"Your stomach turns, man. It was toxic." - Coach Bas Rutten reflects on Dwayne Johnson stepping into Mark Kerr's shoes for 'The Smashing Machine'

Coach Bas Rutten recently shared his thoughts on Dwayne Johnson's portrayal of MMA legend Mark Kerr in 'The Smashing Machine'. Rutten, the former UFC heavyweight champion, was taken aback by how deeply Johnson immersed himself in the role.

He described the experience as "eerie," noting that Johnson's physical mannerisms were strikingly similar to Kerr's, from the way he stood to the way he spoke. Rutten was particularly impressed by the Hollywood star's attention to detail when he interacted with other characters, especially Emily Blunt, who played Kerr’s wife.

Rutten praised Johnson’s dedication to accurately capturing Kerr's essence and highlighted the actor’s commitment to portraying the complexities of the two-time UFC heavyweight tournament champion's troubled life. Speaking in an appearance on the Overdogs Podcast, Rutten said:

"It was eerie because as soon as he transitions into Kerr, he stands like him, speaks like him. So for me, it was like, 'Woah! He really did his homework.' Especially that first the first shot we did and he was sitting there with the tattoos that he had... The way he was interacting with Emily Blunt [portraying Kerr's wife Dawn Staples]... He did his homework, his stance, the way he speaks, it's very impressive."

Rutten added:

"Mark Kerr had a crazy insane life. He was shooting up drugs, he had this violent relationship with his wife... When you see things, like when you read the script it's like your stomach turns man. It was toxic."

Check out Bas Rutten's comments below:

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Dwayne Johnson explains why he took on the challenge of portraying Mark Kerr for 'The Smashing Machine'

Dwayne Johnson chose to play MMA legend Mark Kerr in 'The Smashing Machine' because he saw it as a unique opportunity to challenge himself.

Johnson was drawn to Kerr's complex life story, which includes not only his MMA career but also struggles with addiction, mental health, and personal loss. The role gave Johnson a chance to dive into deeper, more emotional material, something he had not explored in previous roles. Speaking in an interview with GQ, Johnson said:

"I knew this was an opportunity to disappear into a character, with prosthetics, and also play somebody who is still alive. Someone who has gone through the battles and wars of life. Not only in the octagon and in the cages but also about addiction, failure, loss, and mental health struggles. And that’s the bug that I got bit by and thinking: ‘Oh, this is what I want to do!’… to challenge myself in ways that I hadn’t been challenged. Where the material is deeper, it allows me to sink my teeth into something deeper, richer.”