The wait is almost over, folks. The Smashing Machine, the long-awaited biopic of UFC legend Mark Kerr, finally hits theaters on October 3. And listen—this isn’t your average fight flick. This thing has already blown the roof off film festivals in Venice and Toronto, drawing standing ovations and leaving critics stunned. Why? Because Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson didn’t just play Mark Kerr—he became him.

That reception set the tone: this isn’t just another fight film—it dives raw and unflinching into one of MMA’s most complex figures. Critics singled out Dwayne Johnson’s performance for its grit and depth. He captures Kerr’s dominance inside the cage and exposes his struggles outside it—addiction, personal turmoil, and the crushing weight of fame. And just when you think the hype train can’t go any faster, The Rock adds fuel by linking up with MMA’s newest viral star—“Paddy Lesnar.”

Dwayne Johnson links up with Oktagon’s “Paddy Lesnar” during ‘The Smashing Machine’ promotion

Paddy Pimblett’s face, Brock Lesnar’s body, and a chip on his shoulder the size of Germany. That’s Frederic Vosgrone, the Oktagon light heavyweight who’s taken MMA social media by storm. This guy went from grappling standout to viral sensation almost overnight—and the comparisons haven’t stopped since. The hype exploded when Vosgrone posed alongside Hollywood heavyweights Dwayne Johnson and Emily Blunt on Instagram, captioning the photo: “Sorry for flexing so much,” as he stood proudly between The Rock and Blunt.

However, Vosgrone has shown he’s more than just a viral sensation with Dwayne Johnson . Tensions with Oktagon had been simmering for weeks, reaching a boiling point at the post-fight press conference after Oktagon 76 at Frankfurt’s Festhalle. Fresh off a dominant win over Fabio Moraes via picture-perfect rear-naked choke, Vosgrone addressed the media, leaving fans and journalists buzzing: “I don’t know if I’m going to fight at Oktagon again. I don’t know if I’m going to fight again for an organization that treats me like s*** every time I fight here, or if I am attending an event.”

Although Oktagon 78 is scheduled for October 18 at the Lanxess Arena, Saturday night’s drama threw the bout into question. “I don’t know if the fight in Cologne is going to happen. That’s all I have to say,” he said before walking out, leaving the media and fans speculating. Sources say Vosgrone is eyeing a move to Fight Nation Championship, driven by growing frustration with Oktagon.

Frederic Vosgrone discusses his viral comparisons to Brock Lesnar and Paddy Pimblett

Frederic Vosgröne, is quickly making a name for himself in the MMA world. He first went viral after his OKTAGON debut in April, where he dominated Jorick Montagnac with relentless takedowns and a submission finish. Since then, fans have drawn comparisons to UFC stars Paddy Pimblett and Brock Lesnar—an image Vosgröne has fully embraced as he climbs the ranks.

At OKTAGON 76 in Frankfurt on Saturday, Vosgröne put his skills on full display in the co-main event, just five fights into his professional career. Inside the cage, Vosgröne made quick work of him. After a clean takedown, he secured full mount, landed precise ground-and-pound strikes, and forced Moraes to give up his back. With a textbook rear-naked choke, Vosgröne improved his record to 5-0, maintaining a perfect 100% finish rate. Before the fight, Vosgröne addressed the viral comparisons with some of MMA’s biggest names.

“The Paddy Pimblett thing goes back a long time,” Vosgröne told talkSPORT.com in Frankfurt ahead of his light heavyweight co-main event. Many years ago, when I competed on the UK grappling scene, I remember Paddy Pimblett posting a picture of me on Instagram because people messaged him saying I looked like him. But that was before he had his breakthrough. Obviously, it’s great to be named in the same sentence as one of the biggest stars now.

“And Brock Lesnar, too. I remember in Brazil, when I was training there as a purple belt many years ago, people would always call me Brock Lesnar. It’s a pretty cool comparison. Brock Lesnar is much scarier than Paddy Pimblett, so I’ll stick with Brock Lesnar.”

So here’s where we’re at: Vosgrone is undefeated, finishing everyone they put in front of him, while simultaneously stealing headlines for looking like a mashup of two UFC stars. Add in a public beef with Oktagon, and now he’s standing next to Dwayne Johnson at The Smashing Machine promo.

The real question? Can Vosgrone step out of the shadows of Paddy and Brock to carve out his own legacy—or is he destined to be known more for the comparisons than the chaos he creates in the cage?

Either way, he’s got the attention of fight fans worldwide.