Mario Lopez addressed the ongoing social media speculation about a potential matchup with Tom Hardy during an episode of the 3 Knockdown Rule podcast, which he co-hosts with Steve Kim.
The discussion began after Lopez was congratulated on earning his brown belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu following a successful run at the International Masters competition in Hawaii.
Reflecting on the experience, Lopez explained how he entered the tournament despite being a heavy underdog.
“My crazy a*s for some reason entered the International Masters competition in Jiu-Jitsu and went up in a tournament with people all over the world,” Lopez said.
He then recounted how the event unfolded in his favor.
“And went up to Hawaii and long story short, it worked out well,” he said. “I ended up winning Gold that day. Won by submission, by the way, arm triangle.”
Lopez revealed that his family was there to witness the milestone moment when he received his new belt on the podium.
“I always want to take my time getting these belts,” Lopez said. “I’m not in any hurry. I’m enjoying the process. This is a fun little journey.”
The conversation later shifted to the frequent online comparisons between Lopez and actor Tom Hardy, who is also an active jiu-jitsu practitioner and competitor.
Bringing up the topic, Lopez said he had seen the speculation firsthand on social media.
“I had my Instagram open and people keep saying like, ‘Tom Hardy versus Mario Lopez, who wins?'” he said.
Rather than entertaining the matchup as a rivalry, Lopez spoke glowingly about the British actor and his accomplishments.
“I can’t say enough. I love me some Tom Hardy,” Lopez said. “He’s awesome. I think he’s like the best actor of his generation.”
He continued by praising Hardy’s reputation away from the spotlight.
“I’m a fan of his, and from what I know as a person, we have mutual friends,” Lopez said. “They all speak highly of him. He’s a down-to-earth cool guy.”
Lopez also noted their shared passion for jiu-jitsu.
“Obviously trains jiu-jitsu, competes,” he said. “So it would be an honor just to train and to hang with the dude. I’m a big fan. It’d be fun.”
A co-host pointed out that the chatter about a potential meeting between the two had been circulating for much longer than Lopez realized.
“That thing about you figh ting him or sparring with him has been going on for a while because I was visiting my cousin like a year and a half ago and his neighbor asked me when you were going to compete against Tom Hardy,” Kim said. “So you got to do it eventually.”
Lopez responded by clarifying that his interest was less about competition and more about the opportunity to train together.
“No, yeah,” Lopez said. “Well, again, I just want to train with him. He just seems like an awesome guy. We’re about the same size, though.”
