Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson may be preparing to hit the big screen as UFC pioneer Mark Kerr in The Smashing Machine, but years ago he seriously considered becoming a fighter himself.
Speaking on the Joe Rogan Experience, Johnson revealed that during the early stages of his WWE career he was intrigued by Pride FC, then Japan’s premier MMA promotion. The spectacle and big crowds tempted him to swap the wrestling ring for the cage.
However, UFC Hall of Famer and fellow WWE star Ken Shamrock convinced him otherwise. “Shamrock was very smart,” Johnson recalled. “We were wrestling each other every night, training together, and he just said, ‘You might want to stick with this first. You’ve got something here.’”
Johnson admitted that Shamrock’s advice pushed him to stay in WWE, where he went on to become one of the sport’s biggest stars. Ironically, years later he would return to MMA in a different form – portraying Kerr in Benny Safdie’s biopic, which has already drawn praise for his transformation.
Kerr himself told Rogan that Johnson didn’t need to take on the demanding role, but the actor insisted he wanted the challenge. “He could keep making blockbusters and be fine,” Kerr said. “But he needed to do something different.”
For Johnson, avoiding MMA in reality may have been the right call, but his new film ensures his connection to the sport comes full circle.
