To immerse himself in the role of MMA legend Mark Kerr, actor Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson will undergo training in MMA as a professional fighter.

Sharing on his personal page after WrestleMania 2024, WWE’s biggest event of the year, Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson announced his focus on preparing for the film project “The Smashing Machine,” where he will portray former UFC champion Mark Kerr.

“After WrestleMania, my second training camp of 2024 will begin tomorrow to prepare for my role in the movie The Smashing Machine. My body has taken a toll at Mania, but there are no injuries, and I feel great to be ready to start MMA training tomorrow. I will enter this project with good physical condition, but MMA is a completely different beast. And Mark Kerr is one of a kind, a true monster.”

“I embark on the Smashing Machine journey with utmost respect and love for all MMA fighters and this culture, especially those who have struggled with addictions. I have lost many friends due to drug and psychological issues, including suicide. This is the love I want to send to them.”

Mark Kerr (born 1968) is a former wrestler and fighter from the pioneering generation of MMA. He won championships at UFC 14, UFC 15 (1997), and competed in PRIDE FC from its early events.

Mark Kerr’s martial arts career began in 1983 when he participated in high school and college wrestling tournaments, where he won three Eastern Intercollegiate Wrestling Association (EIWA) Championships, one NCAA Division 1 Championship, and various international achievements.

After failing to qualify for the 1996 Olympics, Mark Kerr decided to transition to MMA and trained alongside renowned fighters such as Mark Coleman and Tom Erikson. In the early stages of his career, Mark Kerr impressed with an undefeated streak of 11 victories in the two biggest promotions at the time, UFC and Pride FC. Additionally, he achieved four consecutive gold medals at the ADCC World Championship, a major global submission grappling tournament.

As The Rock mentioned, “The Smashing Machine” is likely to depict the period covered in the HBO documentary of the same name, released in 2002, which explored Mark Kerr’s struggles with painkiller and steroid abuse leading to depression during the early phase of his MMA career.