Dana White suggests that The Rock could be nominated for an Oscar for role in The Smashing Machine
UFC CEO Dana White has high hopes and praise for Dwayne Johnson, The Rock, and his performance as UFC pioneer Mark Kerr in the upcoming film, The Smashing Machine. The movie is slated for theatrical release in December 2024.
“I don’t know if you saw it, but he was showing on his Instagram the other day that he messed up his elbow,” White told Collider in an interview. “The Rock will kill this. He will nail this role. I know how serious he’s taking this, I know who’s working with him, and I know how hard he’s working on this film. I think that this could be the opportunity for The Rock to actually be nominated for an Oscar.”
The Rock posted a photo of that elbow injury below with the caption, “Elbow got kissed by the boo boo monster 👹 💪🏾
No extensive tissue damage. Ruptured bursa sac that will eventually heal. I’ve had much worse, and as always let pain – and tequila – be the guide 😈
Back to work.
#thesmashingmachine
#bennysafdie
(thank you all for the love and healing/medicine recommendations ❤️🩹 Im good 👍🏾)”
View this post on Instagram
“He’s taken this very seriously,”, White said. “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.”
Kerr competed as a heavyweight and compiled an MMA record of 15-11 with one “no-contest” against Igor Vovchanchyn at Pride 12 in December of 2009.
Kerr found his way into mixed martial arts through wrestlers like his friend and Pioneer wing UFC Hall of Famer, Mark Coleman. While Coleman was made a Hall of Famer years before the sport and the UFC became as popular as it is now, it’s time to remember and acknowledge those from that era of MMA and give Mr. Coleman some company in that wing. Since the passing of Kevin Randleman, Coleman has asked that Randleman be considered for the Hall of Fame. While some may not agree, it could be more than just wins versus losses that make a case for consideration to be inducted.
Kerr never won a title but he won the UFC heavyweight tournament twice at UFC 14 and UFC 15 in 1997 before he made the move to Pride FC. There was no official UFC heavyweight title to be won back then, but Kerr fought twice in one night at both events to win those tournaments which are rare in the current landscape of MMA. Only the Professional Fighters League, RIZIN and a few others still hold tournaments that have fighters fighting more than one fight a night.
Kerr fought in the time before marketing fighters and selling fights through social media became the norm it is today. While Kerr was fighting and making a name for himself in the sport that was still fighting for mainstream acceptance, he fought his own demons outside of competition. The dark side of Kerr’s career is also featured in the documentary from 2002, where his battle with opioid addiction sidelines him from performing at the level he felt was necessary back then. There was no USADA or Reebok deals, rules for a downed opponent were different and fighters like Kerr and his stablemates Coleman and Kevin Randleman from his native Ohio were cut from a different cloth.
