The Rock set for major UFC movie role

WWE Legend Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson is set to step into the UFC Octagon... at least on the silver screen.

The Rock continues to be one of the biggest and busiest names in Hollywood. His upcoming credits include Red Notice 2, which is the sequel to the big-budget Netflix action comedy from 2021, and Red One, a new action comedy for Amazon that will see him co-star with Chris Evans.

In what is being called The Great One's most dramatic role to date, he will star as two-time UFC Heavyweight Tournament Champion Mark Kerr in The Smashing Machine, according to The Hollywood Reporter. Rock has been developing the project with Benny Safdie, who wrote the script and will be making his solo directorial debut.

HBO aired a documentary on Kerr in 2002, also titled The Smashing Machine, which is Kerr's nickname due to his no-holds-barred style of fighting. The documentary focused on Kerr's MMA career and his battle with addiction, which led to an overdose of painkillers.

The Rock's Seven Bucks Productions will produce the movie, along with A24, who are financing as well. Additional producers include Safdie's Out for the Count, Eli Bush, and David Koplan. There is no word yet on filming or the release date.

The Rock claims he almost picked MMA over WWE

WWE introduced The Rock to the world of pro wrestling in 1996, and the company's first-ever third-generation wrestler went on to become one of the biggest stars in the history of the business.

However, The People's Champion says he almost left WWE for MMA. The future WWE Hall of Famer recently appeared on The Joe Rogan Experience and talked about how he considered a run in PRIDE.

"We were crossing all the MMA guys. PRIDE just opened up at Japan. So I was seeing all these MMA guys going over to PRIDE.. that time I was making a $150,000 wrestling 235 days a year. Do the math of that, how much I’m making per match. We start hearing these guys over there at PRIDE are making 250, 350, 500. I thought then, ‘f*** it. I don’t think I’m going to make it in WWE. People are booing me out of the arenas. I can’t be myself. They’re telling me to f****** smile. I don’t want to smile, that’s not who I am. I start talking to Ken Shamrock who was wrestling with us. I run it to Mark Kerr. I start talking to him, ‘tell me a little bit about PRIDE.' I have this idea in my head, maybe I should train to MMA and go to PRIDE and make money, real money," he said.

It's interesting to note that some people called The Rock out on his PRIDE claims due to details on the timeline not adding up.

Do you think The Rock would have made it in MMA? Where does Rock rank on your list of all-time great actors? Sound off in the comments below!