Actors with Legit Black Belts or Fight Credentials (Styles & Ranks)

Some stars learn a few choreographed moves for a role. Others put in years on the mat and bring real training and competitive results to set. This list highlights actors with verified black belts or serious fight credentials, along with the styles and ranks they earned through actual practice and competition.

You will find a mix of screen icons and working action pros, plus champions who crossed into film after making names for themselves in rings and tournaments. Each entry notes the styles they trained, the ranks they hold where belts apply, and the competitive records or titles that back up their skills.

Chuck Norris

Chuck Norris earned black belts in Tang Soo Do and Taekwondo and later developed his own curriculum known as Chun Kuk Do. He advanced to high dan grades in Korean striking arts after years of training that began during his military service.

He also competed extensively in point karate and became a multiple time professional middleweight champion. His tournament success and instruction legacy helped popularize full contact training methods that later shaped action choreography in films like ‘Way of the Dragon’.

Steven Seagal

Steven Seagal holds a high rank in Aikido and operated dojos in Japan and the United States after years of study with senior teachers. His technical base centers on throws, joint locks, and weapons transitions taught within the Aikido syllabus.

He brought that training to stunt teams as a fight coordinator before headlining films. The screen work in projects like ‘Under Siege’ drew directly from his dojo curriculum, which included weapons kata and live ukemi practice for fall safety.

Jean-Claude Van Damme

Jean-Claude Van Damme holds a black belt in Shotokan karate and trained in kickboxing under European coaches. He built a competitive background in point and full contact bouts that sharpened his timing and flexibility for screen work.

Before acting full time he fought professionally and recorded stoppage wins that showcased his distance control. That ring experience informed the fight rhythms and high kicks that became signatures in films like ‘Bloodsport’ and ‘Kickboxer’.

Cynthia Rothrock

Cynthia Rothrock holds multiple black belts, including advanced ranks in Tang Soo Do and additional credentials across Chinese and Okinawan systems. She specialized in empty hand and weapons forms that require precision and stamina.

She dominated open martial arts circuits for several years with world titles in forms and weapons. That tournament foundation translated into clean technique and complex combinations on screen in projects like ‘Yes, Madam’ and ‘China O’Brien’.

Donnie Yen

Donnie Yen grew up training traditional and contemporary Wushu with structured work in weapons and acrobatics. He later cross trained in boxing, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, and Taekwondo to round out his striking and grappling vocabulary.

He performed and competed in Wushu exhibitions that demanded speed and technical clarity. That background shaped the timing and combinations seen in ‘Ip Man’ and ‘Flash Point’, where he blended point fighting entries with realistic clinch exchanges.

Tony Jaa

Tony Jaa trained Muay Boran and Muay Thai under Thai stunt and choreography mentors with heavy emphasis on conditioning, elbows, and knees. He also drilled acrobatics and wire work with stunt teams to safely deliver high impact falls and leaps.

His preparation included pad work, clinch pummeling, and traditional forms that preserve older techniques from regional lineages. Those roots powered the bone crunching style of ‘Ong-Bak’ and ‘The Protector’ with techniques that match authentic Thai training.

Iko Uwais

Iko Uwais is a Pencak Silat practitioner who trained under recognized instructors in Jakarta and competed at national level events. His practice focused on close range entries, off balancing, and blade awareness that are central to Silat.

He served as a fight team member and instructor before film work, bringing partner drills and counter sequences straight to set. The result appears in ‘The Raid’ and ‘The Raid 2’ with choreography built from Silat takedowns and trapping.

Scott Adkins

Scott Adkins holds a fourth degree black belt in Taekwondo and trained extensively in kickboxing under experienced coaches. He also studied Judo and Karate to expand clinch options and footwork beyond a single ruleset.

He taught and coached while pursuing stunt work, which gave him the control needed for tricking kicks and safe contact. That technical base supports the complex exchanges seen in ‘Undisputed III’ and ‘Ninja’, where he links spinning kicks with sweeps and falls.

Michael Jai White

Michael Jai White holds black belts across several styles that include Kyokushin, Shotokan, Goju-Ryu, Tang Soo Do, and others, with advanced dan grades in more than one system. His training spans full contact conditioning and traditional kihon and kata.

He competed in point and continuous sparring and has coached students through rank tests and tournaments. Those credentials show up in ‘Blood and Bone’ and ‘Falcon Rising’, where he uses Kyokushin body shots and Shotokan line work with realistic pacing.

Wesley Snipes

Wesley Snipes holds a fifth degree black belt in Shotokan and additional rank in Hapkido, supported by training in Capoeira and kung fu systems. His curriculum included striking drills, joint manipulation, and breakfall practice to manage stunt impacts.

He trained for decades alongside film work, maintaining pad sessions and forms work between shoots. That continuity helped produce crisp combinations and weapon handling in ‘Blade’ and ‘Passenger 57’ that match standard dojo progressions.

Dolph Lundgren

Dolph Lundgren holds a high dan rank in Kyokushin Karate and captained national teams in European competition. His training emphasized bare knuckle body strikes, low kicks, and conditioning that are trademarks of the style.

He won national championships and competed internationally before transitioning to full time acting. The toughness and distance control from Kyokushin are evident in ‘Rocky IV’ and ‘Universal Soldier’, where he uses disciplined stance work and straight line power.

Jason David Frank

Jason David Frank held black belts in Shotokan, Taekwondo, and Judo and developed his own blended curriculum known as Toso Kune Do. He actively competed and later stepped into mixed martial arts with professional and amateur wins.

His school work included teaching point karate and no gi classes to youth and adults. That breadth carried into ‘Mighty Morphin Power Rangers’ and later projects, where he applied practical entries and control positions from his live training.

Mark Dacascos

Mark Dacascos holds a black belt in Wun Hop Kuen Do, a branch of Kajukenbo known for striking, trapping, and throws. He added training in capoeira and northern Chinese long fist to build range and rhythm variations.

He won forms titles on open circuits and later shifted to action roles and fight direction. The mix of flowing kicks and close range hands appears in ‘Only the Strong’ and ‘Drive’, reflecting the Kajukenbo emphasis on adaptability.

Ed O’Neill

Ed O’Neill is a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt who began training under Rorion Gracie and continued for many years to reach that rank. He put in consistent gi practice with live rolling and technical instruction focused on control and submissions.

He maintained training throughout his acting career, showing a commitment that matches serious hobbyist standards. Those hours on the mat inform his advocacy for self defense training, which he has discussed around work on ‘Modern Family’ and ‘Married with Children’.

Ronda Rousey

Ronda Rousey is a judo black belt who won an Olympic bronze medal and multiple international medals before entering mixed martial arts. Her competitive base centers on clinch entries, hip throws, and armbar finishes taught within Kodokan judo.

She carried that skill set into the cage and captured titles with fast submission wins. The same mechanics appear in her film work, where clinch-to-throw sequences in ‘The Expendables 3’ and ‘Furious 7’ mirror standard judo combinations.

Gina Carano

Gina Carano built her credentials in Muay Thai with a strong record that included wins across United States and international venues. She then entered mixed martial arts and won high profile bouts with balanced striking and clinch work.

Her fight experience translated to clean pad work and realistic movement on set. That foundation shows in ‘Haywire’ and ‘Fast & Furious 6’, where timing on knees and elbows matches training methods from Muay Thai camps.

Cung Le

Cung Le holds a black belt in Taekwondo and is a multiple time world level competitor in Sanda, also known as Sanshou. He won major championships with explosive kicks and wrestling style sweeps that define the ruleset.

He became a Strikeforce middleweight champion with highlight reel knockouts before acting in films. His screen fights in ‘Bodyguards and Assassins’ and ‘Tekken’ display the same catch and dump counters used in Sanda tournaments.

Georges St-Pierre

Georges St-Pierre holds a black belt in Kyokushin karate and a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt under respected coaches. He unified those styles with elite wrestling to become a dominant champion in mixed martial arts.

He carried that technical standard into film and television while continuing to train. Appearances in ‘Captain America: The Winter Soldier’ and ‘Falcon and the Winter Soldier’ feature clean side kicks and trips consistent with his dojo and gym work.

Oleg Taktarov

Oleg Taktarov is a judo black belt and accomplished Sambo practitioner who won an early mixed martial arts tournament title. His grappling base relies on upper body throws, leg locks, and positional pressure.

He transitioned to film while maintaining ties to combat sports as a coach and analyst. His roles in ’15 Minutes’ and ‘Predators’ often include control positions and takedown entries that reflect his competitive background.

Joe Taslim

Joe Taslim is a judo black belt who represented Indonesia on the national team for several years with medals at regional championships. His technique centers on foot sweeps, hip throws, and groundwork finishes standard to international judo.

He moved into acting after his competitive career and brought that grappling precision to action scenes. Performances in ‘The Raid’ and ‘Mortal Kombat’ show realistic grips, off balances, and transitions that match high level training.

Share your picks in the comments and tell us which other legit trained actors deserve a spot.