Outside Source
Ryan Bader (right) portrays Mark Coleman (left) in “The Smashing Machine.” | 📷: Steve Granitz/FilmMagic
Forgive Ryan Bader if he pauses occasionally to pinch himself.
The former two-division Bellator MMA titleholder makes his feature-film debut in “The Smashing Machine,” a forthcoming biopic on two-time Ultimate Fighting Championship tournament winner Mark Kerr that premieres in theaters nationwide this Friday. Bader, 42, portrays Mark Coleman, a chief Kerr rival who later becomes one of his closest friends and confidants. Directed by Benny Safdie, “The Smashing Machine” stars Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson in the titular role alongside onetime Academy Award nominee Emily Blunt, who plays Kerr’s love interest and future wife Dawn Staples.
“It was great,” Bader told Wrestlezone. “This was my first acting gig ever, right? And then I get thrown in with two of the biggest movie stars in the world, with Emily Blunt and ‘The Rock’—D.J. One thing I noticed was when he came on set, he was Mark Kerr, with the prosthetics, the clothes, everything. That helped alleviate some of the pressure for me being on set for the first time.”
It was a revelatory experience for Bader.
“I was observing a lot—watching him and Emily and their process, how they prepare, what they do before scenes,” he said. “That helped me a lot. [Johnson] was great to me. There were a few times where we’d play off each other. If I slipped up, he’d pick it up, and vice versa. We had a good working relationship.”
Bader should be no stranger to mixed martial arts fans. A two-time NCAA All-American wrestler at Arizona State University, the Reno, Nevada, native burst on the scene in 2008, when he won Season 8 of “The Ultimate Fighter” reality series. Bader went on to compile a 15-5 record across 20 appearances in the UFC, scoring wins over Antonio Rogerio Nogeuira (twice), Quinton Jackson, Rashad Evans in Phil Davis. He signed with Bellator in 2017 and soon surfaced as one of the organization’s most recognizable competitors, capturing championships in the light heavyweight and heavyweight divisions. Still, the transition to acting proved to be a unique challenge, even in a movie based on a mixed martial artist.
“Obviously, I have the MMA background, but I had to relearn from the ground up,” Bader said. “You can’t really hit these guys. We did two straight weeks before filming anything. The stunt coordinator was awesome. They told us some MMA fighters are really good at this, and some aren’t. The ones who are good can put their ego aside and listen. That was me. I wanted to make it look real, but I understood the process. I also worked with a few fighters who played Coleman’s opponents. We made a pact: ‘Hey, you can give me a little bit to make it look real.’ Some of those punches on the ground? I was really giving it to them a bit.”
Kerr has become something of a tragic figure in MMA. Now 56, the Toledo, Ohio, native won an NCAA wrestling championship at Syracuse University. He made his pro mixed martial arts debut in 1997 and proceeded to rattle off 11 straight victories while winning heavyweight tournaments at UFC 14 and UFC 15. However, Kerr’s career derailed for a variety of reasons, including well-chronicled issues with painkillers. “The Smashing Machine” addresses many of them.
“I hope it helps people going through addiction or tough relationships,” Bader said. “There is light at the end of the tunnel. If you take the steps, you can get out. Look at Kerr. He’s sober seven years now. He never would’ve thought ‘The Rock’ would play him in a movie 20-plus years later. You never know what’s going to happen.”
Johnson received a 15-minute standing ovation for his performance when the film premiered at the Venice International Film Festival on Sept. 1. He was reduced to tears, with Kerr seated beside him. Rooted in the 2022 documentary of the same name, “The Smashing Machine” has already begun to draw its share of Oscar buzz.
“It’s raw and gritty, not just another sports movie,” Bader said. “People need to remember it’s a true story, based very closely on the documentary.”
This article first appeared at Recent News on Sherdog.com
Help support MMACrazies.com when you shop Amazon by starting your online Amazon shopping at MMACrazies.com/recommends/amazon. You are not charged extra, but we receive a small and very helpful commission on everything you purchase. Thanks for thinking of us every time you shop at Amazon.
