMA) into popular culture. The UFC and many big names like Conor McGregor have brought MMA to the forefront of sports, selling out arenas and captivating huge audiences on television.
This has raised awareness of MMA so that people from all walks of life can enjoy the benefits of the sport for their personal health and mental health. MMA has even infiltrated the lifestyles of celebrities, with many celebrities participating in the sport either individually or by participating in local tournaments.
It may be a while before we see big names competing in the UFC in matches of the caliber of McGregor and Michael Chandler. Here, McGregor is the favorite in Canadian sports betting with odds to win -110.
Undoubtedly, Dana White will soon be jumping at the chance to get celebrities involved in the UFC, so it won’t be long before we see some familiar names from the world of Hollywood appearing in the betting odds for UFC Fight Nights or even on the undercard of the McGregor fight. There are two names to look out for here.
tom hardy
Hardy is probably most famous for his role as Bane in The Dark Knight Rises. Here, he demonstrated an aptitude for combat skills and took down Christian Bale’s Batman. However, he has taken up Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu as a hobby and has shown his passion for MMA beyond the screen.
The 45-year-old took his passion to a new level by earning his blue belt, emphasizing his dedication to MMA. Hardy also took part in tournaments at regional level, recording wins at Milton Keynes and Wolverhampton.
He showcased his range with two submission wins and impressed those in attendance with his skills under pressure. Hardy is a household name who will captivate audiences at MMA events, but it’s yet to be seen whether he’ll be happy to showcase his jiu-jitsu skills on a larger scale. He may still want to hone his skills locally before even thinking about taking on responsibilities. Perhaps a charity event could be held soon rather than a traditional UFC or MMA fight.
ashton kutcher
Kutcher is a household name as he hosted Punk’d and starred in That 70s Show and Two and A Half Men. The 45-year-old is also passionate about mixed martial arts, especially Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, which he has been practicing for over 10 years. Kutcher gradually earned belts, earning his brown belt in 2019. Trainer Rigan Machado hails Kutcher’s dedication to his craft, spending hours building his skills to a high level to secure his brown belt.
Unlike Hardy, Kutcher prefers to do most of his fighting without the attention of the crowd. He has personally fought several great BJJ athletes and this has been filmed, but taking the next step to compete at a high level would be amazing for Kutcher. He might be tempted by a charity fight, but considering how private Kutcher is about his MMA lifestyle, it would take something special to convince him to attend a UFC event.
Looking into the future
Kutcher and Hardy are just two examples of celebrities who have chosen MMA, especially BJJ. There are many more famous personalities who have adopted this technology for various reasons. Wiz Khalifa, Mario Lopez, and even Facebook creator Mark Zuckerberg are active in the world of MMA. So it might not be long before we see some famous faces competing at UFC Fight Night.