Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson’s ‘The Smashing Machine’ is a must-watch for MMA fans

Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson as Mark Kerr in “The Smashing Machine”. Image courtesy of A24 and Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson

This upcoming movie starring Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson is the one film project I am interested in because he portrays the “Smashing Machine,” Mark Kerr. He is one of the MMA fighters I have been familiar with since the late 90s to early 2000s, when he first started his career in the then ultra-violent, practically no-holds-barred, and very raw incarnation of UFC.

Later on in his MMA career, he made the jump to PRIDE, a Japanese-based mixed martial arts promotion similar to UFC but with more spectacle and a greater emphasis on entertainment aspects (like entrances), while still being as hard-hitting, in-your-face, and intense as UFC, if not even more so in certain bouts featuring the best fighters from around the world.

“The Smashing Machine,” Mark Kerr, was one of their main attractions in those early years due to his immense name recognition gained during the developing years of the UFC. I remember how I first watched Mark Kerr’s early fights and bouts in MMA: it was because of VHS tapes my cousin had. We would watch them at his house and get blown away by how strong this guy was!

Years later, during Mark Kerr’s lengthy stint at PRIDE, I was able to watch his fights on television because there was a local channel that showed the PRIDE championships, and Mark Kerr was featured in some of them. This guy was a beast in the octagon and squared circle, and PRIDE mostly hired, booked, and signed MMA fighters with already established reputations and legendary status. “The Smashing Machine,” Mark Kerr was at the top of their priority list for PRIDE, where I believe he had more memorable bouts than in the UFC.

For the unfamiliar or casual MMA fan, remember terms like “ground and pound,” “hammer fists,” and “takedowns”? These are common terms among MMA fans and practitioners, but it was standout fighters like Mark Kerr who helped popularize them due to his style, which was a mix of brute force, stand-up, striking, traditional wrestling, and various martial arts in his repertoire.

To see Dwayne Johnson transform into that imposing beast of a fighter is amazing. The man resembles Mark Kerr, thanks to the prosthetic on his forehead, making it similar to Mark Kerr’s, and more so with the added muscle definition, fighting form, and overall physical presence. If there is proof of commitment to one’s work, craft, and movie role, then Dwayne Johnson’s transformation for his role as “The Smashing Machine” Mark Kerr is a prime example.

A scene from “The Smashing Machine”. Photo courtesy of A4 / Dwayne Johnson

We often hear about actors who dedicate time to becoming their onscreen characters, but when you add the necessary physical changes, that’s commitment on a deeper level. How can moviegoers not want to watch you because of it? It is a win-win situation.

Based solely on the official movie trailer for “The Smashing Machine,” Dwayne Johnson should be considered for an Oscar nomination. I have never seen him in such a serious, heavy, and dramatic role, positioning him as one of the most improved actors, expanding his acting skills beyond adventure, action, and comedy into biopic portrayals that would greatly benefit from this format in a casting choice that is as perfect as it can be for him at this stage of his acting career in Hollywood.

Until “The Smashing Machine” has not been shown yet in cinemas, the best thing to do is get familiar with “The Smashing Machine,” Mark Kerr himself. As someone who has been exposed to and enjoyed MMA, I can say that this man, this fighter, and MMA legend was one of a kind, and the MMA world has never seen anyone like him again.

How poetic that an MMA legend being portrayed by a soon-to-be legend himself in professional wrestling and entertainment sounds excellent to me.

‘The Smashing Machine’ stars Dwayne Johnson, Emily Blunt, Ryan Bader, Bas Rutten as himself, and Oleksandr Usyk. Directed by Benny Safdie and produced by Dwayne Johnson. Distributed by A24.

Knuckle up for this one!