The Ultimate Fighting Championship has finally reached the point in the sport where its legends are getting their well-deserved mainstream recognition. In its amazing journey, the organization has produced fighters who now stand as icons of the combat sports giant. One such fighter is getting his biopic made, featuring the electrifying Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson presenting his story in The Smashing Machine, which is about to hit the theatres in October.

Based on the life of the actual ‘The Smashing Machine’ Mark Kerr, the biopic’s trailer has shocked the fans in multiple ways. For his portrayal of Kerr, Dwayne Johnson’s transformation from a largely jovial man to a massive MMA fighter is commendable. It looks like he has won the hearts of millions across the world with the release of this trailer—not just due to the excitement for the biopic. Johnson’s unrecognizable look in the movie has a lot of MMA veterans, too, approving of the professional wrestler-turned-actor.

A close friend of Mark Kerr, Mark Coleman, was one among millions who watched the trailer, and he was left astonished by ‘The Rock’s appearance. Sharing his thoughts on the movie on his Instagram, Coleman could only give high praise to Johnson for his uncanny resemblance to Kerr.

He said, “The Smashing Machine starring the one and only @therock the whole thing is just pretty damn cool wow life is a roller coaster a damn good one👊🙏❤️💪🏼🤴🏼 @ryanbader will be playing me. Could’ve never imagined a documentary following @markkerrtsm and I’s life would turn into this. I’m truly blessed with what life has given me. Will be coming to theaters soon. I can’t wait to see it.”

A fighter who trained alongside Mark Kerr, Coleman’s approval surely means a lot not only to the actor but the whole studio as well. A legendary fighter, who won the UFC heavyweight tournament twice in his career, will surely get his well-deserved recognition on 3rd October, 2025 when we’ll get to see ‘The Rock’ portray the legendary mixed martial artist.

Before the movie comes out, the reactions for the trailer have been quite mixed from the looks of it. Some are worried about the movie’s direction, while others believe Johnson’s portrayal of the legendary fighter is good enough to win him an Oscar. The creators behind the movie, A24 Studios is generally known for their dark tone, choosing to stick to the reality in their movies, and addressing harsh truths. And here, it looks like Kerr’s life portrayal will be confronted in a similar way.

Dwayne Johnson’s transformation into Mark Kerr leaves veterans stunned.

The WWE‘s ‘Final Boss’ has turned himself into the highest-paid actor in Hollywood. As he built his reputation through his blockbuster movies, Johnson has established his name as the top action hero of our era. Following the trailer release of The Smashing Machine, ‘The Rock’s role has received a plethora of reactions from the world. And generally known for the typical typecast tough guy, his embodiment of the UFC legend has surely impressed the MMA community.

The UFC CEO and President Dana White, who witnessed Mark Kerr in person was mesmerized by the trailer of the movie. White is also a close friend of ‘The Rock’ and as the UFC boss reacted to Johnson’s acting and said: “He’s taken this very seriously. This has been a passion project for him for a while, and he has 100% of the support from the UFC. Obviously, he’s a friend of mine, and this is his chance for an Oscar.” ‘The Rock’ who trained immensely for this role, worked alongside real fighters, even honing his striking and grappling skills.

A veteran of the sport, Ryan Bader, who stars in the movie alongside Johnson, too, was left impressed by ‘The Rock’s dedication to understanding and executing the character he is playing. Johnson’s constant workouts and sessions in the Octagon were appreciated by the fighter who plays the role of Mark Coleman, as he said: “While Johnson may not resemble a veteran fighter, his efforts have clearly paid off. His dedication to mastering the fundamentals is commendable.” Even these praises are a huge feat within themselves. Training for MMA at this age can be painful and exhausting and even at that, when you earn the approval of so many veterans, the path surely has to be bright ahead.

It’s safe to say that we all are about to witness ‘The Rock’s greatest acting performance yet. With that being said, it feels like the whole MMA community has decided to hop on to this hype train. In the celebration of Mark Kerr’s legendary fighting career and life, Dwayne Johnson’s role as the legendary MMA fighter is yet to be witnessed by the world, and we have to be patient till October. Can the blockbuster machine turn this movie into yet another blockbuster? What do you think? Let us know in the comments.