The Rock To Portray Legendary Former UFC Star In Upcoming Biopic

With the SAG-AFTRA and WGA strikes now in the rearview mirror, Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson is ready to get back into the studio and crank out more films that have helped make him one of the biggest stars in Hollywood today. And one of those films will be a project that Rock has been looking to do for a long time, armed with an A-list director.

Entertainment company A24 Films has announced the production of "The Smashing Machine," a biopic based on the life of former UFC star Mark Kerr. Johnson will star in the film as Kerr, and his production company Seven Bucks Studios will serve as co-producers. The film, which takes its title from the 2002 documentary on Kerr, will be directed by Benny Safdie, who along with his brother Joshua is best known for directing "Good Time" and "Uncut Gems."

The 54-year-old Kerr was one of the original stars of MMA, joining the sport in the mid-90s after failing to qualify for the 1996 Summer Olympics in amateur wrestling. Kerr had been a successful college wrestler, becoming a Division I Champion and an All-American in 1992 while at the University of Syracuse. Among the wrestlers Kerr would face or train with were future WWE Hall of Famer Kurt Angle, and MMA Hall of Famer/actor Randy Couture.

Kerr's success would transition to MMA, where he would compete for both UFC and Pride, winning the UFC 14 and 15 Heavyweight tournaments. Kerr's career would ultimately be hindered by substance abuse issues, however, and he would retire from MMA after his last fight in 2009. Ten years later, Kerr would grant Rock and Seven Bucks Studios permission to work on a film based on him, though no movement would occur on the project till this week.