Idris Elba is a multifaceted personality who has dabbled in acting, music, and kickboxing. Elba is primarily known for his onscreen charisma but his kickboxing skills often go under the radar. The 2018 People Magazine’s Sexist Man Alive hasn’t had a prominent professional boxing career but his skills were enough to catch the eye of podcaster Joe Rogan.
During an episode of his podcast, Rogan spoke very highly of Elba’s kickboxing prowess and also detailed the grueling training the actor underwent to learn martial arts. As a result, it is safe to say that Elba has some serious kickboxing skills. Here is what Joe Rogan had to say about Idris Elba’s kickboxing prowess, which is certainly no joke.
Former UFC Commentator Joe Rogan Discusses Idris Elba’s Kickboxing Skills
Idris Elba rose to prominence with roles in HBO’s The Wire and BBC’s Luther. He is also known for his time in the MCU as Heimdall and his role as Nelson Mandela in the 2013 biography about the politician.
During an episode of The Joe Rogan Experience, host Joe Rogan and guest Dave Chappelle spoke about Elba’s early life as a security guard. Rogan, a former UFC commentator, took the opportunity to praise Elba for his kickboxing skills.
“You know he had a kickboxing fight he’s a legitimate Muay Thai fighter.”
Rogan made the above statement referencing Elba’s first and only official kickboxing fight against Dutch kickboxer Lionel Graves. Rogan praised the skills Elba displayed during the match in the following words:
“He fought a good guy like it wasn’t a bullsh*t fight it was a fight it wasn’t like he went out there and just knocked this guy with one punch.”
Elba won the match which lasted only one round via a technical knockout. The match and Elba’s training in the build-up to it was the subject of the 2017 docuseries Idris Elba: Fighter, which Elba executive-produced himself.
Idris Elba Learned Kickboxing in 12 Months For a Docuseries
During the same podcast, Rogan also spoke about the grueling training process Elba underwent to learn the martial art form Muay Thai. Elba trained for 12 months under Muay Thai coach Kieran Keddle and his kickboxing journey was documented in Idris Elba: Fighter.
“Idris Elba’s got skills. He trains hard. I think he did it for a television show so I think they documented his training and he trained for quite a long time.”
Rogan made the above statement regarding Elba’s kickboxing training. He added that Elba cut no corners during his training and often got knocked down and kicked during the process. As a result, Rogan felt that Elba put in the hard work to turn himself into a legitimate kickboxer, and his fight with Graves proves the same.
Ultimately, Rogan’s words of praise for Elba are a testament to the actor’s hard work and dedication to undergo the rigorous training to learn kickboxing. Therefore, it is safe to say that Elba is a serious kickboxer and his skills in the ring are not to be taken lightly. Elba most recently voiced the titular Echidna in the Paramount+ miniseries Knuckles.
Idris Elba: Fighter is streaming on Diseny+.
