'Is Thor Taking On MMA Fighting?' Chris Hemsworth Is Back To Building His Biceps For Avengers: Doomsday, And Fans Are Eating It Up

Chris Hemsworth in the snow in Extraction 2

(Image credit: Netflix)

Though Chris Hemsworth technically reprised the role of MCU god Thor for the anthology series What If…?, we haven’t seen him wielding Mjolnir in live-action since 2022’s Thor: Love and Thunder, and for a while, it wasn’t clear when he’d be back in the proverbial saddle. That obviously changed when a bulk of the cast was confirmed via chairs for the upcoming mega-sequel Avengers: Doomsday, with Hemsworth’s name as the very first reveal. Which means more Thor-like training for the actor, and his fans are here for it.

With the Russo brothers confirming The Extraction franchise star’s name as the first of Doomsday’s returning MCU actors, fans were definitely hyped about seeing Hemsworth back on the big screen, but possibly with new screen partners such as Pedro Pascal’s Reed Richards or Channing Tatum’s Gambit. But before that movie shakes up the 2026 movie schedule, fans get to watch the Australian behemoth getting physical, and in ways that speak more to MMA athletes than Gods of Thunder.

Check out Chris Hemsworth’s Instagram video below, in which he can be seen completely throwing punches, knees and elbows. (But not hammer punches, as applicable as that might be.)

A post shared by Chris Hemsworth (@chrishemsworth)
A photo posted by on

Now, I’m going to assume that the actor is as much in promotional mode as he is in body-shaping mode, given that he tags CntrFit in the post. (He founded the company pre-quarantine before selling it off in 2022 for a cool $200 million, but remains a major shareholder.) And I’ll also assume that he’s using a heavy bag like that as a general, all-encompassing workout, and not a hint that Thor will be all about fisticuffs in the MCU’s future.

But after reading through some of the comments shared on the post, I’ll admit it’s slightly more fun to think about Thor going into the new Avengers movie as a UFC fighter as opposed to a superpowered god. Check out some of the amusing MMA-related comments his followers made in between all the fire emojis and Thor GIFs.

Is Thor taking on MMA fighting in the new avengers? - @cristiancoserphotography
Think ol mate needs to get the UFC cage. Def do some damage. - @nate_smith_photo
@ufc ?🔥🔥🔥 - @xalex.72
If you're ever looking for a Muay Thai trainer, I know a guy 😉. - @johnwayneparr
Thor goes MMA on DR Doom - @matty.mcdiarmid

Who knows? Maybe Robert Downey Jr.’s Victor Von Doom will be in league with Dana White, and will attempt to destroy Thor via UFC pay-per-view event. Let’s not forget that the MCU’s founding director Jon Favreau portrayed an MCU fighter during his limited arc on Friends while dating Monica. Wait, maybe that’s completely useless information here, my bad.

Fans weren’t wholly beholden to Thor’s MMA potential, and some were just pumped to see the actor in attack mode.

Wouldn't want to be that bag right now… 👊💪 - @centrfit
@chrishemsworth Keep up the amazing workout. Boxing is one of my favorite workouts. I agree with @centrfit I wouldn't want to be that bag right now either. It's taking a beating for sure 🥊🥊 - @jennifer_l_kirr
Your wife is the most secure woman on this planet and I admire the shit out of her - @brealross
All I saw was heaps of kicking!!! Because those aren’t fxcken arms, them mfkas are whole legs!!! 😳🔥 BIG MFKA GANG!!! - @cj.bloomfield
That bag is not worthy! - @mon_tical
We also tenderise our bag of chicken this way. - @its_hip_to_be_wren

I'm going to try hard not to think about Hemsworth's bag being a piñata stuffed full of raw chicken for tenderizing. Harder to do after stringing those words together.

Of course, Chris Hemsworth's Avengers: Doomsday prep post wouldn't feel real without at least SOMEONE asking about the character's viral Deadpool and Wolverine scene:

Why was thor crying?
@krizh.nna

What will Chris Hemsworth punch next? If his new movie and its punny title indicate anything, he'll likely be punching submarine crew members, but whether or not that happens before Thor's return is anyone's guess.

Avengers: Doomsday is set to hit theaters on May 1, 2026.

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Nick is a Cajun Country native and an Assistant Managing Editor with a focus on TV and features. His humble origin story with CinemaBlend began all the way back in the pre-streaming era, circa 2009, as a freelancing DVD reviewer and TV recapper. Nick leapfrogged over to the small screen to cover more and more television news and interviews, eventually taking over the section for the current era and covering topics like Yellowstone, The Walking Dead and horror. Born in Louisiana and currently living in Texas — Who Dat Nation over America’s Team all day, all night — Nick spent several years in the hospitality industry, and also worked as a 911 operator. If you ever happened to hear his music or read his comics/short stories, you have his sympathy.

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