Dwayne Johnson to Play UFC Champion Mark Kerr in Biopic

Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, who will next be seen in ‘Jumanji: The Next Level’ when it hits Irish cinemas on December 11th, has signed on to produce and star in a biopic of MMA fighter and UFC champ Mark Kerr, Variety has learned.

Kerr — known as The Smashing Machine, The Titan and The Specimen — is a two-time UFC heavyweight champ, and was widely regarded as the best fighter in the world during his MMA career. The champ was the subject of a 2002 documentary, “The Smashing Machine,” which chronicled his life and career, including his romantic relationships, friendships and addiction to painkillers.

In addition to starring, Johnson will produce the project with his Seven Bucks Productions partners Dany Garcia and Hiram Garcia, and frequent collaborator Beau Flynn.

“The guy was a beast and he was dominant and there was only one like him at that time,” Johnson said in a statement to the outlet. “When you think about these fighters, there is no other sport like MMA — the multiple disciplines and the pressure and the fact that you put your life on the line, literally, every time you step in the cage — and if you dig a little deeper than the physicality that they have, there’s a real character of depth to a lot of these warriors, and Mark is one of them.”