WWE fame and actor Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson has recently taken up MMA training as he prepares to portray Mark Kerr on the big screen. HBO’s hard-hitting 2000’s documentary The Smashing Machine chronicled the journey of the fighter with the same moniker. Now, The Rock plays him in a movie. More news on that front – Bellator heavyweight champion Ryan Bader has joined the cast.
Critical fans have recently taken to shredding Johnson’s first steps in MMA. Ohio-born Mark Kerr won back-to-back UFC Heavyweight championship straps in 1997 (one-night events UFC 14 and 15). He then moved to PRIDE, where he fought Igor Vovchanchyn, Enson Inoue, and Kazuyuki Fujita in Japan. Kerr was also a wrestling phenom. Caliber, like Ryan Bader, is sure to add some zesty realism to the scenario.
Putting the mma game on pause for a bit as I head to Vancouver for about 3 months. Excited to be a part of an amazing project by Benny Safdie #thesmashingmachine . Giving ode to a couple legends of the sport, @markkerrtsm @markcolemanufc the highs and the lows that come with this crazy a** sport. @therock
Ryan Bader via IG (@ryanbader)
Bader, the Bellator heavyweight, announced recently that he will take a three-month hiatus. He will relocate to Vancouver; not much is known about the capacity of his role in the Mark Kerr biopic. Bader, 40, did not detail specifics. He last suffered a 21-second KO to Renan Ferreira at the PFL vs. Bellator: Champions event in February.
The fighter revealed more of his inclusion in the project, which is primarily Vancouver-based. Recent Oscar nominee Emily Blunt joins him (rumor) as Kerr’s longtime girlfriend, Dawn Staples. The Benny Safdie film with independent studio A24 Producing is taking great shape so far.
Ryan Bader and The Rock give shoot updates on their biopic
Ryan Bader puts his fighting career on hold momentarily after landing a role in The Smashing Machine. The forthcoming biopic of UFC and PRIDE veteran Mark Kerr has attracted interest in the MMA community. With Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson starring in the lead, Bader is accordingly expected for a clear combat-oriented support role.
Dwayne ‘the Rock’ Johnson and Ryan Bader shape up for their roles (Source: USA TODAY Sports (@usatodaysports) / X/ Instagram/ (@therock) )Consequently, both men are in great shapes and points in their lives. Bader did fumble his chance at the PFL vs. Bellator: Champions last, but all clouds have silver linings. Moreover, the winner would face PFL debutant Francis Ngannou in the aftermath. With tragedy befalling the fighter in his domestic setting, there’d be no news about his MMA return any soon.
Bader and The Rock have consequently started their journey. Bader has already imparted in a handful of stunts and action sequences before going into the nitty-gritty of Kerr’s journey. Both men have been giving updates on their social media handles.
Ryan Bader is already a pronounced combatant and titleholder. Concurrently, The Rock has been getting into the fold as well. Despite initial lashes, the matter is sure to gain more popularity in the upcoming days. If the film is released to critical acclaim, one can imagine the film’s potential as an Academy Award contender.
