Breaking: The Smashing Machine has punched its way back into the weekend spotlight, and we can confirm the timing is no accident. The 2002 documentary about Mark Kerr, one of the most feared competitors in early mixed martial arts, is resurfacing right as A24’s dramatized feature moves into focus with Dwayne Johnson set to play Kerr. If you want the full story behind the headlines, start here.
Why this matters right now
The documentary is getting fresh placement on streaming menus this weekend, and it could not be better timed. A24’s feature, also titled The Smashing Machine, is building heat with Benny Safdie directing and Johnson taking on the most raw role of his career. Before the lights of a prestige biopic, this doc gives you the sweat, the fear, and the fallout that defined a sport before it was polished for prime time.
- It shows how the early Pride and UFC era really looked and felt
- It explains Kerr’s myth and the price of being the most dangerous man in the room
- It sets the bar for what the A24 film must match
The doc that grabs you by the throat
John Hyams’ film does not flinch. It follows Kerr through training, fights, hotel rooms, and hospital visits. There is triumph, but the shine is thin. We see painkiller dependency, fractured love, and the toll of a career built on violence. The nickname The Smashing Machine is not hype, it is a warning label.
This is not a highlight reel. It is a reveal. Early MMA was chaos and courage. Purses were small. Rules were evolving. The fighters were pioneers, and the cost was paid in real time. Kerr’s dominance is thrilling, but the camera keeps rolling after the bell, and that is where the film becomes essential.
Content warning. The film depicts addiction, injury, and intense physical harm. Take care while viewing.
Celebrity angle, real stakes
Here is why Hollywood is locked in. Johnson has chased big men and bigger heroes. Kerr will force him to chase the man behind the mask. He will have to show fragility, shame, and the quiet moments that haunt champions. That is why insiders are calling this his most demanding transformation since his breakout years. For Safdie, the material fits his taste for pressure, obsession, and the edge where success meets self-destruction.
Expect the biopic to channel the same nerves the doc exposes. The weight cut scenes. The locker room silence. The feeling that the next fight might fix everything, or break it for good. This is not just a sports movie. It is a human crash test.
What fans and fighters know
Ask around gyms and broadcast booths. The Smashing Machine has long been passed down like homework. Fighters study Kerr’s wrestling, his ground pressure, and the fear he inspired when the rules were still forming. Coaches point to the film as a lesson in how fast it can all collapse when pain management turns into a battle of its own.
What to watch for in the doc
- The Pride walkouts that feel like gladiator cinema
- The raw conversations that follow the pills, not the punches
- Kerr’s bond with teammates, and how stress strains it
- The final stretch that shows what is left after the roar fades
This background makes the coming A24 film more than a comeback story. It becomes a mirror. It asks how we glorify toughness, and what we ignore to keep the show going.
Why it hits pop culture now
Combat sports have gone mainstream. Celebs sit cage side. Arena walkouts look like tour stops. Yet the roots are still rough. The Smashing Machine reminds us of the garage days. It shows what it took to make MMA a global show, and what got lost along the way. That contrast is why the title lands so hard in 2026. Viewers want to understand the journey, not just the highlight.
Watch the documentary first. Then keep an eye on A24’s casting and production teases. The echoes will be louder.
What happens next
Our read, this doc becomes the unofficial pregame for the feature. Expect renewed conversations about fighter health, old rule sets, and what fame costs when it arrives too late. Expect Johnson to lean into a stripped down look, fewer quips, more doubt. And expect MMA legends to weigh in as the film nears release, since so many of them lived this chapter with Kerr.
The moment belongs to The Smashing Machine again, and that feels right. Before the red carpet, there was the blue canvas. Before the hero shot, there was a man alone in a room, trying to keep it together. Start with the documentary. Then get ready for the next round.
