UFC Icon Dwayne Johnson Defends The Smashing Machine After Box Office Disappointment
Few Hollywood stars have taken a more daring leap than Dwayne Johnson's transformation into UFC legend Mark Kerr in The Smashing Machine. Johnson set aside his typical blockbuster charm to deliver a raw portrayal of addiction, redemption, and physical sacrifice.
Bruce Buffer Reacts to Film's Commercial Performance
Despite critical praise and early Oscar buzz, the film performed poorly at the box office, leaving UFC veteran Bruce Buffer visibly disappointed. On his podcast with TJ De Santis and Ray Longo, Buffer expressed both admiration for Johnson's work and concern for the movie's underwhelming financial results.
“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.”
Artistic Approach and Production Details
Directed by Benny Safdie and produced by A24, the film avoided the polished spectacle common to Johnson’s career. Instead, it focused on the gritty humanity of a man battling inner demons as much as his opponents in the cage.
According to MMA Fighting, Johnson dedicated up to four hours daily in prosthetics to fully embody Kerr’s physical transformation both in and out of the octagon.
Summary
Dwayne Johnson's intense dedication to portraying Mark Kerr earned critical acclaim but failed to convert into box office success, a scenario that disappointed even UFC insiders like Bruce Buffer.