To play the role of MMA legend Mark Kerr, actor Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson will switch to MMA training like a professional boxer.Sharing on his personal page after WrestleMania 2024 – WWE’s biggest event of the year, star Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson announced that he is focusing on preparing for the movie project “The Smashing Machine” – where he transforms. portrays former UFC champion Mark Kerr.
“After WrestleMania, my second training camp of 2024 begins tomorrow for my role in The Smashing Machine. My body took a hit at Mania, but there were no injuries and I feel great ready to start MMA workouts tomorrow. I’m going into this project in good shape and fitness, but MMA is a completely different beast. And Mark Kerr is one One-of-a-kind monster.”
“I entered the Smashing Machine journey with all respect and love for all MMA fighters and this culture. Especially those who have trouble with their careers. I have lost many friends because of it. drug addiction and psychological trauma, including suicide. These are the words of love I want to send to them.”
Mark Kerr (1968) is a former wrestler and boxer of the pioneering generation of the MMA world. He won the championship at two events UFC 14 and UFC 15 (1997), competing at PRIDE FC right from the first events.
Mark Kerr’s martial arts career began in 1983 when participating in high school and college wrestling tournaments, where he won 3 gold medals at the EIWA Wrestling Championship, 1 NCAA Division 1 gold medal and a series of international achievements.
After not being able to win a ticket to the 1996 Olympics, Mark Kerr decided to switch to MMA and trained with famous boxers such as Mark Coleman and Tom Erikson. In the early stages of his career, Mark Kerr impressed with a series of 11 wins in the two biggest tournaments in the world at that time, UFC and Pride FC. In addition, Mark Kerr also impressed by winning 4 consecutive gold medals at the ADCC World Championship – a world-scale jiu-jitsu tournament.
The Smashing Machine, as The Rock shared, will likely recreate the period mentioned in the documentary of the same name produced by HBO in 2002, talking about the abuse of painkillers and steroids leading to depression. Mark Kerr’s feelings in the early stages of his MMA career.
Highlight Mark Kerr:
