Chris Hemsworth said he is intrigued by the possibility of competing in mixed martial arts, explaining that years of training and sparring have sparked a genuine interest in eventually testing himself in a real fight.
The 42-year-old, best known for portraying Thor in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, spoke about his connection to combat sports while promoting the upcoming thriller Crime 101, in which he stars alongside Oscar-winning Halle Berry.
Berry previously appeared in the 2020 MMA-themed film Bruised, which featured a cameo from reigning UFC women’s flyweight champion and women’s pound-for-pound No. 1 Valentina Shevchenko.
Speaking in a video interview with Complex, Hemsworth also named his favorite fighters while acknowledging the unique physical and mental demands of stepping into competition.
“George St-Pierre, I love,” Hemsworth responded when asked who his favourite fighters are. “Because he’s one of the all-time greats, but seems like a gentleman with an intelligent soul as well. Alexander Volkanovski, (too), Australian, and a good friend of mine.”
For the unversed, Georges St-Pierre is widely regarded as one of the most accomplished champions in UFC history, compiling 13 successful title defenses during his career. Meanwhile, fellow Australian Alexander Volkanovski recently reclaimed the featherweight title with a victory over Diego Lopes at UFC 314 and defended the belt again at UFC 325 in the promotion led by Dana White.
Hemsworth said the possibility of fighting remains more curiosity than commitment, adding that his training has stayed within controlled limits.
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The Thor actor said, “One of the ones who retired a long time ago. I can just run away from them until they get tired and (motions a punch). No, I wouldn’t put myself in the ring, but a part of me wants to, though, actually, having said that.”
He added, “I mean, I’ve trained a lot and sparred a lot over the years, but within the realm of not killing each other. I’d love to just one day go, ‘Right, what have I gotten here?’ I’d probably end up flat on my back, starry-eyed.”
Chris Hemsworth’s Prior Connection To MMA
Chris Hemsworth has attended several major MMA events, including UFC 243, where Robert Whittaker lost the 185lbs crown to Israel Adesanya in the main event.
Around the same period, he also referenced the global attention surrounding the boxing match between Conor McGregor and Floyd Mayweather Jr., one of the most commercially successful combat sports events.
While promoting Thor: Ragnarok, Hemsworth compared the scale of that fictional showdown between his character and the Hulk to the real-world boxing spectacle, framing the cinematic battle as an even larger event in entertainment terms.
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Hemsworth continues to train for physically demanding roles while remaining outside professional competition, maintaining his involvement with combat sports primarily as a fan and practitioner rather than an active fighter.
