THE SMASHING MACHINE

*CUT TO THE CHASE*

NOTE: This spoiler was submitted by Jeremy

The film starts with an interview with Mark Kerr (Dwayne Johnson), explaining his role in the Ultimate Fighting Championship tournament. He is seen in Sao Paulo in 1997 competing in a match, where he utilizes his fierce freestyle wrestling techniques to defeat his opponent. The rest of the interview continues as Mark talks about his view on the sport.

Mark is later at a doctor’s waiting room in Phoenix. He speaks to a woman and her grandson about the UFC and how violent it is, but he tells her that he does not hate his opponent. Mark gives the boy his autograph. He then gets his prescription medications.

At home, Mark lives with his girlfriend, Dawn Staples (Emily Blunt). He chastises her for using the wrong type of milk in his protein shake, but he still tries to be loving and supporting as Dawn is to him. Mark is also shown abusing opioids in private.

Mark later travels to Tokyo with his coach, fellow fighter Mark Coleman (Ryan Bader), for the Pride 7 Fighting Championships, where he talks to the officials of the fight for his payment. He is interviewed afterwards, where he is asked how he would feel if he loses, to which Mark is uncertain since he has never lost. Dawn flies to Tokyo to surprise him, but they end up arguing in the locker room because he thinks she is going to break his focus. Mark goes out into the ring for his fight, but he loses to his opponent after the other guy uses some supposedly illegal moves. Mark returns to the locker room and cries. After his protests, the officials declare the match “no contest”. Mark later speaks to his opponent and even takes a friendly picture with him.

After returning home, Mark and Dawn continue to argue, leading to him smashing a door in a fit of rage. The next morning, Dawn calls Coleman in tears because Mark overdosed and is in the hospital. Coleman goes to visit a tearful Mark and helps him to start getting clean. Mark ends up entering rehab. Mark later takes Dawn on a date to a carnival and monster truck show but finds himself too depressed to enjoy anything.

The rehab starts to take a toll on Dawn, who thinks Mark is less loving now than he was when he was drinking and doing drugs. She eventually gets so frustrated that she leaves. Mark goes to Hollywood in 2000 to start training with Bas Rutten (as himself). One round of training is stalled when Bas experiences excruciating pain from an injury during his fighting career, but Mark injects him with pain meds to relieve him. He spends a lot of time with Bas to get into peak physical shape.

Mark and Coleman compete in the Pride 2000 Grand Prix. Mark goes all in and scores a win. He is later surprised by Dawn returning to see him, gifting him a bowl that she broke during an argument and now repaired. They get back together, but Bas is dismayed when Mark leaves the training camp to go back home with her.

Eventually, Mark and Dawn’s happiness returns to arguing when she gets upset that he doesn’t want her to go with him to Japan for his next match. They get into an explosive argument that culminates in Dawn nearly shooting herself in the head. Mark subdues her as she goes into hysterics and calls 911 so Dawn can get taken care of.

Mark goes to Japan for the final round of the Grand Prix. Mark ends up getting distracted by having flashbacks to happier times, and suffers a harsh loss. Bas comforts him in the locker room. Meanwhile, Coleman ends up winning his final round and takes home the belt while Mark is patched up. Mark later sits in the shower and starts laughing.

Flashforward to 2025 in Scottsdale, where the real Mark Kerr is shown grocery shopping. The ending text states that Mark and Dawn got back together eleven days after his loss and were married. They eventually divorced but have a son together. Mark retired from fighting in 2009. While there are other more well-known fighters in the sport today, Kerr and Coleman were considered pioneers of the sport.

The film is a look at the life of mixed martial arts fighter Mark Kerr, showing his highs and lows in the sport, as well as his personal struggles, such as his opioid addiction and rocky relationship with his girlfriend, Dawn Staples. Mark is coached by his friend and fellow fighter, Mark Coleman, and later Bas Rutten. Mark has a victory at the Pride 2000 Grand Prix and later gets back with Dawn after a breakup, but she nearly attempts suicide during an argument and is taken into intensive care.

Mark loses his final round in Japan while Coleman takes home the belt. Mark and Dawn later married but are now divorced, while he eventually retired in 2009. He and Coleman are considered pioneers of the sport.