'The Rock' never became an MMA fighter, but he is playing one: All about 'The Smashing Machine' movie on ex-UFC star Mark Kerr starring Dwayne Johnson

Although an MMA career never panned out for Dwayne Johnson, the WWE legend and Hollywood A-lister is set to star as former UFC heavyweight Mark Kerr in an upcoming movie about his life.

Titled 'The Smashing Machine', the movie is set to focus on Kerr's heavyweight run in the MMA promotion back in the 90's as well as his battle with an addiction to pain-killers. The former fighter won two heavyweight tournaments during his time in the UFC but later suffered an overdose.

'The Smashing Machine' refers to the nickname of Mark Kerr, who earned the name due to his explosive and heavy-hitting fighting style.

'The Rock' has been working on the movie with writer and director Benny Safdie since 2019. It will also star Emily Blunt, who is set to play the role of Kerr's wife.

The former fighter had a HBO documentary released about his life under the same name in 2002. It was widely praised by fans and critics for the deep dive it took into the highs and lows of his fighting career.

Johnson has also previously discussed his interest in becoming an MMA fighter in 1997. Speaking on episode #2063 of The Joe Rogan Experience, he explained that his low wage in WWE at the time meant he almost sought an MMA career in PRIDE. The wrestling icon said:

"We start hearing these guys over at PRIDE are making 250k, 350k, 500k, and I thought then, 'F**k, I don't think I'm going to make it in WWE. I've this idea in my head, 'Oh, maybe I should train in MMA and go to PRIDE and make money, real money.'"

Watch the clip here:

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How did Mark Kerr fare during his time in the UFC?

With the movie about Mark Kerr's life now in development, modern MMA fans who have not heard of the former heavyweight will likely not know how his UFC career panned out.

'The Smashing Machine' went undefeated during his time in the organization after debuting in 1997, fighting four times between July and October. All four victories came via finishes and saw him win the UFC 14 and UFC 15 Heavyweight Tournaments.

Kerr ultimately left the promotion a year later. He made his debut for the Japanese MMA organization PRIDE in 1998, going on to win his first four fights in a row there as well.

During his time in Japan, when he was earning good money, Mark Kerr had a chance encounter with Dwayne Johnson, who was prompted to consider a career in MMA.