Dwayne Johnson is generating early Oscar buzz for his role as Mark Kerr in The Smashing Machine. Ditching car chases, one-liners, and explosions, the former WWE star has transformed himself to portray the legendary figure in mixed martial arts. With Oscar-nominee Emily Blunt by his side, this feels like the next chapter for Johnson after years of blockbuster action affairs.
Behind the blood, sweat and tears lies the story of a real-life legend in the field of combat sports. As is documented in the film, Kerr’s journey to superstardom was far from an easy ride, and even when success came, it arrived with a cost. So, who is Mark Kerr, the focus of The Smashing Machine? Let’s lift the lid on this powerhouse fighter.
Mark Kerr: From Wrestling Dreams to UFC Champion
Mark Kerr was born on December 21, 1968. In his younger years, he looked upon professional wrestlers as gods. His dream? To make it to the World Wrestling Federation (now the WWE). His passion fused perfectly with his large and bulky frame and natural athleticism, honing his skills in his back yard with his younger siblings, holding mock wrestling bouts. By the age of 15, he was ready to take things seriously and kickstarted a wrestling career as a freshman at Bettendorf High School in Iowa.
By the time he was 28, he was standing at 6’1 and weighing 260 lbs. Whilst training as an amateur wrestler, Kerr began to look towards MMA as a way of making some money. To that, his fighting dreams came to fruition when he headed to Brazil to fight at World Vale Tudo Championship 3. Back then, mixed martial arts was not as popular as it is now. In fact, it was still considered as quite the underground sport. Kerr’s first fight proved that in a literal sense, taking place in the dark and murky basement of a hotel. Kerr won the match in extraordinary fashion, taking his opponent out in two minutes. From here, his rise was fast and ferocious, soon earning the nickname “The Smashing Machine”, due to his aggressive fighting style where he would slam his opponents to the ground and pound them.
Kerr soon progressed to the UFC where he earned a Heavyweight tournament title. However, his time with the organization was short-lived. As many other fighters did, Kerr crossed over to Pride Fighting Championships when the UFC faced intense backlash for its extreme nature and struggled with promotional hurdles as a rsult. While a plethora of MMA fighters were facing the same battle, Mark Kerr was tackling a different fight away from the ring, one that ultimately served as the heart and core of Benny Safdie‘s movie, The Smashing Machine.
The Smashing Machine: A Stamp in Time
Dwayne Johnson may seem like the obvious choice to play Mark Kerr due to his sheer size and his fighting background. With that said, it isn’t his physical transformation that’s the most impressive thing at play here, it’s his mental one. The Smashing Machine isn’t your typical biopic. This wouldn’t have been possible (at least not without the use of de-ageing) as Johnson was 52 years old at the time of filming. Instead, the film marks a moment in time for Kerr, a period where he was climbing in popularity but descending in his personal life.
Driven by a need to be available for his training, Kerr found himself in a downward spiral with pain medication, culminating in a near-fatal overdose in 1999. As a result, his relationship with ex-wife Dawn Staples was tested to the limits. While this was explored in the 2002 documentary of the same name, since then, Kerr has parted ways with Dawn. To that, Safdie’s film offers a more detailed look into the personal life of the fighting legend, shining a light on the trials and tribulations that often come with such a brutal sport, both in and out of the ring.
Where is Mark Kerr Today?
Although his time in the UFC isn’t as extensive as other heavyweights, Mark Kerr has long been considered one of the pioneers. Following his departure from the UFC, Kerr remained active in martial arts. However, his last few years were marked by defeat after defeat. After officially retiring from all combat sports in 2009, he swerved into a variety of different projects. By 2010, he was pursuing a degree with an eye on pharmaceutical sales. By 2015, he was working at at a Toyota dealership. However, his fighting was far from over as he battled with alcoholism. As of 2025, he is now seven years sober, as he divulged when speaking with Time Magazine.
The idea to turn Kerr’s story into a movie came from Dwayne Johnson. After some setbacks and pauses, including the COVID-19 pandemic, Kerr acted as a consultant for the screenwriting stage and was then present on set during filming. New success and popularity resurgence aside, battles still go on for Kerr. In 2019, he disclosed that he has been dealing with peripheral neuropathy, a nerve damage disorder that can cause pain, numbness, tremors, and unsteadiness. In order to pay for his medical expenses, he launched a GoFundMe page, stating: “Mark has suffered with peripheral neuropathy for the last 3 years. Over the last 6 months it has made it almost impossible to work. He has suffered in silence because pain medication is not a option.”
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