Is The Smashing Machine movie based on a true story? Details explored

The Smashing Machine is a biographical sports drama film, scheduled to hit theaters on October 3, 2025, in the US. The movie features Dwayne Douglas Johnson (The Rock) as a former amateur wrestler, MMA Fighter Mark Kerr. It also stars Emily Blunt, Bas Rutten, Ryan Bader, and Oleksandr Usyk, among others.

The film is directed by Benny Safdie and based on the real-life story of mixed martial arts (MMA) and UFC pioneer Mark Kerr. The plot focuses on Kerr's career and his troubles outside of the ring. The Smashing Machine is an adaptation of the acclaimed 2002 HBO documentary of the same name.

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Dwayne Johnson’s The Smashing Machine: The true story of an MMA legend

The A24 film The Smashing Machine is a simplified version of the raw and unflinching 2002 HBO documentary, which followed MMA fighter Mark Kerr's rise and struggles.

Mark Kerr was born in Toledo, Ohio, and he began his career in combat sports as a wrestler at Syracuse University, where he won an NCAA Division I title. His major achievements, including gold and silver medals at the World Cup, marked his amateur wrestling career. He then switched to the field of mixed martial arts after almost missing out on a position on the 1996 Olympic team.

Kerr soon gained the nickname "The Smashing Machine" for his "ground-and-pound" strategy, which involved pulling opponents down and hitting them from a commanding stance. He rose to fame in the late 1990s with two UFC heavyweight tournament titles under his belt and more success in Japan's PRIDE Fighting Championships.

His battles with addiction, turbulent relationship with his ex-girlfriend Dawn Staples, and his eventual emotional breakdown are all depicted in the 2025 film. One of the most famous and gut-wrenching scenes from the documentary - a recreation of which is featured in the new movie trailer - shows Kerr in a vulnerable moment, completely stripped of his "Smashing Machine" persona.

Benny Safdie, Emily Blunt, Dwayne Johnson, and Mark Kerr (Image via Instagram/@thesmashingmachinemovie)

Dwayne Johnson, a former professional wrestler himself, was deeply moved by Kerr’s story. During the movie's premiere at the Venice Film Festival on September 1, 2025, he said it felt like a "full-circle moment" in his own career as he's portraying a character so opposed to his charismatic, larger-than-life public image.

Meanwhile, director Benny Safdie shared his thoughts on The Smashing Machine during an exclusive conversation with Empire Magazine, released on August 26, 2025. He said:

“I was really obsessed with radical empathy. I wanted to make a really honest movie about what it means to compete and to feel that. [The audience] just see you as this big guy, strong guy — they don’t know that you’re struggling with anything else. It can be very lonely.”

The Smashing Machine aims to be a psychological representation of a man balancing fame, addiction, and personal identity. By following closely to the documentary's timeline, which spans between 1997 to 2000, the film mainly focuses on Kerr's personal, frequently difficult life.

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The movie is set to hit the theaters on October 3, 2025. Stay tuned for more updates.