The Smashing Machine (2025) marks Benny Safdie‘s solo directorial debut. Having previously helmed Daddy Longlegs (2009), Lenny Cooke (2013), Heaven Knows What (2014), Good Time (2017), and Uncut Gems (2019) with his brother Josh Safdie, the writer-director is also widely known for co-creating The Curse on Showtime and for a slew of acting roles, including Licorice Pizza (2021) and Oppenheimer (2023). As impressive as that already seems, The Smashing Machine has now brought him even more fruit to bear. Winning the Silver Lion for best directing at the 2025 Venice Film Festival was only the beginning, as A24 is currently gearing up Safdie’s sports biopic for a full-steam awards campaign in the coming months.
Based on the 2002 documentary The Smashing Machine: The Life and Times of Extreme Fighter Mark Kerr, Safdie’s film focuses on a delicate point in the titular fighter’s career. Audiences follow Mark Kerr in his transition from freestyle wrestling to mixed martial arts in the late ’90s, right as he became a two-time UFC champion. The Smashing Machine shows viewers how the world of MMA evolved in the early days of the sport, as Kerr goes from competing in the Ultimate Fighting Championship in the U.S. to PRIDE FC in Japan. Kerr and his fellow fighters, such as Mark Coleman, were true pioneers, helping to build the credibility of MMA when the sport was barely gaining notice.
For Benny Safdie, Casting Real MMA Fighters Was the Only Option
Not until now have these prolific mixed martial artists received such a spotlight on the big screen. Part of that is thanks to blockbuster stars Dwayne Johnson and Emily Blunt, who respectively portray Kerr and his devoted girlfriend, Dawn Staples, in The Smashing Machine — their second collaboration, following 2021’s Jungle Cruise. Of course, much credit should go to beloved indie distributor A24 for giving this movie a nationwide rollout, too. Most of all, though, filmmaker Benny Safdie deserves recognition for working closely with Mark Kerr himself in developing this project from its earliest stages. Plus, Safdie and his team went the extra mile to feature professional MMA fighters in the supporting cast.
Courtesy of A24
In sitting down with Safdie for an exclusive interview, the writer-director was eager to discuss why casting real-life MMA fighters in The Smashing Machine was of the utmost importance to him.
Benny Safdie: “It’s interesting because, from my perspective, they aren’t non-actors; they’re just first-time actors. This is the first time they have been given the opportunity to do this! That’s how I look at it. Casting real fighters was particularly important because it’s such a specific world, and we approach it with such care. This time in MMA was like the birth of it, and we really wanted to do justice to the fights and the relationships. It just made sense to have real, experienced people in there for the actual fighting.”
Ryan Bader and Bas Rutten Bring Great Authenticity to The Smashing Machine
As Safdie mentioned, many of the master athletes in The Smashing Machine have never acted in a feature film before. Of them all, former Bellator Heavyweight champion Ryan Bader delivers a heartwarming and tender performance as Kerr’s closest friend and confidant, Mark Coleman, who is famously known as the very first UFC Heavyweight Champion. As Kerr struggles with his opioid addiction and crumbling relationship with Dawn, it’s Coleman who is always there to offer a voice of reason. Bader is so convincing in the role that you would think he’s a seasoned actor.
Bas Rutten, who is widely considered one of the greatest MMA fighters of all time, also plays himself in The Smashing Machine. The retired champion supported Kerr as his coach and personal trainer during the events of the film, so who better to portray him than himself? Another athlete who deserves praise for their acting turn in The Smashing Machine is Ukrainian professional boxer Oleksandr Usyk, who is the current undisputed heavyweight champion. Usyk portrays the famous Igor Vovchanchyn, who still shares the record for the longest unbeaten streak in MMA history. Satoshi Ishii and Cyborg Abreu are two other notable MMA fighters who make their acting debuts in Benny Safdie’s movie.
These MMA Legends Had Much More to Offer Aside From Their Fighting Skills
While not a fighter, journalist and broadcaster Stephen Quadros is featured in The Smashing Machine as himself, too. Quadros commentated the Pride Grand Prix 2000 tournament, which is depicted in the film’s third act, alongside Bas Rutten. His inclusion, as Safdie tells us, was a small detail that could not have been overlooked in bringing authenticity to this story. When asked about having many expert MMA fighters on set, the director revealed that their gained knowledge and lived-in experiences were just as crucial as their physical skills.
Benny Safdie: “I could talk to Ryan [Bader] and be like, ‘I know you know what it feels like after you’ve worked so hard to achieve something, and then you’ve just achieved it… Now what?’ I could reach out to him with these questions, and he would then reflect on and cycle through all those moments and emotions. The same applies to Bas [Rutten], who was actually there with Mark. We had the opportunity to have these people on set, who were actually present [during the events of the story]. These things are important to me, even having Stephen Quadros! I don’t know why exactly, but it’s almost like it has to be that way.”
The Smashing Machine is now playing in theaters!
Release Date: October 3, 2025.
Directed by Benny Safdie.
Written by Benny Safdie.
Produced by Benny Safdie, Dwayne Johnson, Eli Bush, Hiram Garcia, Dany Garcia, & David Koplan.
Executive Producer: Tracey Landon.
Main Cast: Dwayne Johnson, Emily Blunt, Ryan Bader, Bas Rutten, Oleksandr Usyk, Lyndsey Gavin, Satoshi Ishii, James Moontasri, Yoko Hamamura, Stephen Quadros, Paul Cheng, Cyborg Abreu, Andre Tricoteux, Marcus Aurélio, Whitney Moore, Paul Lazenby, Olga Dzyurak, Eric Odbaatar, & Zoe Kosovic.
Cinematographer: Maceo Bishop.
Composer: Nala Sinephro.
Production Companies: A24, Out for the Count, Seven Bucks Productions, & Magnetic Fields Entertainment.
Distributor: A24.
Runtime: 123 minutes.
Rated R.
