Idris Elba is now a professional kickboxer... and an undefeated one, at that.
Elba won his professional kickboxing debut earlier this week, by decision, as part of a card held at York Hall in London.
Madonna (yes, that Madonna) shot video of the bout from her ringside seat.
Elba, who is 44 years old, began training in kickboxing earlier this year. Discovery Channel has been filming and producing a reality mini-series chronicling his training, which will be released in three parts in 2017. Elba has described fighting professionally as "a lifelong ambition" in an article by The Telegraph when the reality project was announced back in August. Elba, who did fitness kickboxing when he was in his 20s, traveled to Cuba, Japan, South Africa and Thailand as part of his training. The fight earlier this week will air as part of the finale of the reality series.
Elba, who got his big break in acting playing the part of Stringer Bell on The Wire, has won a Golden Globe for his portrayal of the title character on the BBC crime drama, Luther. He also has played Nelson Mandela in a 2013 biographical film on the leader; and appeared in three Marvel movies thus far as Heimdall, who, in the Marvel mythos, guards the bridge to Asgard. He will reprise that role in the third Thor movie, Thor: Ragnarok, which is due out next year.
Elba also is playing the main character, Roland Deschain, in the big-screen adaptation of Stephen King's The Dark Tower series. That movie also comes out next year.
