Despite his lead role as ex-UFC star Mark Kerr in the biographical sports drama, The Smashing Machine, Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson knows his limits when it comes to fighting for real. Johnson, a professional wrestling icon with the WWE (World Wrestling Entertainment), is playing Kerr in the new A24 biopic to be released later this year.
The Rock is starring alongside real fighters like the undisputed heavyweight boxing champion Oleksandr Usyk, as well as former UFC contenders Ryan Bader and the legendary Bas Rutten. Not surprisingly, Johnson’s fighting skills have been questioned ahead of the film’s release.
However, Rutten, who trained Kerr and, as such, worked closely with Johnson in the film, reflected on a humorous exchange they had on X years ago in 2016 regarding a real fight between the pair. After claiming he would never fight Johnson in a street fight years ago due to the love he had for him, Rutten received a response from the WWE star.
Knowing his limits, Johnson said, “Love you back, Bas. I also love my teeth to remain in my mouth.”
“He’s a good guy, man,” Rutten told fellow ex-UFC champion Matt Serra, while sharing a picture of the exchange.
“I don’t know how he does it. He is so busy. But people go like, ‘Oh, you know, can you imagine you have what you have?’ I said, ‘I don’t want it. I don’t want what he has.’ Trust me. I mean, he’s the guy who can handle that. I couldn’t. It’s too much,” Rutten elaborated.
“I mean, in the movie, he flies to Paris, and he comes back, and he starts filming again,” he added.
Rutten then praised Johnson for traveling to Italy to promote another thing, only to come back to the film and start working immediately. “It’s really amazing the crazy life that he has,” he said.
Rutten has also been notably awestruck by the sheer dedication Johnson has shown in his portrayal of Kerr in the biopic.
Rutten shocked by Johnson’s resemblance to Kerr
Johnson has long been criticized for essentially playing versions of himself throughout his entire acting career — be it the Fast and the Furious movies, the Jumanji movies, or Journey 2: The Mysterious Island.
Which is why, since the release of The Smashing Machine’s trailer, everyone has been raving over just how good he looks.
And as far as former Pancrase star Rutten can see, the similarities in body shape and size are uncanny. He would claim even Kerr’s notoriously massive shoulders have made their way onto Johnson’s frame.
“You [have] got to watch his [Johnson’s] shoulders. He’s got the Kerr shoulders, dude,” Rutten told Serra.
“Oh, yeah. They really worked on that. Like freaking bang. He looks like Kerr,” the Dutch striking innovator added. “Yeah. And I go like, ‘Dude, it got me goosebumps.’ I go, ‘He really looks like Mark Kerr.’ It’s crazy.“
And going by The Rock’s work ethic, he would do justice to the fight sequences as well. That would involve replacing his macho WWE-style action with a more realistic portrayal of an MMA fighter inside the octagon.
