From Spies to Tech Billionaires: Famous Faces Who Could Actually Throw a Proper Kick

Ever wondered if your favourite celebrity could handle themselves in a dojo? Pull up a mat, because we’re about to give you a light-hearted peek into the surprising world of famous faces who’ve traded red carpets for sparring mats. From rock legends to tech moguls, you might be amazed at who’s been secretly perfecting their roundhouse kicks.

The British Brigade 

Jason Statham

Credentials: Black belt in karate, purple belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu
The man who’s made a career out of looking tough actually backs it up. Statham started practising martial arts while working at local market stalls – talk about a career glow-up! He now trains in everything from BJJ to kickboxing, though we’re pretty sure his accent alone could knock someone out.

Idris Elba

Credentials: Professional kickboxer with actual wins
Not content with just being impossibly handsome and talented, Elba took a year off from acting to become a legit kickboxer. He won his professional debut with a first-round KO. The man literally punched someone professionally and got paid for it – living the dream!

Tom Hardy

Credentials: Blue belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, active competitor
Hardy started training for the film “Warrior” in 2011 and never stopped. He regularly enters competitions under his real name and actually wins medals. Imagine getting choked out at your local tournament only to realise it’s Bane.

Bear Grylls

Credentials: 2nd Dan black belt in Shotokan Karate, SAS training
Before he was drinking his own… well, you know… Bear was earning black belts as a teenager. He later trained as a Karate Grand Master in Japan.

Guy Ritchie

Credentials: Black belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, black belt in Judo
Madonna’s ex-husband directed Sherlock Holmes AND can legitimately tie you in knots. Started karate at age seven, because apparently some people are just overachievers from birth.

Hollywood Legends 

Chuck Norris

Credentials: 10th Dan in Chun Kuk Do, 9th Dan in Tang Soo Do, 8th Dan in Taekwondo
The man, the myth, the meme. Chuck Norris doesn’t just have black belts – he has so many dans he could open his own university. Fun fact: Chuck Norris facts became so popular they spawned six books. The internet literally ran out of ways to describe how tough he is.

Sean Connery

Credentials: Black belt in Kyokushin karate
The original 007 trained with Mas Oyama, the founder of Kyokushin karate. His swagger as Bond wasn’t acting – it was the confidence of a man who could actually karate chop you. Though Steven Seagal did break his wrist during training for “Never Say Never Again” when Connery got “a bit flash.”

Wesley Snipes

Credentials: 5th degree black belt in Shotokan Karate, 2nd degree in Hapkido
Before he was fighting vampires in Blade, Snipes was earning black belts.

Robert Downey Jr.

Credentials: Wing Chun practitioner since 2003
Iron Man credits Wing Chun as helping him overcome his addictions and make his comeback. His instructor even choreographed the fights in Sherlock Holmes. Tony Stark might have the suit, but Downey has the moves.

The Musical Fighters 

Elvis Presley

Credentials: 1st degree black belt in karate
The King of Rock and Roll was also the King of Karate Chops. Elvis studied multiple styles over 15 years and incorporated martial arts moves into his stage performances. Those hip movements? Part karate, part rhythm, all Elvis.

Willie Nelson

Credentials: 5th degree black belt in Gong Kwon Yu Sul
Willie earned his black belt the day before his 81st birthday! At an age when most people struggle with stairs, Willie was earning martial arts credentials. He said it’s “good for your lungs” – though we suspect that’s not his only lung exercise.

Michael Jackson

Credentials: Proficient in Kung Fu
The King of Pop was secretly training in martial arts. His bodyguard said MJ was “one of the best martial artists” he’d ever seen. That moonwalk? Probably helped with footwork.

The Female Warriors 

Sarah Michelle Gellar

Credentials: Black belt in Taekwondo
Buffy didn’t just slay vampires on TV – Gellar has a legitimate black belt and did many of her own stunts. She could actually stake you if necessary, though we hope it never comes to that.

Gal Gadot

Credentials: Black belt in Krav Maga
Wonder Woman has a black belt in the Israeli military’s combat system. She served two years in the Israel Defence Forces. Basically, she could save the world with or without the lasso.

Lucy Liu

Credentials: Practitioner of Kali-Eskrima-Silat
Lucy learned the Filipino weapons-based martial art as a teenager. It involves blades, sticks, and weapon-disarming techniques. Charlie’s Angel? More like Charlie’s Weapon.

Madonna

Credentials: Black belt in Shotokan Karate
The Queen of Pop earned a black belt in Shotokan Karate, introduced to it by ex-husband Guy Ritchie. Not content with just conquering the music world, she decided to master martial arts too. Strike a pose? More like strike an opponent.

Halle Berry

Credentials: Trained in 6 martial arts disciplines, broke 3 ribs for a role
Berry trains in kickboxing, Brazilian jiu-jitsu, capoeira, boxing, Muay Thai, and judo. She broke three ribs while training for John Wick and kept going. Four to five hours of training per day for “Bruised.” At this point, her stunt doubles probably need stunt doubles.

Demi Lovato

Credentials: Purple belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu
The singer fell in love with BJJ and trains several times a week. She’s one of BJJ’s most outspoken celebrity advocates. Went from “Confident” to “Confident I can submit you.”

Scarlett Johansson

Credentials: Trained in MMA, kickboxing, and Brazilian jiu-jitsu for Black Widow
Wasn’t even a regular gym-goer before Iron Man 2, but committed to learning multiple martial arts for her role. Now she could probably take down actual spies. The real question is: did she keep the Widow Bites?

The Unexpected Black Belts 

Ed O’Neill

Credentials: Black belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu
The dad from “Modern Family” has been training under the Gracie family for over 20 years. Yes, the same man who played a shoe salesman could legitimately submit you. Life comes at you fast.

Vladimir Putin

Credentials: 8th dan in judo (stripped in 2022), 9th degree in Taekwondo (also stripped)
The Russian President was one of the few 8th dans in the world before international federations revoked his honours following the Ukraine invasion. Proof that even black belts can’t save you from bad decisions.

Mark Zuckerberg

Credentials: Blue belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, active MMA training
The Facebook founder took up MMA during COVID and now competes in tournaments. He’s won gold and silver medals. Apparently, he’s better at submissions than he is at privacy settings.

Barack Obama

Credentials: Green belt in Taekwondo, honorary black belt
The former President practiced Taekwondo in Chicago from 2001-2005. South Korea gave him an honorary black belt. Yes, we can… throw a roundhouse kick.

The UK Political Fighters 

Dominic Raab

Credentials: 3rd dan black belt in karate, former UK regional champion
The former Deputy Prime Minister captained Oxford’s karate team and was a British squad member. He also boxes and had a picture of Muhammad Ali in his office. Finally, a politician who can actually back up their fighting talk.

John Prescott

Credentials: One legendary left jab
The Deputy Prime Minister who earned the nickname “Two Jabs” (a play on his previous “Two Jags”) after throwing a perfect left hook when someone egged him at point-blank range in Rhyl, Wales in 2001. Tony Blair’s response? “Well, John is John.” The Crown Prosecution Service decided he acted in self-defence. Sometimes you don’t need a black belt, just good reflexes and a working-class background.

Eric Joyce

Credentials: Former British Army Major, self-admitted “fighty” person
The former Falkirk MP who headbutted a Tory MP in the Parliament bar in 2012 after declaring “there are too many Tories in this bar!” Joyce admitted to having “probably thumped 100 people” in his life. Not exactly martial arts, but definitely arts of the martial variety. His bar brawl indirectly led to Brexit through a butterfly effect of political events. Now that’s impact.

Bonus Round: The Animated Legends 

Po from Kung Fu Panda

Credentials: Dragon Warrior, Master of the Wuxi Finger Hold
Po achieved inner peace through dumplings and became the Dragon Warrior despite having the athletic ability of, well, a panda. He discovered that the secret to limitless power was believing in himself (and possibly eating while fighting). Jack Black voices Po with such enthusiasm that he convinced the writers to make the character more humble. If a cartoon panda can become a kung fu master, what’s your excuse?

Hong Kong Phooey

Credentials: Number One Super Guy (self-proclaimed)
A mild-mannered police station janitor dog named Penry Pooch who transforms into the “world’s greatest kung fu superhero” by jumping into a filing cabinet (where he always gets stuck). Armed with “The Hong Kong Book of Kung Fu” (a mail-order correspondence course), he thinks he’s amazing but his cat Spot does all the actual work. Voiced by Scatman Crothers with possibly the catchiest theme song ever: “Quicker than the human eye!” Spoiler: he’s not.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles

Credentials: Masters of Ninjutsu (and pizza consumption)
Leonardo, Donatello, Raphael, and Michelangelo – four teenage turtles trained in ninjutsu by a rat sensei named Splinter. They combine ninjutsu with kung fu and karate while living in the New York sewers. Cowabunga! They prove that even if you’re a mutant turtle living underground, you can still master martial arts and save the city. Plus, they made eating pizza after training socially acceptable.

Who Else?

Maybe we missed out one of your heroes? If we did, drop us a message on Facebook and we’ll add them.