Celebrities who train Jiu-Jitsu and the belt each one holds
From Tom Hardy and Mark Zuckerberg to Gisele Bündchen and Wagner Moura, here are the actors, singers and business leaders who train, who promoted them and which ones have competed
Jiu-Jitsu has left the academies and become part of the routine of actors, singers and business leaders. Some have trained for decades and are black belts. Others started recently and made a point of competing. The list below covers the cases with a confirmed rank, with each person’s most recent belt and who promoted them.
Hollywood, music and tech
| Name | Belt | Latest promotion | Promoted by |
|---|---|---|---|
| Guy Ritchie, director | Black, third degree | December 2025 | Black belt under Renzo Gracie since 2015 |
| Ashton Kutcher, actor | Black | November 2025 | Rigan Machado |
| Dave Mustaine, of Megadeth | Black | December 2025 | Reggie Almeida |
| Maynard James Keenan, of Tool | Black | January 2024 | |
| Joe Rogan, podcast host | Black | 2012 | Eddie Bravo |
| Ed O’Neill, actor | Black | December 2007 | Rorion Gracie’s academy |
| Tom Hardy, actor | Brown | Early 2026 | Sonny Weston |
| Mario Lopez, TV host | Brown | May 2026 | Gracie Barra |
| Dave Bautista, actor | Brown | June 2023 | Cesar Gracie academy |
| Demi Lovato, singer | Purple | February 2023 | |
| Mark Zuckerberg, Meta CEO | Blue | July 2023 | Dave Camarillo |
Tom Hardy, Mario Lopez and Zuckerberg have competed
Actor Tom Hardy won an open tournament in England in 2022, while still a blue belt, and reached brown belt in early 2026. TV host Mario Lopez won the IBJJF Master North American in May 2026 as a purple belt and got his brown belt right after. Mark Zuckerberg won two medals at the first tournament he entered, in 2023, as a white belt, and was promoted to blue two months later.
Demi Lovato is a purple belt
The American singer announced her purple belt in February 2023.
Hollywood’s black belts
Ed O’Neill, of “Married… with Children” and “Modern Family,” received his black belt in 2007, at age 61. Director Guy Ritchie has been a black belt under Renzo Gracie since 2015 and earned his third degree in 2025. Ashton Kutcher reached black belt in November 2025, after 15 years of training with Rigan Machado.
Brazilian celebrities
| Name | Belt | Latest promotion | Promoted by |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cauã Reymond, actor | Black | Black belt for more than ten years | Alexandre “Gigi” Paiva, Alliance |
| Malvino Salvador, actor | Black | August 2024 | Kyra Gracie, Gracie Kore |
| Márcio Garcia, actor and TV host | Black | December 2019 | Leonardo Castello Branco |
| Junior Lima, singer | Black | 2019 | Narcisio Villaça |
| Sérgio Mallandro, comedian | Black | 2019 | Fernando Pinduka |
| Wagner Moura, actor | Brown | December 2023 | Rigan Machado |
| Gisele Bündchen, model | Purple | December 2023 | The Valente brothers, in Miami |
| Luccas Neto, YouTuber | Blue | The belt he wore at the 2024 Pan | |
| Baco Exu do Blues, rapper | Blue | December 2025 |
Malvino Salvador got his black belt from his wife
The actor trains at Gracie Kore, the academy of his wife, world champion Kyra Gracie, and received his black belt from her in August 2024. A month earlier, still a brown belt, he had won the AJP Grand Slam in Rio de Janeiro in a master division.
Gisele Bündchen and Wagner Moura train in the United States
The model started training in 2021 with the Valente brothers in Miami and received her purple belt in December 2023. That same month, actor Wagner Moura, of “Narcos,” was promoted to brown belt by Rigan Machado, who teaches several Hollywood names.
Luccas Neto competed at the IBJJF Pan
The Brazilian YouTuber, one of the biggest children’s content creators in the country, entered the 2024 Pan in Florida as a blue belt, in the division for athletes over 30. He won his first match and chose not to continue in the bracket.
How promotions work
Celebrities follow the same belt order as any other practitioner: white, blue, purple, brown and black. The ranks on this list were checked in October 2026.
Which celebrity would you like to see at a tournament? Leave your opinion in the comments.
