UFC icon defends Dwayne Johnson after The Smashing Machine flops at the box office
Few Hollywood actors have taken a creative risk as bold as Dwayne Johnson’s deep dive into the role of UFC legend Mark Kerr. In The Smashing Machine, Johnson exchanged his action-hero persona for a raw and vulnerable performance that explored addiction, redemption, and personal struggle.
Despite strong critical acclaim and early Oscar speculation, the film failed to draw large audiences at the box office. The disappointing numbers drew comments from UFC announcer Bruce Buffer, who voiced both support and frustration at the film’s outcome.
“It was a tour de force for The Rock and Emily Blunt. They did a fantastic job with what they were given,” Buffer said. “For the benefit of Mark Kerr, I was hoping it’d be a huge hit because I’d hope Mark had a piece of the action.”
Speaking on his podcast with TJ De Santis and Ray Longo, Buffer emphasized that the project still stood as one of Johnson’s most ambitious and emotionally charged performances. The film, directed by Benny Safdie and produced by A24, shed Johnson’s familiar cinematic polish in favor of a darker, more human portrayal of a fighter confronting his own demons. According to MMA Fighting, Johnson spent as much as four hours daily in prosthetics to fully capture Kerr’s physical and psychological transformation.
Author’s Summary
Dwayne Johnson’s bold portrayal of Mark Kerr in The Smashing Machine earned critical praise but struggled commercially, with UFC’s Bruce Buffer defending the film as a brave performance despite its box-office failure.