Fresh from the limelight of WrestleMania, Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson is diving headfirst into an MMA training camp as he gears up for his next cinematic project.
Mark Kerr was an NCAA Division I champion who later joined the UFC and PRIDE FC. Johnson said back in 2019 that he would be the star of a biopic on Kerr. Though the wheels of Hollywood move slowly, the project is now about to roll under the independent production company A24. Hollywood actress Emily Blunt is speculated to co-star with director Benny Safdie, best known for Uncut Gems.
In a recent video, Johnson expressed his enthusiasm for the project.
He said: “With WrestleMania behind me, my second training camp of 2024 begins tomorrow for my next role in a film titled The Smashing Machine. My body’s banged up from Mania, but no injuries and feeling great – ready to go. Starting my MMA workouts tomorrow. I’m coming into this in pretty good conditioning and cardio shape, but MMA is a different animal. And Mark Kerr was a ‘one of one’ monster.”
In his prime, Kerr was an intimidating contender who used his background in wrestling to put opponents in awkward situations before mauling them into a bloody mess. But as he got to the pinnacle of the sport, his battle with depression and st**oid abuse overcame him. He ended up losing several bouts and almost his life.
Johnson continued: “I run to this Smashing Machine journey with deep respect and love for all MMA fighters and the culture. ”
” This is my love letter to them. Let’s get to work.”
Whether Dwayne posts any of his MMA training into his social media accounts will be intriguing to see. For years, there have been nagging rumors that he has a contractual obligation to win in every fight in Hollywood. That won’t work for a biography of Mark Kerr, who had a twelve-bout winning run at the beginning of his career before going 3-11 during his less successful combat sports years.
The Smashing Machine is expected to be released in 2025.
