Ryan Bader, a former Bellator heavyweight champion, is pausing his fighting career to act in the upcoming biopic “The Smashing Machine,” which also stars Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson and is based on the life of UFC and PRIDE veteran Mark Kerr.
Ryan Bader’s got something new on his plate. He’s putting his MMA career on pause for a bit. Why, you ask? He’s landed a role in the upcoming biopic, “The Smashing Machine.” This film is all about UFC and PRIDE veteran Mark Kerr. And guess who else stars in it? None other than Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson.
Bader spilled the beans this Saturday. He’s not just in the film, he’s got a significant role. The former Bellator heavyweight champ will be on set for about three months. Most of the filming is happening in Vancouver. Who’s directing, you ask? It’s Benny Safdie, with A24, an indie studio, producing.
Bader’s Instagram post read, “Putting the MMA game on pause for a bit as I head to Vancouver for about three months.” He’s stoked to be part of this project. The film pays tribute to legends of the sport, Mark Kerr, Mark Coleman. It’s all about the highs and lows of this wild sport.
Who else is in the cast? Emily Blunt, recent Oscar nominee, is rumored to be on board. She might be playing Kerr’s longtime girlfriend, Dawn Staples.
“The Smashing Machine” is based on a 2002 documentary of the same name. It delves into Kerr’s career, the ups and downs. Kerr was once seen as the future of the sport. But injuries and addiction to pain meds led to his downfall.
The documentary follows Kerr mostly during his PRIDE days. He tried to make a comeback, but it was Coleman who revived his career. He did it with a stunning victory in the first-ever PRIDE Grand Prix tournament.
“The Smashing Machine” has been a passion project for Johnson for a while now. The WWE superstar turned actor was determined to get the film done after securing the rights to the story. He’s been training at MMA gyms, including Black House, to prepare for his role as Kerr.
As for Bader, he’s a 40-year-old UFC and Bellator vet. His last fight was in February, where he suffered a knockout loss to Renan Ferreira on the PFL vs. Bellator card in Saudi Arabia. Before that, he had three wins in a row, including a second victory over legendary heavyweight Fedor Emelianenko.
Bader’s now part of the cast alongside Johnson. There’s no release date for the film yet. But it’s expected that “The Smashing Machine” will hit theaters sometime in 2025.