Mark Kerr: UFC Legend’s Wild True Story Inspires The Rock’s New ‘Smashing Machine’ Biopic

Mixed-martial-arts icon Mark Kerr is back in the spotlight after two decades out of the cage, thanks to a one-two punch of Hollywood buzz and Hall-of-Fame recognition. On Thursday night in Las Vegas, Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson personally inducted the former UFC heavyweight champion into the UFC Hall of Fame’s Pioneer Wing, calling Kerr “a fighter whose story proves that victory and vulnerability can coexist.” The ceremony marked Kerr’s first official appearance on a UFC stage since 2000 and set social media on fire with clips of Johnson embracing the 55-year-old legend. The timing couldn’t be better for A24’s upcoming biopic “The Smashing Machine,” directed by Benny Safdie and slated for theatrical release on 3 October 2025. Johnson, who packed on nearly 25 pounds and traded his trademark bald head for a 1990s mullet, stars as Kerr in a gritty retelling of the wrestler-turned-MMA-star’s meteoric rise, opioid struggles and eventual redemption. Safdie shot the drama on 16 mm film to mirror the grainy look of the 2002 HBO documentary that first chronicled Kerr’s highs and lows. Industry analysts predict the film could do for MMA what “The Wrestler” did for professional wrestling: attract awards-season attention while pulling casual sports fans into a raw, character-driven story. Early test-screening buzz highlights Johnson’s unrecognizable transformation, including prosthetic facial scars and a Midwestern accent that mirrors Kerr’s Ohio roots. Kerr’s real-world comeback adds authenticity to the marketing campaign. In media scrums after the Hall-of-Fame ceremony, he thanked Johnson “for giving my mistakes as much screen time as my medals,” a theme insiders say runs throughout Safdie’s screenplay. He also revealed he has been addiction-free for 16 years and now mentors young wrestlers on injury prevention and mental health. What does this resurgence mean for MMA? First, UFC historians note that Kerr’s collegiate wrestling base and early-PRIDE dominance paved the way for modern heavyweight hybrids like Jon Jones and Tom Aspinall. Second, streaming platforms are racing to license archival footage of Kerr’s Vale Tudo bouts, hoping to ride the biopic’s SEO tailwind. Ticket pre-sales open in November, but A24 is already drip-feeding content: a 45-second teaser of Johnson firing a vicious double-leg takedown hit 12 million views in 24 hours, and a companion podcast featuring Kerr and fellow pioneer Bas Rutten debuts next month. Expect merchandise, limited-edition trading cards and, according to UFC chief Dana White, “some kind of crossover event” during International Fight Week 2026. Whether you know him as “The Smashing Machine,” the Pride Grand Prix champion, or the guy who nearly lost everything to painkillers, Mark Kerr is suddenly the most googled name in combat sports. His second act is underway, and—if opening-night forecasts hold—his toughest fight may finally have its Hollywood ending.