"Dwayne Johnson's buzzy awards season turn in the A24 sports biopic "The Smashing Machine" sees the wrestling legend embody another famous athlete: mixed martial artist Mark Kerr. One of the most dominant fighters in the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) during the late 1990s, Kerr rose through the ranks while battling an addiction to pain medication and dealing with a tumultuous relationship with his girlfriend, Dawn Staples (played in the film by Emily Blunt)."
"Kerr attended Syracuse University and was an All-American and Division 1 champion at 190 pounds in 1992. During his collegiate freestyle wrestling career, he won gold and silver medals at the World Cup and a silver medal in the 1995 Pan American Games. While making his MMA debut in 1997 at the World Vale Tudo Championship in Brazil, Kerr dominated the competition. He won all his bouts, took the championship, and was nicknamed "The Smashing Machine.""
"Kerr had a dominating career at the UFC, which recently named him to its Hall of Fame. Kerr has also battled addiction, and at a low point after his fighting career, was living out of his car."
Mark Kerr was a collegiate wrestling champion at Syracuse University and an All-American and Division 1 champion at 190 pounds in 1992. He won medals at the World Cup and a silver at the 1995 Pan American Games. Kerr made his MMA debut in 1997 at the World Vale Tudo Championship in Brazil, winning the tournament and earning the nickname "The Smashing Machine." He went unbeaten in UFC 14 and UFC 15 before moving to fight in Japan for Pride. Kerr battled addiction to pain medication, experienced a low point living out of his car, and was recently named to the UFC Hall of Fame. Dwayne Johnson stars as Kerr in an A24 biopic based on a 2002 HBO documentary, with Emily Blunt portraying Dawn Staples and director Benny Safdie receiving festival recognition.
Read at Business Insider
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