11 Famous People Who Train BJJ: Real Belts Revealed

BJJ is no longer just for professional fighters. Over the last 10 years, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu has entered Hollywood, Silicon Valley, and the music industry. Famous people train with the same seriousness as any amateur competitor.

Here are the most well-known celebrities who practice BJJ, what belt they hold, and what they say about the sport.

Joe Rogan — Black Belt

Joe Rogan holds two black belts in BJJ. He received the first from Eddie Bravo and the second from Jean Jacques Machado. He has been on the mat for more than 20 years.

As host of the most listened-to podcast in the world and a UFC commentator, Rogan has brought BJJ to millions of people. He talks about his training in nearly every episode. He has said multiple times that BJJ is “the hardest sport in the world.”

Curious how long the black belt actually takes? The data from 40,000 practitioners gives a clear answer: 12 years and 4 months on average.

Demi Lovato — Brown Belt

Demi Lovato received her brown belt from Rener Gracie in 2023. She started training BJJ during the pandemic and advanced quickly.

In an interview with People, Lovato described BJJ as “the most transformative thing she has ever done in her life.” She competes in local tournaments under a fake name to avoid special treatment.

Ashton Kutcher — Black Belt

Ashton Kutcher received his black belt in 2025. He has been training for more than a decade. He is co-founder of Thorn, an NGO that fights human trafficking, and uses BJJ as part of his personal discipline.

In an interview with Men’s Journal, Kutcher explained that BJJ taught him to manage his ego: “When a 17-year-old taps you, you learn a lot about yourself.”

Mark Zuckerberg — Blue Belt

Mark Zuckerberg received his blue belt from Dave Camarillo in 2023. That same year, he competed at the BJJ Tour Silicon Valley tournament in Woodside, California, under the name “Mark Elliott.” He won gold and silver in his first competition.

The founder of Meta shares his training sessions on Instagram. He also made headlines in 2023 when he accepted Elon Musk’s challenge to a fight, though the match never happened.

Wondering how belts are distributed in BJJ? Most practitioners stop at blue or purple: belt distribution statistics from real data.

Keanu Reeves — Blue Belt

Keanu Reeves trained BJJ to prepare for the John Wick franchise. He works with martial arts instructors for each film. His preparation includes BJJ, judo, and sambo.

In an interview with Jimmy Fallon, Reeves said BJJ training was “the hardest” of his career. John Wick stuntmen have confirmed that Reeves executes most of his grappling moves without a double.

Guy Ritchie and Tom Hardy — Black Belts

Guy Ritchie, director of films such as Snatch and Sherlock Holmes, holds a third-degree black belt in BJJ. He received the promotion in December 2025 alongside Renzo Gracie and Roger Gracie. Tom Hardy, another Hollywood black belt, appears in the same photo.

Tom Hardy, known for Batman, Mad Max, and Bronson, holds a black belt in BJJ awarded by Renzo Gracie. He has trained martial arts for more than 15 years and combines BJJ with judo.

Ritchie has said BJJ directly influences how he works: “The clarity you get on the mat follows you outside of it.”

Wiz Khalifa — Purple Belt

Rapper Wiz Khalifa holds a purple belt in BJJ. He shares his training sessions regularly on social media and has trained with several high-level instructors, including Romulo Barral.

Khalifa talks about BJJ as a form of mental discipline. In 2022, he said he prefers the mat over any other place to disconnect.

Vince Vaughn — Blue Belt

Actor Vince Vaughn has been training BJJ for years. He holds a blue belt promoted at the Gracie Academy and appears regularly on mats in Los Angeles. He has said BJJ is “the most complete workout that exists.”

Russell Brand — Purple Belt

Russell Brand has been practicing BJJ for more than 10 years. He has talked about BJJ on his podcast and in interviews as a key tool for his recovery and mental balance.

Elon Musk — White Belt

Elon Musk has trained BJJ occasionally. In 2023, he posted on X that he had “won” a BJJ match, though the details were vague. The CEO of Tesla and SpaceX is known to train several combat sports sporadically.

What Do They Have in Common?

All of these famous people talk about BJJ in the same terms:

• It confronts you with your limitations in a direct way.
• Progress is measurable and honest.
• The mat makes no distinction between famous and unknown.

BJJ grows partly for these reasons. There is no way to fake it on the mat. A well-trained purple belt submits a 220-pound blue belt every time.

BJJ in the Real World

There are between 5 and 6 million BJJ practitioners worldwide. In the United States, the number of academies has grown by 150% in the last decade. Greater celebrity visibility helps attract people with no prior contact with martial arts.

If you run a BJJ academy, that new student motivated by what they see on social media or a podcast arrives with different questions. They want to know how they are progressing, how many classes they have taken, and what they need for the next belt.

With MatGoat, you can track each student’s attendance, record their belt progressions, and communicate with them automatically. That turns initial interest into long-term retention.

Final Thoughts

Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu attracts people from all walks of life. Not because of a trend, but for what it offers: a physical and mental challenge with no shortcuts.

The fact that Joe Rogan holds a black belt and Mark Zuckerberg competes in local tournaments says a lot about the sport. BJJ levels the playing field. And that is exactly what makes it special.