Watch a Brutal Clip from Warrior: Tom Hardy Delivers a Scary Knockout

Warrior is serious. The Oscar-craving movie about mixed martial arts starring Tom Hardy, Nick Nolte, Joel Edgerton and a whole bunch of other fearsome types -- like real-life fighter Erik Apple and wrestling vet Kurt Angle -- is a full-throttle ride around the ropes. In this new clip, Hardy unseats a champ in just a few quick moves. Harsh as hell, and so good.

I'm ready for the real advent of Tom Hardy. His work here is swift and unpretentious -- and if we have to make an obvious comparison to The Fighter, it appears he's more captivating than Mark Wahlberg. Did you shriek just slightly when his opponent (Apple) fell in a lifeless heap over the ropes? I might've. And I might be in a public coffeehouse right now. That means I'm part of the knockout. Verdict? A harrowing haymaker.

Warrior is in theaters September 9.