What’s the difference between Rocky and ‘The Smashing Machine’? The answer lies in its closeness to the sport and how it’s portrayed. Dwayne Johnson’s A24 feature The Smashing Machine hits theaters in just two days, and anticipation is running high for this $50 million Hollywood spectacle. Based on the turbulent real-life journey of UFC legend Mark Kerr, the film captures both the soaring highs and crushing lows of his career.

Directed by Benny Safdie, the project also shines a light on other fighters of that era, marking a dream-come-true moment for many involved in the project directly. After making waves at the Venice and Toronto film festivals, the film carried its momentum to Los Angeles this week with its official premiere. And now, with all the buzz surrounding it, Joe Rogan has named one thing that separates Dwayne Johnson’s The Smashing Machine from a cult classic like Rocky.

A few days ago, as Joe Rogan sat down with MMA legend Mark Kerr to talk about The Smashing Machine, Rogan praised the film’s authenticity to its sport, saying, “It looked very realistic. The fight scenes were excellent… it looked like the historical fight.” Kerr agreed, giving credit to director Benny Safdie for the way he shot the film, especially the fight sequences.

The UFC color commentator then noted how difficult it is to capture real fights on screen, especially when fans have seen those moments live. “They got it real close, man. To the point like, wow. This is really well done,” Rogan said, contrasting it with films like Rocky that sometimes come off as “a little corny.” Kerr acknowledged that while movies like Rocky will always have a place, The Smashing Machine was made to honor real events in a real way.

Both agreed there’s nothing wrong with Rocky, but Kerr clarified, “That’s not the film they were shooting. This is how we create something that pays homage.” Rogan added that Rocky itself, especially the first film, had its own sense of realism before the sequels leaned more into the drama, like most cult films. But The Smashing Machine stuck to the sport which it was portraying.

Kerr then reminisced about watching Rocky as a kid. “I remember being in the theater… I wanted to be Rocky,” he said. Rogan also recalled his childhood reaction, admitting, “Dude, I drank a raw egg, and I ran around the block as soon as I got home.” For both, Rocky was inspiring, but The Smashing Machine stands apart for its direct recreation of Kerr’s real fights.

Beyond the film, the UFC Hall of Famer helped shape the sport alongside pioneers like Royce Gracie, Mark Coleman, and Randy Couture. While he was inducted this year under the Pioneer Wing, during the same podcast, Kerr also revealed that his history with the UFC wasn’t always smooth, admitting that the promotion once sued him and even stopped him from facing Royce Gracie in Japan.

Mark Kerr reveals to Joe Rogan the UFC move that killed a super fight

“I go over there for Pride 2. It was supposed to be me and Royce Gracie. There’s still the fight posters that I signed of him and I facing off with each other. Signed the contract to fight for way more money than was being paid for in the UFC. And when I get back to the States, I get served with papers to appear in the court in New York City, the UFC’s suing me,” Mark Kerr recalled.

So why did the UFC sue a fighter who had just boosted their popularity by winning the UFC 15 Heavyweight Tournament, you ask? According to a 2009 Indiepulse article, The Smashing Machine recognized that Pride Fighting Championship in Japan carried far greater prestige than the UFC at the time. With one tournament fight still left on his UFC contract, Kerr instead wanted to test himself on the bigger stage in Japan.

That decision, ultimately, sparked the lawsuit. While Mark Kerr still managed to make his Pride 2 debut, the anticipated superfight with Royce Gracie never materialized. Instead, he was given a different opponent, leaving the matchup with the Brazilian as one of his biggest career regrets.

That said, if ‘The Smashing Machine’ sets itself apart through realism, could it redefine how combat sports stories are told in Hollywood compared to classics like ‘Rocky’?